Hi Reader,

With Mother's Day just behind us, I've been thinking on the women who shaped my life. I was fortunate to grow up knowing both my grandmothers and even a great-grandmother—women who passed down the family stories alongside teaching me to cook and (reluctantly on my part) shell butterbeans I had no intention of eating!

[The deal was if I shelled the butterbeans 🫛, I didn't have to eat them!]

These personal connections gave me a direct line to my female heritage that many genealogists and family history researchers aren't lucky enough to have.

For those of us researching women further back in our family trees, the challenge becomes greater with each generation. Women's stories often hide behind their husbands' names, between the lines of household inventories, or within the records of their children.

This week, I'm sharing several resources to help you uncover these hidden stories—from a new YouTube video to blog posts that will transform how you search for the women who came before us.

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📽️NEW VIDEO ALERT!

WHAT YOUR FAMILY TREE MISSED!

When traditional vital records fail to tell the whole story of the women in your family tree, her role(s) in the community can often hold the missing pieces to family connections, migration patterns, and even maiden names. They also bring rich dimension to family narratives by revealing the full contributions of women beyond their maternal roles.

You'll learn:

• Which record types reveal women's roles including their professional lives in the community
• How to spot clues to occupations in census and other records
• How these roles created community connections that can lead to new family discoveries

👀Watch What Your Family Tree Misses About Your Female Ancestors! ​

🌟 TOGETHER WITH STORIED* FAMILY HISTORY WORTH SHARING Record and pass down the meaningful moments behind your ancestry data. From quirky habits to personal triumphs, Storied helps you preserve what genealogy charts miss. Your relatives can collaborate to build a rich family narrative that connects generations. ​ Learn more ​ * = Promoted

💡GENEALOGY TIP

DECODE FEMALE NAMING PATTERNS IN YOUR FAMILY TREE

Names tell stories—especially in female lineages. This week's research tip focuses on how understanding naming patterns can break through brick walls when searching for women in your family tree.

For example,

• First daughters were often named after maternal grandmothers in many cultures
• Middle names frequently preserved a mother's or grandmother's maiden name
• Repeated distinctive first names across generations can confirm family connections

Try this: Create a chart of first and middle names for all female relations in a family line. Look for patterns in how names repeat or combine. Then search for these distinctive name combinations in records where your missing female ancestor might appear.

🌟ICYMI OVER ON THE WEBSITE

MORE STRATEGIES TO FIND WOMEN IN THE FAMILY TREE

Evidence of our female ancestors can be found tucked away in many different resources and record collections. Check out these 3 blog posts over on the website for inspiration to find the women in your family tree:

• ​How To Confidently Find Your Ancestor’s Marriage Records​
• ​How To Use Pre-1850 Census Records to Find Your Female Ancestors​
• ​How To Track Females in the Family Tree Using the Children’s Records​

From direct resources like a marriage record to more in-direct sources, we can take advantage of a variety of strategies to find the women in our family tree - and tell their stories! (That's my favorite part!)

🎙️NEW PODCAST EPISODE

BOOTLEGGERS IN THE FAMILY?

The latest over on the Passing the Plate podcast, my co-host Ashley Covelli and I explore the rich cultural heritage behind Kentucky's famous spirits. Discover how these recipes and customs have been passed down through generations, becoming intertwined with Kentucky horse racing and American culture.

Fun Fact: I discovered horse racers (and a bootlegger, too!) in my own family line!

🎙️Listen in here: Website, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.​

The women in our family trees left more traces than most research methods acknowledge. Hit reply and let me know about your successes in finding the women in your family tree.

Happy Ancestor Hunting,

Lisa
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Lisa Lisson Genealogy Researcher, Author & Speaker