Day 2 - RootsTech - Thur March 5 - Online Expo is open!

 

Browse the multitude of offers now live on:

https://www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/expohall/

(1) Search by Company or Category (such as Charts, DNA, Storytelling, Records, Preservation, Technology, Association, Society, Library).

(2) You also can browse "All Offers". This is an excellent time of year for a discounted price for something new (or perhaps lower a rate if close to a renewal). 

(3) Try this vendor as an example - FamilyTreeDNA

https://www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/expohall/familytreedna

Here you'll find that you can upload DNA data for free (along with other promotions).

Plus, this link takes you to:

CLASSES

PRODUCT DEMOS

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES (downloadable)

(4) Don't forget to check the Sponsors links since they usually announce "What's News?"

e.g., https://www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/expohall/familysearch

https://www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/expohall/ancestry

https://www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/expohall/myheritage

https://www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/expohall/findmypast

One week to Go until RootsTech - MyHeritage

 

Consider following this blog about MyHeritage as they announce speakers at RootsTech, plus any special offers and other news.

https://blog.myheritage.com/2026/02/myheritage-heads-to-rootstech-2026/

MyHeritage team members will present lectures as part of the official conference program. Here is the schedule of a few of the RootsTech 2026 lectures.

NOTE:  Be sure to check the time zone listed (most show the Salt Lake City time).

Thursday, March 5, 2026

9:30 A.M. MT — Room 151
Obituaries as Priceless Genealogy Resources
Daniel Horowitz, Genealogy Expert at MyHeritage

3:00 P.M. MT — Room 150
Genealogy for the Non-Genealogist: How to Engage Family and Friends with Family History
Erica Edvi, Head of Global Brand, MyHeritage

4:30 P.M. MT — Ballroom B
Genealogy, Upgraded: AI and Smart Tools on MyHeritage
Daniel Horowitz, Genealogy Expert at MyHeritage

Friday, March 6, 2026

8:00 A.M. MT — Room 151
Your Genes, Your Story: Exploring MyHeritage DNA
Ran Snir, VP Product, MyHeritage

1:30 P.M. MT — Room 151
Session with Gilad Japhet, Founder and CEO of MyHeritage

Saturday, March 7, 2026

3:00 P.M. MT — Room 151
Record-Breaking Records: MyHeritage’s Fastest-Growing Genealogy Record Collection
Myko Clelland, Director of Content at MyHeritage

For updates during the conference, follow MyHeritage on Facebook, Instagram, X, and TikTok.

January Genealogy News

 The first ship landed at Ellis Island on January 1, 1892. Thomas MacEntee's post about Ellis Island includes a free 10-page guide. https://mailchi.mp/genealogybargains.com/decoding-ellis-island-your-complete-guide-to-passenger-manifest-codes 

Reclaim the Records, a non profit group of genealogists and historians. They identify genealogical record sets that out to be in the public domain which are being restricted by government archives, libraries, and agencies to get them released to the public.  Here is a recap of their accomplishments in 2025 https://www.reclaimtherecords.org/about/year-in-review-2025/

MyHeritage added 1.2 billion historical records in December 2025 across 27 new and updated collections. More information is available on their blog post.  https://blog.myheritage.com/2026/01/myheritage-adds-1-2-billion-historical-records-in-december-2025/

Topotehque Our Memories is a collaborative online platform hosting individual 'topotheques' from across Europe, where communities share private historical collections like old photographs, letter, and documents. https://www.topothek.at/en/ 

My Heritage DNA Testing Change

 MyHeritage announced they are changing from array-based DNA testing (used by all the testing companies in the industry) to whole genome sequencing. The price of their testing won't change and the test provides more data. Here is a link to their press release https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251014913163/en/MyHeritage-Upgrades-Its-Consumer-DNA-Tests-to-Whole-Genome-Sequencing 

From their press release:

Whole Genome Sequencing reads almost the entire human genetic code, covering around 3 billion base pairs (nucleotides). This is superior to the standard genotyping arrays used by most consumer DNA tests, including MyHeritage until recently, which read only about 700,000 base pairs. More data enables deeper insights across all types of genetic analysis. Whole Genome Sequencing is now being applied to most new MyHeritage DNA kits currently being processed at the lab, and to every new MyHeritage DNA kit sold moving forward. MyHeritage DNA kits already processed with the older genotyping array technology will not be reprocessed with Whole Genome Sequencing. Customers whose MyHeritage DNA kits are processed with Whole Genome Sequencing will be able to download their entire genome from MyHeritage at no cost, in CRAM format. They may also unlock additional insights by uploading their data to other trusted genetic service providers that support such uploads.

