Hi Reader,

Last week was a double celebration for me – not only was it my birthday (hello, new year of life!), but I also launched my completely redesigned website. 🎉

Consider this my birthday gift to you – a more intuitive, streamlined experience that makes finding the genealogy resources you need so much easier. I've been listening to your feedback, and the new design puts everything right where you can find it. No more hunting through pages of content to find that blog post you remembered seeing!

I'd love for you to take a tour of Are You My Cousin?'s new digital home and let me know what you think. The new design reflects my commitment to helping you uncover your ancestors and your family's stories with less frustration and overwhelm.

Ready to explore? 👉 TOUR THE NEW WEBSITE NOW!​

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👀NEW BLOG POST & 📽️ VIDEO

NEW COUSIN FINDER TOOL!

If you’ve been researching your family history for any length of time, you’ve likely hit at least one frustrating brick wall. But what if the solution isn’t in finding more records, but in finding more relatives? MyHeritage's NEW Cousin Finder to the rescue! Learn how to:

• Discover new-to-you cousins who might have the family information your line missed
• Learn to prioritize outreach to the most promising cousin connections
• See exactly how you're related to potential research collaborators

I'm excited about exploring my cousin matches over at MyHeritage! By expanding our genealogy network to include distant cousins and collaborators, we’re not just adding names to your tree—we're creating a more complete, nuanced understanding of your family history.

👀Read the Post: Building Better Family Trees With MyHeritage’s Cousin Finder​

📽️Watch the Video: MyHeritage Cousin Finder: Find Family Connections You Never Knew Existed​

📅MARK YOUR CALENDARS

DNA DISCOVERIES

24 March - 24 April 2025 (Online Event)

My friends over at Family Tree are excited to announce the programme for the second annual DNA DISCOVERIES event, taking place online from 24 March to 24 April 2025. The expert-led sessions will show you step by step how to:

• Make sense of your DNA results
• Use powerful tools with confidence
• Break through your biggest research obstacles

Get practical strategies, live Q&A access, and actionable solutions – all in one place.

💡GENEALOGY TIP

REFRESH YOUR RESEARCH

Just as I've refreshed my website to improve your experience, sometimes our genealogy research needs a similar revitalization! When you're stuck on a brick wall ancestor, try these "refresh" strategies:

Look at your research with fresh eyes. Step away from a challenging research problem for a few weeks, then return to it. I'm often amazed at what I notice when I revisit my research notes after a break. Even short breaks such as taking a walk, helps to give you a fresh look.

Try a different angle. If direct records for your ancestor are scarce, expand your search to their FAN club (Friends, Associates, and Neighbors). Remember, your ancestors did not live in a bubble. They were part of a family and a community.

Experiment with new tools. Just like MyHeritage's new Cousin Finder tool offers a fresh approach to connections, other new genealogy tools might help you see your research differently. Have you tried using DNA tools, newspaper archives, or mapping your ancestor's migration patterns?

What's your favorite way to refresh your research approach? I'd love to hear your strategies!

📚GENEALOGY VOCABULARY

"REMOVED COUSIN"

Understanding cousin relationships makes most genealogists’ heads spin. First cousins are easy enough, but once you start adding “removed” or going to second and third cousins, things get complicated fast.

How it works:

• When two people share the same grandparents, they're first cousins (same generation, no "removes").
• When two people share the same great-grandparents, they're second cousins (same generation, no "removes").
• The "removed" part comes in when there's a generation difference.

Quick example: Your first cousin's child is your "first cousin once removed" (one generation difference). Your parent's first cousin is also your "first cousin once removed" (one generation difference, but in the opposite direction).

The term "removed" in genealogy simply indicates a shift between generations. When we say "once removed," it's just marking that generational difference between relatives who share the same common ancestor but belong to different generations.

I'm excited to continue making genealogy discoveries with you through my newly redesigned space. Head over and start exploring! I can't wait to hear what you think!

Happy Ancestor Hunting!

Lisa
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Lisa Lisson Genealogy Researcher, Author & Speaker