Julie Goucher ~ Anglers Rest

Copyright – Julie Goucher 2019

Today’s tip is to encourage members of the Guild to register a study or a surname interest.

A study provides opportunities for members, such as access to Marriage Challenges or the Members’ Website Project. You can also request a Profile page which is a page on the main website about your study name. Search for Orlando and see the Profile page I have created.

A profile page is a great benefit. It provides a platform for your study that is indexed by search engines and allows members to link to DNA Project, websites, blogs and others links. You can add photos – images even video.

My Orlando profile could do with a glance over and perhaps the odd tweak! My Butcher profile, is in need of an update and it will receive it during 2020.

Copyright – Julie Goucher 2019

One of the member benefit’s that I like the most that is offered by the Guild, is the indexes. Each time a surname search is done of the website, the results will not only show if a study has been registered or a surname interest, but also how many instances there are of the surname in the Guild indexes.

Most of the indexes are for members only, but there are two that are public, and I will talk about those early in 2020.

The index data is provided by members. I have contributed material from certificates that I own and other material.

The marriage indexes are especially good, as they often provide links between studies or links between a study and a member who might have contributed material from their own family, thus saving the cost and trouble of purchasing the certificate.

Why not try a surname search and see how many instances there are of the surname in the indexes.

Copyright – Julie Goucher 2019

Do you have a social media presence that you can use to share and promote your surname interest?

A number of members have groups for their surname. I have an Orlando Facebook Group and I am the first to admit, it is not as active as it might be. I aim to change that in the forthcoming year.

Alternatively, I have a presence on Twitter and that has the header image representing my Butcher and Orlando One-Name Studies.

Equally though, sharing information and data from your studies via a blog is a great way to share the experience and perhaps tap into connections with other researchers.

As a way to increase the amount of traction with others, an informal Facebook Group has been formed for the GOONS (Guild of One-Name Studies) Blog Challenge

As members blog about individuals from their study they will share the links with the Blog Challenge group which is public. Hopefully members have the ability in their blog set up to share that via social media – this post for example is being shared via Twitter, which is then hopefully Re-Tweeted etc.

The more frequently you write about your study, the more other genealogists will be aware of the study and will then spread the word of the studies existence.

Copyright – Julie Goucher 2019

Today’s tip is, if you are a member, to join the Guild’s members only Facebook Group

Non-members and members can follow the Guild’s Facebook page

The members’ group is quite active with a variety of discussions from great sites to visit and explore, to advice and support with software, knowledge etc.

The group has members from across the globe, meaning that we can bridge the miles that separate members.

Why not join us in the various discussions.

Copyright – Julie Goucher 2019

Today’s tip is connect with others. It always sounds so very obvious when we say a marriage record is made up of at least two people.

Generally speaking, there will be at least two surnames, the bride and groom. Sometimes there will be a third, if the bride has previously been married. In the case of my Grandparents, their marriage record certificate show they were both single when they married in 1939.

In that case, both surnames are registered with the Guild – my Grandfather’s surname by myself and my Grandmother’s by another Guild member.

Go a step further. Take each marriage in your own family or study and see if the other surname is registered with the Guild. If so the other member may have additional information to share, or they perhaps have nothing further, in which case they will very likely be glad of the information.

Perhaps the surname is not registered, in which case why not register it. Or alternatively, perhaps the surname is listed as a surname interest.

So, what are you waiting for? Visit the website and search those surnames!

Copyright – Julie Goucher 2019

Today’s tip is quite simple.

Join the Guild of One-Name Studies or Renew your membership.

Long before I was a Trustee of the Guild I was a member, joining the Guild in 2002. I immediately registered the surname of Orlando. I have written quite a lot about my Orlando study and do not regret the registration of the surname.

When I joined the Guild, the concept of “on-line” was new and the ability to be online and research has aided my research tremendously. I began researching in the late 1980’s – it took me three years to gather the Orlando references from the GRO indexes for England and Wales. Now I can download the same material in about 3 minutes!

Times change and studies, like all our research evolves as we become more experienced and creative in what we want to achieve. As researchers with a study, there is no pressure to become global, no pressure to adopt a particular way of working. There are many advantages for joining the Guild, connecting with others and sharing information, experience and support. The biggest benefit though is the friendships we make along the way with other members.

Copyright – Julie Goucher 2019

Today the tip to review your current genealogy filing system. Do a quick appraisal of the following:

• Genealogical Software
• Notebooks
• Research log
• To Do lists
• Random notes (yes, all those post it notes too!)
• Material held in OneNote or Evernote
• Material held on USB’s and external drives
• Documents
• Audio tapes
• Spreadsheets
• Anything else?

How much of that data is related to your surname of interest? Will your current processes stand up to a more robust and enjoyable research method?

Copyright – Julie Goucher 2019

Today’s tip is to read a copy of the current version of The Art of a One-Name Study, (Seven Pillars). Published by the Guild in 2012 the book is a great introduction to progressing a One-Name (surname) Study.

The book is available from the Guild of One-Name Studies and via Amazon.