Friday's Family History Through the Alphabet Challenge" - A is for Apps

A is  for Apps

It is the start of the festive season and my husband I are lucky enough to be taking some annual leave prior to Christmas. Due to weight limits on our flight, I made the decision to not pack my lap top and only bring my IPad. So today, I am writing my blog from my IPad for the first time.

My week of musing for my first post in the alphabet challenge is over! A is for?  Then the obvious hit me! Of course!

There are a plethora of family tree apps for genealogy and family research! And more and more are appearing each day! I thought I would write about a couple that I have found interesting.  I would also like to invite others to tell us about the Apps they have found useful. 



1. Wolfram Genealogy & History Research Tool.

If you are interested in finding out more about the times of your ancestors, this App is well worth the small cost of $4.99. This tool helps you explore the world that your ancestors lived in.

Not only does it assist you to map family relationships but also can give you information on what the towns were like at the time your ancestors were alive. You can look up what the weather was like on the day your great grand parents were married!

Another fascinating feature of this app is its ability to tell you about the historical events relative to the important events in your family's life. e.g. What was happening in the world when your mother was born or when your great aunt was married. The list goes on and on. I have found this tool to be really useful in putting together an overall picture of the times of my past family members.

2.  Ancestry App.

Keeping with my "A is for" theme the other app I would have to mention is the Ancestry App. This app lets me take my family tree where ever I go. (Now, my family think this is a bit tragic!), however it has come in very handy at many family gatherings when someone asks "when did Uncle Tom get married?" Or  "where did grandma live when she was a child?".  These questions are generally fired in my direction as the family has unofficially appointed me the "family tree geek".

For me however, the Ancestry app allows me to have more time for research. Like most of us work and family commitments prevent us from having the time we would like to have to "play" with our family tree.  Now, using the Ancestry App I am able to use the time I travel to and from work on the train for researching and connecting with Ancestry resources and other family trees.

Also, when on long trips I can entertain my self with family tree "play" while my husband is driving.

There are many new apps available for Family Tree research which I am yet to familiarise myself with. I would love to hear any recommendations from other family tree researchers.