Family Tree Magazine Podcast

In this episode of Best Websites, Andrew Koch walks listeners through FreeBMD, a free online index that houses over 300 million UK birth, marriage and death records.

Feature: FreeBMD Overview

FreeBMD offers exactly what its name suggests: A vast array of birth, marriage and death records for the United Kingdom and Wales. Andrew Koch offers a detailed tour of the website, highlighting its features and benefits and how the website can be used for...

In this episode of the Family Tree Magazine podcast, Andrew Koch speaks with David Fryxell about how genealogists can optimize their searches for the best results as they seek out information about their ancestors.

Feature: Online Search Strategies for Genealogists

Finding the information you need as a genealogist can be tricky, especially when it comes to searching online. Sometimes you just need a couple of tricks to get search engines to yield the...

In this episode of Best Websites, Andrew Koch interviews DNA expert Diahan Southard to learn more about the latest news from AncestryDNA.

Feature: The Latest Updates to AncestryDNA

AncestryDNA has recently made some major updates to its ethnicity updates! In this interview, Diahan Southard tells us genealogists what they can expect as they explore their DNA test results and uncover more about their heritage.

Also mentioned in this episode:

In this episode of the Family Tree Magazine podcast, Andrew Koch talks to Rick Crume about the exciting features offered in Family Tree Maker 2024.

Feature: Family Tree Maker 2024

Family Tree Maker 2024 is here! Rick Crume (Family Tree Magazine contributing editor and founder of Inside Genealogy) and Andrew Koch talk about the many features this program offers compared to earlier versions of the program and how genealogists can benefit from them.

...

In this episode of Best Websites, genealogist Caitlin Hollander Waas talks with Lisa about Jewish genealogy and the tools at JewishGen that can help with the process.

Best Genealogy Websites: JewishGen.org

In this episode, Lisa Louise Cooke  welcomes Caitlin Hollander Waas, the chief genealogist at JewishGen.org, to the podcast. They discuss the intricacies of researching Jewish ancestry and the invaluable tools and resources available at JewishGen.

Guest: Caitlin Hollander W...

In this episode of the Family Tree Magazine podcast, Andrew Koch and Lisa Louise Cooke look back on all that has happened in the world of genealogy in 2025.

Feature: 2025 – The Genealogy Year in Review

As we close out the year, we’re taking a look back at the moments that shaped our pursuit of genealogy in 2025. Lisa Louise Cooke’s guest is Andrew Koch, editor of Family Tree Magazine. 

He’s here to sh...

In this episode of Best Websites, Katherine Schober highlights how Matricula Online can help you locate church registers.

Best Genealogy Websites: Matricula Online

Matricula Online is a specialized digital archive where you can find church registers (mostly books of birth, marriage and death) from various European countries (currently Austria, Germany, Poland, Serbia and Slovenia).

German genealogy expert and translator Katherine Schober of Germanology Unlocked joins Lisa Louise Cooke on the podcast...

In this episode of the Family Tree Magazine podcast, Rhonda Lauritzen offers practical tips for organizing your family history writing projects.

Organizing Your Family History Writing Projects

Rhonda Lauritzen is a professional biographer at Evalogue.Life and a regular speaker at international conferences. She has written a dozen books and has been hired to help tell the stories of families, cities, and nonprofits. As an expert storyteller, Rhonda is joining us today to...

In this episode of Best Websites, Daniel Loftus offers some valuable tips for using Find a Grave with more efficiency and respect for others in mind.

Best Genealogy Websites: Find a Grave 

Daniel Loftus, Genealogist and Creator of Project Infant,joins Lisa Louise Cooke to discuss best practices for using the Find a Grave website for genealogy. At Find a Grave you can search for the graves of your ancestors, create virtual memorials,add photog...

In this episode of the Family Tree Magazine podcast, Robbie Gorr provides tips for the mastering the cemetery transcription.

Feature: Cemetery Transcription

Amateur genealogist and historian Robbie Gorr explains everything you need to know for successful Cemetery Transcription.

