Genealogy news

• Treecrossing, FamilySearch app, OldNews.com by MyHeritage, Google Lens

  16-12-2025 18:53 via lisalouisecooke.com
  (Audio Podcast) In episode #302 of the Genealogy Gems podcast, host Lisa Louise Cooke discusses innovative tools and resources for genealogists, including Tree Crossing, a new platform designed to help users share their family trees in a more engaging way for non-genealogists. The episode features an interview with the creators of Tree Crossing, who explain […]
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• Beginners guide: How to use Tree Crossing

  15-12-2025 19:01 via lisalouisecooke.com
  In this video, the creators of Tree Crossing demonstrate the main features including the contextual features, data visualization, privacy controls, and collaborative sharing of family trees. You’ll learn how how these elements make genealogy more accessible and engaging for your family members who don’t do genealogy research. If you’re new to Tree Crossing, watch Tree Crossing […]
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• Tree Crossing – a New Way to Share Trees that Solves Problems

  08-12-2025 16:45 via lisalouisecooke.com
  Why would you or I use yet another family tree website like Tree Crossing? Because it’s solving problems! Solving Family Tree Problems with Tree Crossing In this video we explore the problems that still exist for genealogists when it comes to sharing family tree information with our family members. Creators Bob Meyers and David Pugmire […]
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• Cold Case Inquiries Stall After Ancestry.com Revisits Policy for Users

  07-12-2025 21:32 via nytimes.com
  The genealogy site’s clarification of its terms and conditions has barred those working on unsolved crimes from access to the company’s vast trove of records.
  
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• Cold Case Inquiries Hampered After Genealogy Site Revisits Terms of Use

  07-12-2025 09:00 via nytimes.com
  Ancestry’s clarification of a policy has barred those working on unsolved crimes from access to the company’s vast trove of records.
  
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• Thomas King, Award-Winning Canadian Author, Says He Is Not Indigenous

  25-11-2025 08:57 via nytimes.com
  Thomas King said he felt “ripped in half” on learning he had no Indigenous ancestry. The Canadian author has dedicated his career to writing about Indigenous people.
  
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• Google Search Methodology Update – Premium Podcast Episode 220

  24-11-2025 22:32 via lisalouisecooke.com
  
  
  (PREMIUM AUDIO PODCAST)  Show Notes: We last covered my Google Search Methodology for Genealogists in Genealogy Gems Premium podcast episode #181 in 2020. A lot has happened since then, and it’s time for an update.  If you think you know how to Google, think again! ln this episode you will hear the latest search innovations, […]
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• Newspaper Research – Episode 301

  07-11-2025 18:17 via lisalouisecooke.com
  (Audio Podcast & Show Notes): In this episode of the Genealogy Gems Podcast, Lisa Louise Cooke interviews Elephind.com creator Stefan Boddie and Damien Bennett of Veridian Software (the engine behind Elephind). They discuss the relaunch of the free newspaper search site and its new AI enhancements. Then Lisa compares the most popular AI chatbots and […]
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• Find Thousands of Newspaper Records with Elephind

  03-11-2025 21:01 via lisalouisecooke.com
  Join us as we explore the exciting relaunch of Elephind, a powerful search engine for historical newspapers. Discover how Elephind is revolutionizing access to genealogical treasures with its AI-driven smart search features. Featuring insights from Stefan Boddie, the Creator of Elephind, and Damian Bennett, manager at Veridian, this video delves into the challenges and solutions […]
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• Robo en el Louvre: base de datos de ADN conduce a detenciones

  03-11-2025 17:02 via nytimes.com
  El acervo de perfiles de ADN de Francia ha ayudado a resolver delitos de gran repercusión, como el atraco del Louvre, y sigue creciendo.
  
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• Arrests in Louvre Heist Show Power of DNA Databases in Solving Crimes

  03-11-2025 06:01 via nytimes.com
  France’s trove of DNA profiles has helped solve high-profile crimes and was used to find some of the Louvre suspects, and it is growing. The police can also access other countries’ databases.
  