Diane Southard's Blog Post explains the new testing and some of the implications. You will need to setup a free account to read the blog post.  https://my.yourdnaguide.com/c/diahan-s-corner/a-big-change-at-myheritage-what-it-means-and-why-i-m-watching-closely 

Cousin Finder - No DNA Needed

Cousin Finder is a useful new genealogy feature unique to MyHeritage that uses the power of family tree matches to find members of MyHeritage who are your blood relatives — cousins — with whom you share common ancestors. Cousin Finder™ then lets you easily get in touch with them so you can collaborate and gain new insights about your shared ancestors and family history.

Think of Cousin Finder™ as a new way to find DNA Matches, but without a DNA test. The MyHeritage members that Cousin Finder™ reveals may be relatives you already knew about, but you didn’t know they use MyHeritage, and in many cases, they might be new relatives you’ve never heard of before. Unlike DNA Matches, Cousin Finder™ shows precisely how you are related to each relative. With Cousin Finder™, growing multiple branches of your family tree further has never been easier. Read more about Cousin Finder in the blog post.

Genealogy News

♦  Now through March 24th, Ancestry is offering 6 month memberships for 1/2 off! Take advantage of their Spring Sale here.

♦  Irish roots? MyHeritage is offering free access to their Irish record collection through March 18th. Details at the MyHeritage blog.

♦  St Patrick's sale on Irish books at Genalogical.com. Save 20% now through March 20th. Details here.

♦  Free webinar - Germany's Shifting Map: What It Means For Your Research - presented by Katherine Schober of Germanology Unlocked. Three dates to choose from: March 18th, 19th, or 20th. Register for free now.

♦  Check out Fishwrap, the official blog of Newpapers.com, for information about the 2.5 million pages of Irish newspapers recently added to their archive. 

♦  A new genealogical resource book titled San Agustín de Laredo Baptisms, 1823-1845, Laredo, Texas is now available on Amazon. It picks up where Gloria Villa Cadena & Angel Sepulveda Brown’s book, Annotated Baptisms 1789 to 1823 of San Agustin de Laredo (present day Laredo, Texas), published in 2008 by Los Bexareños Genealogical Society, left off. The baptisms, translated from Spanish to English, are the focus; however, Grace Scruggs Rolph also shares her mother’s family story, reveals answers to long buried secrets, and why it is so important to use traditional research methods in conjunction with DNA analysis.

♦  MyHeritage has released their new DNA ethnicity model: Ethnicity Estimate v2.5. This MyHeritage Blog article provides much information about this exciting new ethnicity model including these highlights: 

• Identifies 24 percentage-based European ethnicities.

• Quite a few of the new percentage-based ethnicities, such as Armenian, are unique to MyHeritage and not identified by other tests.

• Distinguishes between 15 different Jewish ethnicities, more than most other DNA tests on the market.

♦  American Ancestors will host an online seminar April 2-30, Revolutionary War Research: Tracing Patriot and Loyalist Ancestors. This five week course will delve into the many primary and published records that can help document your Patriot or Loyalist ancestors. Learn more.

Free Access to Marriage Records on MyHeritage for Valentines Day

 MyHeritage is offering free access to all 279 marriage record collections - over 881 million historical records through February 16, 2025. 

Search Marriage Records Now

Marriage records offer incredible insights, revealing details like names, birthplaces, residences, and even parents' names. This limited-time offer lets you dive into these records for free - no subscription required. 

Genealogy News

⬥ For those conducting New York City research, 1949 death certificates have been transferred to the New York City Municipal Archives. They are currently being processed, so stay tuned for an availability update. And more than 40,000 marriage licenses (1914–1924) for the Bronx are digitized and now online at Historical Vital Records site. However, that site does not name index the licenses. Use the NYC Marriage Index site or Ancestry index to obtain license numbers.  

⬥  MyHeritage has just launched a major and groundbreaking new DNA product: Ancient Origins, a feature that complements their DNA ethnicity reports and traces your origins up to 10,000 years into the past. Ancient Origins allows MyHeritage DNA customers to discover the ancient populations they descend from, such as Imperial Romans, Norse Vikings, Phoenicians, and Ancient Egyptians. Read more about Ancient Origins on the MyHeritage blog.

⬥  The National Genealogical Society (NGS) is now shipping orders of its groundbreaking textbook, Forensic Genealogy: Theory & Practice. With 575 pages, it is the first comprehensive primer for professional genealogists who are interested in exploring the specialty areas and skills required to build a career in this emerging field. Meet the authors and purchase Forensic Genealogy: Theory & Practice at the NGS booth at RootsTech in Salt Lake City 6-8 March 2025. Or order your copy through the NGS Store.