Read Zen and the Art of Cemetery Transcription by Robbie Gorr in the September / October issue of Family Tree Magazine.

Online resources mentioned in this episode:

In this episode of Best Websites, Lisa Louise Cooke highlights some of the most valuable features of Veridian, an excellent resource for finding historical newspapers.

Best Genealogy Websites: Veridian

In this episode of the Best Websites for Genealogy Podcast, host Lisa Louise Cooke explores Veridian, and its millions of historic newspaper pages searchable and accessible online. Learn what Veridian, the scope of the collections and strategies for accessing the archival content. Whether you’re...

In this episode of the Family Tree Magazine podcast, Lisa Louise Cooke speaks to Katie Merkley about homestead records and what they can tell us about ancestors.

Feature: Homesteading Records and Research

In this episode, we’re digging into the lives of our American ancestors through land records—specifically, homestead records.

When President Abraham Lincoln signed the Homestead Act into law in 1862, it offered settlers a bold promise: free land in exchange for a commitment to improve it...

In this episode of Best Websites, website founder Jenny Joyce of Cite-Builder.com shows the value of a proper citation and how Cite-Builder makes citation more manageable.

In this episode, we dive into the world of genealogy with Jenny Joyce, the creator of Cite-Builder, an online citation generator designed specifically for genealogists.

Discover how Cite-Builder streamlines the often daunting task of creating source citations, making it easier for researchers to track and verify their findings.

Jenny shares...

In this episode, host Lisa Louise Cook interviews David Fryxell about the best online tools for genealogy research.

 Feature: 101 Best Genealogy Websites of 2025

Lisa Louise Cooke and David Fryxell discuss the impact of AI on genealogy, the importance of newspapers as sources, innovative tech tools for genealogists, and international resources.

In this episode of Best Websites, Lisa Louise Cooke walks through the National Archives and all there is to discover.

Best Genealogy Websites: The National Archives

In this episode of Family Tree Magazine’s Best Websites podcast, host Lisa Louise Cook dives into the National Archives website, a vital resource for genealogists. She discusses the vast array of free records available, including census, military, and immigration documents, and highlights unique collections such as th...

In this episode of the Family Tree Magazine podcast, Andrew Koch offers tips for researching ancestors across the United States.

Feature: How to research ancestors in any US state.

In this episode of the Family Tree Magazine podcast, host Lisa Louise Cooke welcomes Andrew Koch, the editor of Family Tree Magazine, to discuss the intricacies of genealogy research across the United States. They explore the importance of understanding U.S. history, the significance...

In this episode of Best Websites, Rick Crume highlights some translation tools for making sense of foreign-language records.

Best Genealogy Websites: Translation Tools

One of the biggest challenges that genealogists face is translating foreign-language records, especially if the handwriting is hard to read. Author Rick Crume joins Lisa Louise Cooke on the podcast to discuss navigating a variety of tools that can get the job done.

Read Found in Translation by Rick Crume in the May  / June 2025 i...

In this episode of the Family Tree Magazine podcast, Lisa talks with Rhonda Lauritzen about to approach sensitive topics when interviewing relatives.

Feature: Handling sensitive family interviews.

It can be a challenge to navigate hard-to-talk-about subjects in family history interviews. Author Rhonda Lauritzen shares interviewing tips from journalists, storytellers, and her own professional experience as a professional biographer at Evalogue.life.

Read Speaking Softly by Rhonda Lauritzen:

In this episode of Best Websites, Lisa Louise Cooke offers tips for using Google Earth for genealogy.

Best Genealogy Websites: Google Earth for Genealogy

Lisa Louise Cooke, author of The Genealogist’s Google Toolbox, 3rd edition and Family Tree University instructor explains the value of the Google Earth website to genealogists.

Download Google Earth for free.

Discover why Google Earth is an essential tool for every genealogist’s toolkit in this engaging episode. Lisa explores how...

In this episode of the Family Tree Magazine podcast, Judy Russell tells us what genealogists can expect to find in divorce records.