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• Down Memory Lane – Episode 300

  21-10-2025 21:39 via lisalouisecooke.com
  (Audio Podcast & Show Notes): In this episode of the Genealogy Gems Podcast, Lisa Louise Cooke explores takes a trip down memory lane sharing highlights from the last 300 episodes, and some of her personal favorites. Listen to the Podcast Click below to listen now. Download the Show Notes Cheat Sheet Premium Members can download these […]
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• “Every Life Matters to Me” (Premium)

  09-10-2025 18:05 via lisalouisecooke.com
  
  
  (PREMIUM VIDEO REPLAY & PODCAST) Elevenses with Lisa is a LIVE show (& video replay) exclusively for Premium Members. Please join me for this thought-provoking show!  Long-time Premium Member, journalist, author and podcaster Natalie Zett is Lisa’s guest in our next livestream. Join them as they explore the profound impact genealogy has on each of […]
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• FamilySearch’s Full Text Search and AI Assistant – Episode 299

  29-09-2025 18:38 via lisalouisecooke.com
  (Audio Podcast) In this episode of the Genealogy Gems Podcast, Lisa Louise Cooke explores artificial intelligence tools at FamilySearch. First up is Full-Text search which facilitates researchers gaining access to millions of searchable historical records previously only accessible by browsing. Then a discussion of the AI Research Assistant in the Experimental Labs. Lisa takes it […]
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• Comparing & Choosing the RIGHT AI Chatbot for Transcription

  23-09-2025 23:53 via lisalouisecooke.com
  (Video) Use the chatbot BEST suited to transcribing documents, clippings and newspaper articles, all common tasks in genealogy. Lisa Louise Cooke compares 5 of the most popular all-purpose chatbots – ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Grok and Perplexity – reveals the clear winner. Don’t miss the BONUS TIP at the end! Watch the Video Comparing AI Transcription […]
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• Comparing AI Chatbots for Genealogy (Premium Audio Podcast Episode 218)

  17-09-2025 16:49 via lisalouisecooke.com
  Solving a Genealogical Cold Case (Premium Audio Podcast Episode 218) (PREMIUM AUDIO PODCAST) Are you struggling with deciding which AI chatbot to use to help you with your genealogy? They all claim to have amazing abilities, but which one is really right for you? In this Premium Podcast episode #218 we’ll ask the tough questions […]
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• Comparing AI Chatbots for Genealogy (Premium)

  10-09-2025 18:06 via lisalouisecooke.com
  
  
  (PREMIUM Video Replay & Audio Podcast)  Are you struggling with deciding which AI chatbot to use to help you with your genealogy? They all claim to have amazing abilities, but which one is really right for you? In this episode of Elevenses with Lisa we’ll ask the tough questions that matter most to genealogists to […]
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• I tried this NEW free AI image tool (with gobsmacking results!)

  05-09-2025 18:09 via lisalouisecooke.com
  (Video Show Notes) In this video I break down the 5 steps to prompting Nano Banana that help you recreate memories and help you tell your family history stories more effectively. Watch the Video on Nano Banana AI Image Generator Download the Show Notes Cheat Sheet. (Premium Membership required.) Google’s Gemini 2.5 Flash Image Google recently introduced a […]
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• FamilySearch AI Research Assistant Secrets REVEALED

  28-08-2025 16:13 via lisalouisecooke.com
  (Video Show Notes) Avoid the pain of easy mistakes and get the most out of the new FREE AI Research Assistant at FamilySearch. Here’s the new genealogy research tool featuring A.I. that can help you uncover exciting new genealogy records about your ancestors. Watch to the end for a surprising AI twist and my bonus […]
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• For South Asian Artists, Identity Doesn’t Fit in a Box

  22-08-2025 20:51 via nytimes.com
  These four artists are turning to centuries-old stories of migration to expand contemporary understandings of race, ethnicity and origin.
  
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• 9 Essential Strategies for Writing and Telling Great Family History Stories

  23-07-2025 20:24 via lisalouisecooke.com
  (Video & Show Notes) Do you want to write or tell more compelling family history stories? Author Sunny Morton (Story of My Life:A Workbook for Preserving Your Legacy) joins me to share 9 techniques you can use to tell a better story that will grab your reader’s or listener’s interest. Don’t just find the stories […]
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• 10 Key AI Terms & Improve Your Genealogy Prompts

  18-07-2025 23:04 via lisalouisecooke.com
  In this episode, we’re diving headfirst into the fascinating world of Artificial Intelligence — and how it can seriously boost your genealogy game. In Segment 1, we’re cutting through the jargon with 10 AI Vocabulary Terms You Need to Know. Whether you’re just getting curious about AI or already experimenting with it in your research, […]
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• End Genealogy Overwhelm: My Personal Breakthrough!

  15-07-2025 18:04 via lisalouisecooke.com
  (Video): Are you completely swamped by your genealogy research, lost in all the possibilities, and unsure where to do next before your time runs out? Trust me, I’ve been exactly where you are! In this very personal video, I’m sharing my own journey in response to a Premium Member’s cry for help. I’ll reveal how […]
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• ¿Qué precio pagan los argentinos por la ‘motosierra’ de Milei a la ciencia?

