Thank you for registering for registering for Researching Catholic Ancestors!
If you have Catholic Ancestors, there is a wealth of information available when it comes to family history research. The Catholic Church keeps meticulous records of its congregants, and there are many records documenting baptisms, marriages, and more, which can help you trace your Catholic ancestors. These records can provide a window into their lives, help to establish family connections, and they can provide clues to help you track down hard-to-find vital records and more. Join us for this 5-session online seminar, where we’ll discuss the records, repositories, and strategies for tracing your Catholic ancestors.
This course includes:
- Five+ hours’ worth of pre-recorded lectures
- Exclusive access to handouts, slides, templates, and other materials
- An in-depth Q&A session with the instructors
- Access to all materials for the foreseeable future
Q&A WITH EXPERTS
Live broadcast: April 20, 2024
Presented by Rhonda R. McClure and Melanie McComb
Running time: 1:26:56
Resources Shared in Live Q&A Chat
RECORDED PRESENTATIONS & INSTRUCTION
Class 1: The History of Catholics in America
Presented by Rhonda R. McClure
While most of the British colonies were predominantly protestant, as the United States expanded it became more religiously diverse as well. The 19th century saw the acquisition of many states that were historically under the rule of Catholic France and Spain. From the mid-19th century onward, waves of Catholic immigrants came into America from European countries such as Ireland and Italy. In this class, we'll discuss the historical context that is essential for tracing your Catholic ancestors in America.
Running time: 1:06:25
Class 1 Handout
Class 1 Slides Worksheet
Class 1 Slides (Large)
Class 2: Identifying the Church
Presented by Rhonda R. McClure
In order to find records for your Catholic ancestors, it is essential to pinpoint the church that they attended. In this class, we will cover strategies for determining which church your ancestors belonged to and how to locate the church records.
Running time: 36:57
Class 2 Handout
Class 2 Slides Worksheet
Class 2 Slides (Large)
Class 3: Sacramental Records
Presented by Melanie McComb
The Catholic Church has seven sacraments that congregants may receive during their lives—Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Penance and Reconciliation, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony. Sacramental records can contain a wealth of information to assist with establishing family connections, determining birth and death dates, and more.
Running time: 50:30
Class 3 Handout
Class 3 Slides Worksheet
Class 3 Slides (Large)
Class 4: Essential Records for Catholic Family History Research
Presented by Melanie McComb
In this class, we will move beyond church records and discuss less commonly thought of records for tracing your Catholic Ancestors. We'll discuss non-sacramental records such as vestry minutes, cemetery records, and burial records. We'll also cover records from fraternal organizations, charities, and newspapers.
Running time: 58:28
Class 4 Handout
Class 4 Slides Worksheet
Class 4 Slides (Large)
Class 5: Researching Nuns and Clergy
Presented by Melanie McComb
Many of our Catholic ancestors joined the clergy or became nuns. These “ancestors of the cloth” have their own sets of records that can provide additional insight into their lives. In this final class, we will explore these important records.
Running time: 40:18
Class 5 Handout
Class 5 Slides Worksheet
Class 5 Slides (Large)
OTHER RESOURCES
American Ancestors' Historic Catholic Records Project
Free Download: Resources for Roman Catholic Research on AmericanAncestors.org
Portable Genealogist: Using Catholic Records
Research Guide: Catholic Records in New England
INSTRUCTOR BIOS
Rhonda R. McClure, Senior Genealogist is a nationally recognized professional genealogist and lecturer. Before joining American Ancestors in 2006, she ran her own genealogical business for 18 years. She was a contributing editor for Heritage Quest Magazine, Biography magazine, and was a contributor to The History Channel Magazine and American History Magazine. In addition to numerous articles, she is the author of twelve books including the award-winning The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Online Genealogy, Finding your Famous and Infamous Ancestors and Digitizing Your Family History. She is the editor of the newly released 6th edition of the Genealogist’s Handbook for New England Research. Her areas of expertise include, immigration and naturalization, late 19th- and early 20th-century urban research, missionaries, State Department Federal records, New England, Mid-West, Southern, German, Italian, Scottish, Irish, French Canadian, and New Brunswick research as well as Internet research, genealogical software and online trees.
Melanie McComb, Senior Genealogist, assists library visitors, both on-site and online, with their family history research. She is an international lecturer who teaches on a variety of topics. Melanie holds a B.S. degree from the State University of New York at Oswego. She previously served as the social media coordinator for the NextGen Genealogy Network, a non-profit that creates a community for younger genealogists, where she managed the Facebook and Twitter accounts. She is also an Honorary Fellow of the Massachusetts Historical Society. She continues her interest in helping younger genealogists get involved at American Ancestors by assisting with educational programs from local schools, scout groups, and universities. Her areas of expertise include Irish genealogy, DNA, Atlantic Canada, Jewish genealogy, and military records.