Educational experiences by our experts, at your convenience
Whether you're just starting to explore your family history, or you're a seasoned researcher looking to gain new skills, American Ancestors offers a variety of online seminars in topics across the field of genealogy. Now, you can enjoy some of our most recent and popular courses at your convenience, including recorded lectures, handouts, activities, and more. Any course you purchase will be accessible through your American Ancestors account for the foreseeable future—course materials do not expire. Choose a course below and start learning today!
Researching Scottish Ancestors
This five-session online seminar will provide you with key historical context, strategies, and resources setting you on the right path to trace your ancestry back several generations in Scotland. Available for purchase until 9/30/22.
Researching Loyalist Ancestors
Not all our early American ancestors were patriots fighting for independence—approximately one third of the population in the American colonies at the time of the Revolutionary War were loyal to the Crown. This three-week course will provide you with the historical context, records, and research strategies for identifying and learning more about your loyalist ancestors. Available for purchase until 10/30/22.
Making the Most of the U.S. Federal Census
The US Federal Census is a go-to resource for family historians and may be the first record set you turn to as a researcher. This course delves into the ins and outs of the US Federal Census, providing you with the full context of population and non-population schedules and helping you use census records more fully and more accurately. Available for purchase until until 12/31/2022.
Researching Your French-Canadian Ancestors
Learn how to locate and use essential French-Canadian resources, analyze records, and maximize searches to discover your family’s past. This course focuses on resources pertaining to the province of Quebec. Available for purchase until 1/31/2023.
Digitizing Your Family History Collections
Digitizing your family history papers and collections can help you in your ongoing research, prolong the life of these resources, and provide an accessible format that can be shared with generations to come. Our experts demonstrate best practices to plan, scan, and manage your digitization project at home. Available for purchase until 1/31/2023.
Tracing Ancestors on the Move in America
Our ancestors moved near and far seeking economic opportunities, religious freedoms, and closeness to family. These mobile ancestors, however, are notoriously difficult to research. This seminar will give you the context and motivations behind migrations across America from the 17th to 20th centuries and provide tools to help track your family on the move. Available for purchase until 2/28/2023.