  09-07-2025 09:01 via nytimes.com
  La genética reunió a familias de los desaparecidos durante la dictadura militar más reciente en Argentina. El gobierno de Javier Milei la está poniendo en peligro.
  
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• The Human Cost of Javier Milei’s Assault on Science and History

  04-07-2025 23:30 via nytimes.com
  Genetics reunited the families of Argentina’s disappeared. President Javier Milei’s government is imperiling that.
  
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• Native American Genealogy

  24-06-2025 16:41 via lisalouisecooke.com
  SHOW NOTES (Video & Audio Podcast) Native American genealogy research follows the same path that all good genealogy research does, but it also includes some unique records along the way. It’s a fascinating journey, and in Elevenses with Lisa episode 76 professional genealogist Judy Nimer Muhn (Lineage Journeys) joins Lisa Louise Cooke to pave the […]
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• Genealogy Q&A (Premium)

  19-06-2025 02:14 via lisalouisecooke.com
  
  
  (PREMIUM Video and Audio Podcast) In this lively Q&A session we’ll explore your thought-provoking questions, from refining your Ancestry tree to organizing family photos, to navigating DNA research with ease. This fun, interactive session is a groovy opportunity to gain practical insights, share your own questions and Ah-ha moments, and connect with fellow genealogy enthusiasts! […]
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• We Traced Pope Leo XIV’s Ancestry Back 500 Years. Here’s What We Found.

  12-06-2025 18:28 via nytimes.com
  Noblemen, enslaved people, freedom fighters, slaveowners: what the complex family tree of the first American pontiff reveals.
  
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• Five Key Discoveries in the Family Tree of Pope Leo XIV

  12-06-2025 17:34 via nytimes.com
  We went back 500 years and found his connection to some fascinating people.
  
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• El ADN ayuda a ubicar a mujeres sospechosas de dejar morir a sus recién nacidos

  05-06-2025 09:00 via nytimes.com
  La genealogía genética está identificando a madres de bebés hallados sin vida, arrojando luz sobre crímenes que quedaron sin resolver durante años.
  
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• Confronting History, Family and Race on a Road Trip to New Orleans

  04-06-2025 20:58 via nytimes.com
  After a cousin he never knew contacted him, a writer set out on a journey along the Gulf Coast to learn more about her, and himself.
  
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• A DNA Technique Is Finding Women Who Left Their Babies for Dead

  04-06-2025 18:58 via nytimes.com
  Genetic genealogy is identifying the mothers of deceased newborns found abandoned, shedding light on crimes that went unsolved for years. Women now may face lengthy prison sentences for decades-old chapters of their pasts.
  
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• Four Generations of Quilts Come Out of the Family ‘Treasure Chest’

  31-05-2025 11:00 via nytimes.com
  The work of the African American quilters Laverne Brackens and Sherry Byrd, who continue the thread of the family tradition, will be on view at the Berkeley Art Museum.
  
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• Beginning Genealogy – 10 Steps to Success!

  19-05-2025 23:29 via lisalouisecooke.com
  
  SHOW NOTES: Ever wondered about your family history? Delving into your ancestry can be both exciting and overwhelming. I’m going to break down the basics of genealogy research, offering beginner-friendly tips and tricks to help you get started on your own family tree journey. These tips are also great for getting back to genealogy after […]
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• A Century-Old Romance That Gave the Pope His Family Name

  16-05-2025 21:42 via nytimes.com
  Online genealogists found that Pope Leo’s paternal grandparents in Chicago were accused of having an “illicit affair” in the 1910s, adding another layer to the pope’s complex family history.
  
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• See Historical Records Documenting the Pope’s Creole Roots in New Orleans

  10-05-2025 19:14 via nytimes.com
  The documents, including census records, baptismal rolls and marriage certificates, trace the story of Pope Leo’s mother’s family and their diverse background before moving to Chicago.
  
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• Pope Leo XIV’s Creole Roots Tell a Story of New Orleans

  10-05-2025 03:15 via nytimes.com
  “This is like a reward from God,” a local parishioner said, as researchers unearthed more details about the lives of Leo XIV’s ancestors in the heart of the city’s Afro-Caribbean culture.
  
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• El papa León XIV tiene raíces criollas en Nueva Orleans

  09-05-2025 19:51 via nytimes.com
  Su ascendencia, rastreada hasta un enclave histórico de cultura afrocaribeña, vincula a León XIV con la rica y a veces ignorada experiencia católica negra en EE. UU.
  
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• New Pope Has Creole Roots in New Orleans

  09-05-2025 04:39 via nytimes.com
  His ancestry, traced to a historic enclave of Afro-Caribbean culture, links Leo XIV to the rich and sometimes overlooked Black Catholic experience in America.
  
