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Lorena Smalley

WE Seniors Genealogy Meeting – Wednesday, May 6, 2026 

Topics:

  • Googling For Grandma
  • Finding Maiden Names

Presenter: Ashley Rother

Googling For Grandma

The power of Google as a genealogical research tool has been overlooked by many researchers, and Ashley’s presentation increased our awareness of how using Google to research our family history can be a very useful tool.

Google means ‘Search The Internet’. Of the 1500 different search engines, Google maintains 91% if the global Engine Market handling 5 billion daily searches in 2024. Google’s mission is to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful across different languages all for FREE. Google is a multinational Tech Corporation that achieves its mission by creating widely accessible tools like Search, Maps and AI. Google’s search engines allow users to find information on the Internet in a fraction of a second and offers a wide range of other products and services like Gmail, You Tube, Google Maps (Google Keep, Google Sheets, Google Translate, etc.

Google uses crawlers or Googlebots to travel from link to link across the Internet discovering new pages. It reads and analyzes each page and then stores the information on a massive database called ‘The Index’. A Google inquiry does not search the Internet and the billions of web pages in real time but rather searches its Index.

 

A Google Search involves:

  • ‘Crawling’: working through the Internet searching for information.
  • ‘Indexing”: identifying and making notes in a searchable system of Web Pages.
  • ‘ Search Results’: Retrieving information from its ‘Index’.

 

How does Google Search compare to using Genealogy Sites (eg. Ancestry.ca, My Heritage.ca, etc.)

  1. Google Finds information About a Person.
  2. Genealogy Sites store and find records of a person from within Ancestry.ca, My Heritage.ca, etc.

A simple Analogy:

Google searches the whole library (all web pages).

Genealogy Sites open a filing cabinet with labelled drawers, e.g. Surnames,First Names, Birthdates, etc.

The Best Strategy for completing a genealogical search:

  1. Start with Genealogy Websites
  2. Then use Google for extra details.

 

Google vs Chat GPT

Google: Best for finding original records and sources within archives, databases, genealogy sites. Always verify the information it provides.
ChatGPT: Best for understanding, brainstorming next steps, planning and translating but it can still make mistakes. Again, always verity.

We were also introduced to Google Search Operators that are special commands, symbols and characters that refine search queries allowing users to filter results, restrict searches for specific sites, or find precise information. There are two types:

Basic Search Operators – special commands, characters and symbols such as *, “”, -, .., OR, AND. (), that refine, filter and narrow searches.

Advanced Operators – that are more powerful and precise.

 

Best Steps for Crafting Keyword Searches:

  1. Follow Basic Guide lines to remember as you search.
  2. Determine the Scope of your Search.
  3. Select the Right Operator.
  4. Enter Your Query

 

Ashley provided a handout titled “Googling For Grandma’ that outlines his presentation and can act as a reference tool when using Google Searches.

Click here to view Googling for Grandma Handout

Finding Maiden Names

Finding maiden names of ancestors can often be a challenge. Ashley outlined some of the ways to find Maiden Names:

 

Basic Research Methods:

  1. Some of the best resources are vital records, church records, family bibles, diaries and letters.
  2. Cross Reference Women using Multiple Family Connections: Use census records, look for witnesses, godparents, next-of-kin on official documents.
  3. FAN Principle: look at friends, associates and neighbours.
  4. Family Members: look at in-laws.
  5. Children’s Vital Records: marriages where mother’s names were listed.
  6. Cemetery Sources: gravestones, cemetery records, obituaries in newspapers.com or in online family trees.
  7. Census Records.
  8. Newspaper Records: marriage announcements, anniversaries.
  9. Published Sources: town histories.
  10. Court Records: Estate records, court records, guardianship records, divorce records.
  11. Land Deeds – inheritances, land transfers, quit claim deeds.
  12. Military Pension Records.

Advanced Searches;

  1. The Sibling Strategy: look at siblings vital records.
  2. Census ‘Hidden’ clues: elderly parents living with children, or check neighbours close by.
  3. Naming Patterns: Unusual ‘middle’ names where surnames were used.
  4. Old Photographs: Where names were written on the reverse.
  5. Genealogy Sites: Enter first names but omit surnames. Include dates and locations.
  6. Wild Card Operator * Asterix – e.g. Mar* to find Mary, Maria, Maryanne, etc.
  7. Non-Genealogy Books: use Google Books Watrous.
  8. Reach Out For Help: ask relatives, sources for assistance when you need it.

 

Ashley provided a handout entitled ‘Maiden Names’ for further information.

Click here to view Maiden Name Handout

UPCOMING MEETINGS: 

Wednesday June 3 2026: The meeting will be facilitated by Jean-Ives Vanier-Verbeekwho will speak on the topic of “What to do with My Family History Research?”

 

Summer Sabbatical

There will be no meetings during the months of July and August.

We will resume again on Wednesday, September 9, 2026 in the WE Seniors Boardroom.

The topic will be ‘Scandinavian Culture and Immigration to Canada’ presented by Ingrid Urberg, Prof. of Scandinavian Studies, Univ. of Alberta.

Please note that this is the Second Wednesday of September.