Is hard-to-buy-for Aunt Helen the family repository for recipes, photo albums and keepsakes? Does Grandpa Joe archive all of your family's facts and dates in his head, not to mention all those lesser-known scintillating tidbits? If you need holiday gift ideas for your genealogically inclined relatives, look no further!

Need a quick burst of inspiration? Try these 10 techniques to flesh out those elusive ancestors.

From state vital records and censuses to historical books and immigration data, this year’s 101 Best Websites list features tools that can bust your brick walls—but not your budget.

It's not all rainbows and unicorns out there: Even the happy world of family history has its villains. The mere mention of these bad guys gets genealogists' blood boiling.

Focusing not just on who your ancestors were, but also where they went, can give you a research advantage: You'll learn what records they might have generated and where those records are today.

Keep your family story from veering off course -- watch out for these nine pitfalls when researching or writing about your roots.