⬥  Celebrate Black History Month with some free webinars from Legacy Family Tree. They are offering these 5 webinars for free during the month of February 2025.

⬥  The topic of the next Mondays with Myrt will be AI and photo analysis. Mark Thompson, from the Family History AI Show podcast, will be the special guest. Join this free LIVE streaming virtual meeting where attendees may participate in the LIVE chat on February 3^rd starting at 11am at YouTube.

⬥  Registration will open February 4^th for the GRIP Genealogy Institute. Nine virtual courses will be offered from 22-27 June 2025, and eight in-person courses offered from 13-18 July 2025. More information here.

⬥  Fold3 announces a new collection of Virginia military records. The Virginia Department of Military Affairs Records Collection contains information on Virginia military personnel who served between 1876 and 1947, including veterans from the Spanish-American War, WWI, and WWII. Learn more in this recent Fold3 blogpost or go straight to the collection Search. Reminder that Fold3 is available through many libraries. Also Fold3 related – Genealogy Friends of Plano Libraries will present Using Fold3 to Your Advantage, featuring Craig R. Scott, at the next Saturday Seminar, February 15, 2025.

⬥  Genealogy Bank recently added new content from 169 titles including 134 newspapers added for the first time. View the newspaper title, location, and date range in this list to see if the newly added content is relevant to your research.

⬥  Storied has acquired the AI company “Memory Lane,” which will leverage AI to “make building family trees more easily, storytelling more seamless, and help you to make new discoveries.” Their new pricing structure, with plans as low as $20 per year, provides access to over 1 billion historical records in addition to platforms for building a family tree and creating Storied Books.

 Genealogy News

Celebrate 18 years of Fold3 with a 40% discount! Buy now. Offer ends 27 January 2025.

The Names & Stories project at MyHeritage has been completed, adding 11.6 billion new records! These records were extracted from historical newspapers spanning all 50 U.S. states, as well as Canada, Australia, and the U.K. Read more about this historic achievement at the MyHeritage Blog.

The Genealogy Do-Over Workbook, by Thomas MacEntee, is available for free with Kindle Unlimited. Amazon link here.

Registration for Applied Genealogy Institute's Spring 2025 Session will open from January 15th - January 22nd, 2025! There will be five exciting classes held this session. You can review the dates, cost, and class outlines on the website: https://appliedgen.institute/spring-2025-classes/

American Ancestors is hosting a Virtual Open House Webinar on Wednesday, January 29th, from 3:00-4:00pm. During the open house you will learn how the databases, genealogists, and millions of unique collections at American Ancestors can help! This discussion will highlight the many benefits and services available to members. This will be a great way to find out if American Ancestors would be useful to your research. Learn More and Register.

Registration is open for the Mastering Genealogical Proof Study Group with Cyndi Ingle. Saturdays, 4pm, Feb 15-March 29, 2025. $95. These Zoom sessions will be a beginner/low-intermediate level class to study the book “Mastering Genealogical Proof” by Thomas W. Jones. Click here for more information.

The Roundtable Recap - Land Records blog post in November shares information and links we discussed during the November Roundtable meeting. If you are interested in an additional live presentation concerning land records, The Mesquite Historical and Genealogical Society is hosting a seminar on the subject January 9, 2025. Genealogist Sara Cochran will be speaking about the value of State and Federal land records and the many ways they can be helpful in research. Click here to register for this Zoom meeting.

Find the Generation of Connection with Your Mystery DNA Matches is a free webinar being presented by YourDNAGuide on January 16, 2025. Register here to learn these helpful steps.

The National Genealogical Society is offering its Foundations in Family History course. Details can be found here. Also, if you purchase a new NGS gift membership through January 31, 2025, you will be entered into a drawing to win one of five valuable prizes to be given away on February 3, 2025. More information is available in the Upfront with NGS blog.

Registration is now open for more than 170 upcoming live webinars in 2025 at Legacy Family Tree Webinars. Many of these are free to view live and for the following 7 days.

FamilySearch celebrated its 130^th anniversary as an organization in 2024 along with the 25^th anniversary of their popular website, FamilySearch.org. Highlights of their year can be found in the FamilySearch Year in Review 2024 blog post.

MyHeritage celebrated their 20^th anniversary in 2024. The blog post, Wrapping Up 2024: MyHeritage Year in Review, has a month by month recap of their year and also includes interesting statistics such as 13 billion historical records added.

RootsTech will be held March 6^th – 8^th. Information about speakers, registration, in-person and online classes, and more can be found here.

Just in case you missed the holiday sale at Ancestry, they are currently offering 50% off 6-month memberships. The sales ends January 16^th.