Feature: Divorce records with Judy G. Russell

In this episode of the Family Tree Magazine podcast, host Lisa Louise Cooke interviews Judy G. Russell, The Legal Genealogist, about the often-overlooked topic of divorce records in genealogy. They discuss the types of information found in divorce records, the historical context of divorce laws, and the various documents associated...

In this episode of Best Websites, Diahan Southard walks through some of the most recent updates to AncestryDNA and MyHeritage DNA.

Best Genealogy Websites: AncestryDNA and MyHeritage DNA updates with Diahan Southard

In this episode of Family Tree Magazine’s Best Websites podcast, host Louise Cooke discusses the latest updates in genetic genealogy with expert Diahan Southard. They explore significant changes in AncestryDNA and MyHeritage DNA, including refined ethnicity estimates and new features that enhance user experience. The conversation de...

In this episode of the Family Tree Magazine podcast, Gena Philibert-Ortega addresses common obstacles faced when finding female ancestors and strategies for overcoming them.

Feature: Strategies for Tracing Female Ancestors

In this episode, Lisa and Gena Philibert-Ortega discuss the unique challenges faced by genealogy researchers when tracing female ancestors. They explore five common obstacles, including name changes, missing records, and the importance of understanding historical context. Gena provides practical strategies for overcoming these challenges, emphasizing the need for thorough...

In this episode, Dr. Brendan Scott, manager of Roots Ireland, discusses the importance of the RootsIreland.ie website for Irish family history research.

Best Genealogy Websites: RootsIreland/Irish Family History Foundation Centres

In this episode, Dr. Brendan Scott highlights the extensive collection of records available, particularly Catholic records, and explains how the site operates with genealogy centers across Ireland. The conversation also covers the subscription model for accessing records, tips for newcomers to Irish genealogy, and the limitations of...

In this episode of the Family Tree Magazine podcast, Sunny Morton takes a look at three popular genealogy websites (Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.org and MyHeritage) and compares them and their features.

Feature: Comparing Genealogy Subscription Websites

In this conversation, host Lisa Louise Cooke and author Sunny Morton compare the top three genealogy websites: Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.org, and MyHeritage.com. They discuss the definition of historical records, the role of AI in indexing, and the strengths of each platform...

In this episode of the Family Tree Magazine podcast, Maureen Taylor offers tips for preserving cherished family photos for years to come.

Feature: Preserving Family Photos With Maureen Taylor

It’s a wonderful thing to have old family photos but organizing them can present quite a challenge. They may be loose in boxes or stuck in old magnetic albums or other albums that are falling apart. Tackle the daunting task of preserving your treasured photos with the Photo Detective, Ma...

In this episode of the Family Tree Magazine podcast, Editor-in-Chief Andrew Koch reflects on 25 years of Family Tree Magazine and discusses what the future holds!

Feature: Family Tree Magazine’s 25th Anniversary

In this special episode of the Family Tree Magazine podcast, we are not only ushering in the new year but also celebrating the 25th anniversary of the magazine. Editor-in-Chief Andrew Koch joins host Lisa Louise Cooke to talk about the evolution of the magazine and genealogy over th...

In this episode of Best Websites, Stephen Morse highlights his website One-Step Webpages, which has been going strong since 2001 and offering many tools for finding genealogical records.

Best Genealogy Websites: One-Step Webpages by Stephen P. Morse

In this episode, Lisa Louise Cooke’s guest is Stephen Morse, the founder of the One-Step Webpages website. Since 2001 genealogists have been using the site’s innovative tools to more effectively find immigration records, census records and vital records. Over the years tools have...

In this episode of the Family Tree Magazine Podcast, Lisa Lisson explains what makes a person a cousin and offers tips for determining cousinhood.

Feature: Cousin Relationships

Have you ever wondered what makes someone a cousin, and how to determine exactly what type of cousin they are? Lisa Lisson of the Are You My Cousin? website and YouTube channel joins Lisa Louise Cooke to provide answers to questions like:

How do you calculate cousins?

In this episode, Benjamin Brands of the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) highlights some priceless resources for finding ancestors who served our country in major conflicts.

