The holiday season is not too far away so it’s a good time to look at some genealogy gift ideas. So whether you’re looking for something for the genealogist in the family or for gifts that the rest of the family can get you, or even something to get yourself, there should be something here of interest.
Genealogy Subscriptions
Findmypast annual subscription
These records include the largest online collection of British and Irish newspapers and two times more Irish records than any other site.
Make the most of Findmypast’s ever-expanding collections of over 2 billion historical records from around the world, including US censuses from as far back as 1790, the largest collection of Irish records anywhere online, extensive British records as well as US military records from the Revolutionary War up to World War II.
Annual Subscription at The Genealogist
The Genealogist has an extensive collection of English records, including some unique collections such as tithe maps and the 1910 Domesday Survey. For an in depth look at The Genealogist, see: A Great Alternative Website for British Ancestry
The other two major subscription sites are:
Create your own Family Tree Posters, Books and Calendars with MyCanvas
Upload your Ancestry tree to MyCanvas and create beautiful posters and books by following the easy steps. Don’t have an Ancestry account? You can still create family tree posters and calendars.
Genealogy DNA Tests
DNA tests have become an essential tool for genealogy research. Here are the main tests:
For more on testing see: Which Genealogy DNA Test?
Electronics
Really useful gadgets that can help with genealogy organization.
HP Sprocket Portable Photo Printer, X7N07A, Print Social Media Photos on 2×3 Sticky-Backed Paper
A useful tool for printing pictures on the go; the device is the same size as a smart phone and prints 2″x 3″ photos on sticky-backed paper. You download the HP app and then you can download and print images from your social media accounts including Facebook, Instagram and flickr.
Doxie Go SE – The Intuitive Portable Scanner with Rechargeable Battery and Software
This very well-regarded portable scanner can be used without a computer. It uses re-chargeable batteries so doesn’t need to be plugged into a power outlet. The Doxie comes with an SD card and can store up to 4000 scans before you need to transfer to your computer. It is lightweight and the size of a rolled-up magazine. The included software is easy to use and includes OCR technology to recognize text in a scanned document.
Epson Perfection V600 Photo Scanner
Larger than the Flip-Pal; this is the best selling photo scanner on Amazon. It allows for high quality enlargements and can scan slides, negatives and medium format panoramic film. You can also remove the appearance of tears and creases as well as restoring faded colour pictures.
Brother P-touch, PTD210, Easy-to-Use Label Maker, One-Touch Keys, Multiple Font Styles, 27 User-Friendly Templates, White
Perfect for the organized genealogist, or the genealogist that wants to get organized! Has useful templates for file and gift labels. Can also produce decorative labels with patterns and can use a variety of different tapes.
Tote Bags
Always useful, but even better with a genealogy theme.
Genealogy Family Roots – Cotton Canvas Shopping Bag
“It’s all about the Roots”
Dead Relatives Tote Bag
“I collect dead relatives and the occasional live cousin”
Mugs
Genealogy themed mugs are a great inexpensive gift:
Genealogy Coffee Mug 11 oz. Genealogy funny gift
Genealogy Coffee Mug 11 oz. Genealogy funny gift“If you think family history is boring you’re doing it wrong”
Books
Books always make great gifts; here are some excellent genealogy ones.
Unofficial Guide to Ancestry.com
The author, Nancy Hendrickson, writes the popular Ancestor News blog. This book (recently updated) is a guide to getting the most out of the World’s largest genealogy website. It takes a detailed look at all of the site’s historical record collections as well as showing you how to make the most of the Search function and how to make the best use of Ancestry’s card catalog. The book also gives tips on creating and managing your Ancestry family tree.
Unofficial Guide to FamilySearch.org
Family Search, run by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (the Mormon Church), is the largest (mostly) free genealogy resource site on the web, and new records are added constantly. This book is designed to help you make the most of the site, showing you how to make the most of records from the US, Canada, Europe and other countries. It gives you tips on how to extract information from records that aren’t searchable as well tips on starting and maintaining an online tree. It also contains worksheets and checklists to help you track your research progress.
Genealogy: Essential Research Methods
This book is essential reading for anyone who is taking family history seriously and is often a set book in genealogy courses. The author, Helen Osborne, is a professional genealogist and through examples from her own work, she shows you how professionals get results. She also demonstrates how to build research plans, find the right documents and get the most from them, record and organize your results and present your findings. Although the focus is on England and Wales, the lessons learnt from this book can be applied anywhere.
Many more genealogy book suggestions can be found in the Resources section here.
Other Great Genealogy Gift Ideas
ADVcer Photo Album DIY Scrapbook (10×10 inch 50 Pages Double Sided)
Vintage Leather Cover Three-Ring Binder Family Picture Booth with 9 Color 408pcs Self Adhesive Photos Corners for Memory Keep and Tree
Klikel Family Tree Frame Display with 10 Hanging Picture Photo Frames
A unique metal tree with 10 hanging picture frames. Finished in dark metal, this design features hanging 2×3 frames with carved branches and leaves where you can display your family pictures.
Leave A Comment