Genealogy Research that's Insightful, Thorough & Personal
Our staff of amazing genealogists and family historians cannot wait to start documenting your ancestry. They will work with you to plan and achieve your research goals.
We will need your help in bringing your ancestors back to life by supplying items not available in public records or online, such as photos, passages from diaries, family stories, unsolved mysteries, and other interesting details.
The end result will be a fun trip down several memory lanes, and you will want to share it with family and friends.
“When Alex Haley prodded me to have my ancestry traced, I reached out to Johni Cerny and she has been my genealogist for 34 years—tracing my African-American roots and the ancestry of many of my close friends. She eternally reminds all of us how we got to this planet. Johni also keeps my soul eternally smiling and nobody does it better!”
Quincy D. Jones
“Thank you, thank you, thank you…for the amazing work you did to identify my biological father. The DNA results were gibberish until you explained it in layman’s terms for me and then used it to find him. Now it is time for you to trace his ancestry. I can’t wait to see the results of that adventure!”
Janet Williamson
“Wow, the research package arrived a few days ago and I can hardly put it down. The report and all those wonderful documents tell an interesting story about my mother’s Graupman ancestors. We will treasure this forever! Let me know what else you can do to trace the Graupman line in German records.”
K. Meyer
“My sister always felt like the odd person out in our family. DNA testing confirmed we were half-siblings. In her late 60s, we didn’t hold out much hope for identifying her biological father. With over 1,000 matches, we turned to Lineages’ staff expert for help. A few months and a lot of hard work, they solved the mystery. Lineages gave my sister the gift of a lifetime. Thank you, Lineages!”
N. M. Carlsbad, California
Explore Our Blog
Land Records Part 2
Previously, we discussed background information about land records, including historical information and what our ancestors had to do to obtain land. We will continue the discussion by exploring what we can find in this paper trail our ancestors’ land ownership left behind. What land records reveal Land records are a treasure trove of information, with…
Land Records Part 1
“Why, land is the only thing in the world worth workin’ for, worth fightin’ for, worth dyin’ for, because it’s the only thing that lasts.” —Gerald O’Hara, Gone with the Wind The above quote sums up the life and breath of America. The possibility of owning land attracted many Europeans who had no hope of…
On the Road – Tips for Taking a Genealogy Road Trip
For many beginner genealogists, much of the research can be completed online. With billions of records between sites like Ancestry and FamilySearch, so much can be found online in the comfort of our home. Eventually, our journey is going to take us offline and into the library and archives. Only a small percent of the…
Father’s Day
Father’s Day is celebrated the third Sunday in June as a companion to Mother’s Day which is celebrated in May. But when and why did it begin? According to Britannica.com, Father’s Day originated with Sonora Smart Dodd of Spokane, Washington in honor of her father.[1] The article states “she is said to have had the…
Reverse Genealogy: Tracing the Descendants of Your Ancestors
Reverse Genealogy: Tracing the Descendants of Your Ancestors Usually, the goal in our family history research is to go back through the generations. We scour vital records, hoping that it names our ancestors’ parents. But what about those other names on the records? What about the other children listed on the census record? What about…
German Influences in the United States Part 2
If you have German American ancestors, understanding the practices discussed in the last blog will help you know what to expect when researching them. This blog will discuss research strategies and where to find records based on these practices. Research strategy We will start by discussing what you must learn about your German ancestors before…
German influences in the United States – Part One
Many Americans have German roots somewhere in their family tree. Until recently, German Americans largely stuck to their own communities in the New World. Their practices affected how their records were created, which we must remember as we research them. This blog will focus on these practices, and the next blog will focus on applications…
German Americans
Even though the U.S. began as British colonies, it attracted immigrants from other European countries, including Germany. About one-fifth of Americans today can claim German Roots. Up until the early twentieth century, German Americans maintained their language and culture. This affected the lives of our German-American ancestors and where their records were kept. This blog…
Geneanet Last Name Frequency
Have You Ever Seen the Geographic Distribution of Your Surname on a Map? If you have not, Geneanet has the perfect resource for you, their Last Name Frequency map![1] Who is Geneanet? I’m glad you asked. Geneanet is a collaborative French genealogy website and community. It was bought by Ancestry a few years ago, making…
Using Hawaiian Land Commission Awards in Hawaiian Genealogy
We all know the importance of land records in our genealogy research. Deeds can give us key information about our ancestors, like when and where an ancestor lived, how much he purchased his land for, his neighbors, and sometimes even family members. Land records in Hawaii are no different – except Hawaii’s land has a…