Genealogy 101

Have you always wondered if you have Scottish or Irish ancestors? Perhaps you do but haven't quite figured out how to go about researching your Celtic roots. Join us on Saturday, July 26th for one of two identical sessions to learn more!

- Morning session, 9am-11am
- Afternoon session, 1pm-3pm

We'll talk about the resources that exist in our community and beyond for researching Celtic heritage, including understanding different website subscriptions, DNA testing, local research options, and more! We'll go over the basics of how to do research, including recording information, questions to ask known relatives, and paper vs. digital record keeping. Irish and Scottish records and sources, some background on history and religion, and where to find online and "snail mail" records.

We share information on useful websites, including what sites exist, free vs. paid subscriptions, and handouts on sites that are helpful for Celtic research. Finally, the day will conclude with information about DNA testing. Find out which DNA sites provide helpful information, which ones work best to find cousins, and how to interpret one's ethnicity results.

This info session will be presented by Barbara Gorham Johnson of the Skagit Valley Genealogical Society. Barbara Gorham Johnson is a long-time member of the Skagit Valley Genealogical Society. She has served on the Board as Secretary, Vice-president, Education Chair, Communications Chair, and is currently. President. She is also a member of Clan Johnston/e in America and the Celtic Arts Foundation in Mount Vernon, Washington. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Microbiology at the University of Washington (Go Dawgs!) and did virus research for several years there. Barb’s ancestry is in the British Isles and Eastern Europe. She has visited Ireland, Scotland and England and Slovakia to visit cousins on her mother’s side as well as New England where she discovered through DNA her Plymouth Colony ancestors.