Educational experiences by our experts, at your convenience
Whether you're just starting to explore your family history, or you're a seasoned researcher looking to gain new skills, American Ancestors offers a variety of online seminars in topics across the field of genealogy. Now, you can enjoy some of our most recent and popular courses at your convenience, including recorded lectures, handouts, activities, and more. Any course you purchase will be accessible through your American Ancestors account for the foreseeable future—course materials do not expire. Choose a course below and start learning today!
On Demand: Building Your Genealogical Skills
Take your research skills to the next level! Whether you are new to genealogy, want to refresh your skills, or learn best practices, this course will help you get the most out of your family history research.
On Demand: Researching Impoverished Ancestors in North America
Experts Lindsay Fulton and Ann Lawthers will discuss the welfare systems in North America from colonial times through the early 20th century, and demonstrate practical research strategies for finding your impoverished ancestors.
Available for purchase until:
The Brue Family Learning Center
On Demand: Massachusetts Research: Four Centuries of History and Genealogy
This online course will provide a century-by-century look at the records, resources, repositories, and research strategies that are essential to exploring your Massachusetts roots.
Available for purchase until:
The Brue Family Learning Center
On Demand: Researching Atlantic Canadian Ancestors
Surrounded by beautiful rocky shores on the Eastern Canadian coast, Atlantic Canada is home to a unique patchwork of cultures and histories including those of indigenous, French, British, Scottish, and Gaelic populations. This online seminar will provide a detailed overview of essential record sets, repositories, and research strategies for exploring your Atlantic Canadian roots.
Available for purchase until:
The Brue Family Learning Center
On Demand: Pennsylvania Research: Four Centuries of History and Genealogy
Whether your ancestors arrived in Pennsylvania during the colonial period or the twentieth century, this four-week online seminar will review essential resources for exploring your Pennsylvania roots.
Available for purchase until:
The Brue Family Learning Center
On Demand: Law & Order: Using Court Records in Your Family History Research
Court records are an important, yet often overlooked, resource for family historians. No matter what side of the law your ancestor may have been on, court records can provide family relationships, places of residences, origins, occupations, and offer unique stories about your ancestors, sometimes in their own words!
Available for purchase until:
The Brue Family Learning Center
On Demand: The Society of Friends: Research in Quaker Records
If you have colonial ancestry in America, chances are there’s a Quaker in your family tree. Learn about the history of Quakerism in the US, UK, and Canada, and how to get started researching your Quaker ancestor.
Available for purchase until:
The Brue Family Learning Center
On Demand: Uncovering Wartime Stories, 1918-1945: Researching Veteran and Homefront Experiences of the World Wars
Many of us have not-so-distant ancestors who served in World War I and World War II—on battlefields, behind-the-scenes, or at home. Through a combination of videos, online resources, and an hour-long panel discussion, this conversation course will provide insight to help you research war-related family stories and gain a clearer picture of your family’s experience of the World Wars.
Available for purchase until:
The Brue Family Learning Center
On Demand: Beyond the Grave: Uncovering Life Stories from Death Records
As genealogists, we often talk about “filling in the dash” for our ancestors—moving beyond birth and death dates by uncovering stories that paint a more complete picture of our ancestors’ lives. Death records include important details and clues about our ancestors’ lives that reveal rich stories and help us better understand their experiences.
Available for purchase until:
The Brue Family Learning Center
On Demand: Verifying Mayflower Lineage
Join experts from American Ancestors for a three-part online course that will explore the many resources, record collections, and research strategies for verifying your connection to the Mayflower. We will also include several case studies demonstrating ways to break down brick walls, including an examination of using DNA to confirm a hypothesis.
Available for purchase until:
The Brue Family Learning Center