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• New Pope Has Creole Roots in New Orleans, Genealogist Says

  09-05-2025 01:24 via nytimes.com
  Robert Prevost’s maternal grandparents were married near the French Quarter and later moved to Chicago, where his mother was born, records show.
  
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• Google Tools Update (Premium)

  08-05-2025 16:02 via lisalouisecooke.com
  (PREMIUM LIVESTREAM PAGE) Elevenses with Lisa is a LIVE show (& video replay) exclusively for Premium Members. Join me for Google Tools Update, where I’ll show you the latest free tools from Google that you can leverage for genealogy research. Video Replay  Show Notes Download the show notes PDF. Lisa’s Gem: Clip-on Blue Light […]
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• 3 Incredible Ways to Use Google Earth for Research & Storytelling

  22-04-2025 21:19 via lisalouisecooke.com
  (PREMIUM) Elevenses with Lisa is a LIVE show (& video replay). Explore three exciting and creative ways you can use Google Earth to map the cemeteries where your ancestors are buried, recreate the neighborhoods where they lived, and share family stories in a compelling visual and interactive way. This session is perfect for genealogists of all […]
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• 15 Websites Under-the-Radar for Genealogy (Audio Podcast)

  21-04-2025 23:36 via lisalouisecooke.com
  
  SHOW NOTES: Episode 294 of the Genealogy Gems podcast shines a spotlight on 15 under-the-radar websites that serious genealogists should know about. Lisa Louise Cooke reveals powerful resources like AI tools capable of deciphering old handwriting in unindexed records, clever ways to hunt for unique family artifacts and ephemera online, specialized digital libraries perfect for […]
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• Photo Organization & Preservation: Your Step-by-Step Guide (Premium)

  10-04-2025 04:47 via lisalouisecooke.com
  (PREMIUM) Elevenses with Lisa is a LIVE show (& video replay). Ready to finally conquer that chaotic mountain of photos lurking on your devices and in dusty boxes? The next episode of Elevenses with Lisa is your ultimate battle plan!  Show Notes & Links SHOW NOTES: Download your exclusive Photo Legacy Project Worksheet.   Book mentioned […]
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• Italy Tightens Citizenship Rules Amid Influx of Applications

  01-04-2025 17:41 via nytimes.com
  
  The government says it tightened citizenship rules because of a deluge of applications from the descendants of emigrants who only coveted an Italian passport.
  
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• Gemini Gems: How to Create Custom AI Research Assistants. (Premium)

  27-03-2025 16:02 via lisalouisecooke.com
  (PREMIUM) Elevenses with Lisa video replay & audio podcast. Are you tired of writing the same AI prompts over and over for your genealogy tasks? Wish you had a faster way? Meet Gemini Gems! In this episode I’ll show you how to create these powerful, reusable prompts in Google Gemini, tailor-made for family history. Think of them […]
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• Comparing the Big 3 Genealogy Websites and AI Update (Audio podcast)

  18-03-2025 20:15 via lisalouisecooke.com
  
  SHOW NOTES: A comparison of the top three genealogy websites and an update on the latest artificial intelligence news. Lisa interviews genealogy author Sunny Morton about her article “Three’s Company” from the March/April 2025 issue of Family Tree Magazine. They dive into a detailed comparison of the top three genealogy websites—Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.org, and MyHeritage.com—focusing on […]
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• Location Guides Turbo Charged with AI (Premium)

  12-03-2025 19:27 via lisalouisecooke.com
  
  
  (PREMIUM VIDEO & PODCAST) Elevenses with Lisa is a LIVE show (& video replay) exclusively for Premium Members. In this video, Location Guides Turbo Charged with AI, I’ll show you how to harness the power of AI to create comprehensive, expert-level location guides for your family history research. You’ll see firsthand how AI can generate […]
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• To Identify Suspect in Idaho Killings, F.B.I. Used Restricted Consumer DNA Data

  25-02-2025 23:13 via nytimes.com
  
  New records show that the F.B.I. identified Bryan Kohberger as a potential murder suspect after tapping consumer databases that were supposed to be off limits.
  
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• Artificial Intelligence and Writing Your Family History (Audio podcast)

  18-02-2025 23:19 via lisalouisecooke.com
  
  SHOW NOTES: In episode 292 of the Genealogy Gems podcast, Lisa Louise Cooke discusses the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on genealogy research, exploring its evolution, ethical considerations, and the importance of data privacy. Genealogists need to understand AI’s capabilities and limitations and develop a balanced approach to its use in research. She also covers […]
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