about me

professional genealogist Jennifer Dondero, author of Essential Skills for the Occasional Genealogist, an Amazon bestseller

Meet the Author

I'm Jennifer, and I'm an Occasional Genealogist... sort of. For over ten years I've been a professional genealogist. I started researching my own family nearly 30 years ago. Like many of you, I started as an Occasional Genealogist. I had to squeeze research in while in school and while working full-time. Then I got my first genealogy job and for awhile, it was genealogy all the time. Now I have two kids. I do other people's genealogy constantly but my own? Coming up with ways to do great genealogy, despite all the interruptions, is now mandatory.

Learn More About Me

12:41 PM

How to Contact AncestryDNA Matches

Are you looking for help on how to contact your AncestryDNA? You're in the right place. It's easier than you thought when you searched for help! [If you're looking for my post with AncestryDNA messaging templates, you can find it here .] How to Contact Ancestry DNA Matches The only way to contact an…

6:35 PM

Auto-clustering, Genetic Networks, and Kissing Cousins

Have you heard of auto-clustering for your autosomal DNA results? It's something you should try but is it going to help you or be another tool that drives you crazy? Turns out, it might depend who your ancestors were. If you've read many posts on this blog, you know my ancestors are all southern. They aren&…

4:26 PM

Evernote for Occasional Genealogists

Have you realized what the biggest challenge for Occasional Genealogists is? It's not a lack of research results. It's remembering what research you've done. The solution to this problem is great organization. That's not a very helpful answer, though. Great genealogical organization invol…

5:25 PM

Gifts for the Genealogist in the Making

Gifts for people who haven't fully succumbed to genealogy-itis, just push them over the edge this Christmas. You know you love having one more genealogy friend!

4:28 AM

My DNA Results Are Wrong. What Can I Do?

[If you're reading this because your results appear to indicate something surprising and unpleasant, there are s upport groups and services out there to help you . There are consultation services available to help people who have had a major surprise DNA result or that just need more concrete answers than …

7:07 AM

Mini-Tips for U.S. Military Research

The veterans in your family tree are unique like every other ancestor and relative. So this year, instead of an attempt at a semi-comprehensive round-up of resources (covering the majority of the major U.S. conflicts) or a memorial post about the veterans in my family, I'm providing a post as unique to me as my an…