Best Genealogy Websites: American Battle Monuments Commission

Established by Congress in 1923, the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) is an agency of the executive branch of the federal government. ABMC is the guardian of America’s overseas commemorative cemeteries and memorials. It honors the service, achievements and sacrifice of US armed forces.

Ho...

In this episode, Laura Hedgecock offers tips for writing about places as you tell your family’s story. Also, Lisa Louise Cooke talks with Jenny Ashcraft from Newspapers.com

Feature: Why You Should Include Ancestral Places in Your Family Histories

In her article called Falling into Place in the November/December 2024 issue of Family Tree Magazine, author Laura Hedgecock provides us with a guide to writing about places. She joins Lisa on this episode of the podcast to share ma...

In this episode of Best Websites, Lisa speaks with Katherine Borges of the International Society of Genetic Genealogy (ISOGG) about using DNA test results to inform your genealogical research.

Best Genealogy Websites: International Society of Genetic Genealogy (ISOGG)

If incorporating DNA testing into your genealogical research is important to you, then you’ll want to check out ISOGG.org, one of the best websites for genetic genealogy information. Lisa’s guest is Katherine Borges, director of the International Society of G...

In this episode, Robbie Gorr introduces us to the morose but fascinating world of death heirlooms, explaining what they are and what we can learn from them.

Feature: Death-related Family Heirlooms

Death-related family heirlooms may seem a bit macabre by today’s standards, but they may actually hold details that are valuable to your genealogy research.

Robbie Gorr, author of the article Memento Mori, explains what to look for and what these items can tell you about yo...

In this episode of Best Websites, Lisa Louise Cooke chats with Randy Seaver of Genea-Musings, a long-running genealogy blog packed with genealogy tips, stories and even a little bit of humor.

Best Genealogy Websites: Genea-Musings

One of the longest running genealogy blogs, Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver, who thinks “that Genealogy Research Is really FUN!”

Vi...

In this episode of the Family Tree Podcast, Lindsey Harner offers tips for navigating census records before 1850.

Feature: Strategies for Using Pre-1850 US Censuses

The census is one of those records that serves as the backbone of genealogy. However, not all census records are the same. Have you run into the dreaded “1850 brick wall”? Lindsey Harner is here to help us understand what’s so significant about that year, and how you can use the earlier census records successfully.

...

In this episode of Best Websites, Lisa Louise Cooke talks with Brooke Schreier Ganz from Reclaim the Records, a group that aims to make genealogical records more accessible to researchers.

Best Genealogy Websites: Reclaim the Records

Have you ever tried to access a record only to be told by a government agency or archive that you can’t? What can you do in those situations? Brooke Schreier Ganz figured out that there was a lot she and her fellow re...

In this episode of the Family Tree Magazine Podcast, author Rhonda Lauritzen offers tips for writing your ancestors in an engaging, unique way.

Feature: Writing Your Family History

If you’ve been researching your family history for a while, you may be thinking about writing the story so that you can share it with others. Author Rhonda Lauritzen joins Lisa Louise Cooke to share tips and tricks for writing about your ancestors in a way that the reader will form an emoti...

In this episode of Best Websites, Lisa Louise Cooke chats with David Fryxell about some of the highlights from Family Tree Magazine‘s 2024 list of 101 Best Websites.

101 Best Websites

There’s an ever growing number of websites out there that can help you in your family history research, but which ones are the best and worth your time? David Fryxell joins Lisa Louise Cooke to answer that question. He’s the author of the 101 Best Websites list for Family Tree M...

In this episode of the Family Tree Magazine podcast, Lisa Louise Cooke speaks with Sunny Morton about choosing the best heritage tour companies and seeking out the most valuable resources as you plan your heritage trip.

Feature: Genealogy Travel

Guest: Sunny Jane Morton

In her article called Tour Guides appearing in the May June 2024 issue of Family Tree Magazine, Sunny Jane Morton shares ideas on genealogy-related travel. In this episode, she joins Lisa Louise Cooke to share...