Finding the Maiden Names of Women in Your Family Tree

Join Ancestry's own barefoot genealogist, Crista Cowan, as she shows you the answer to this week's question: How do I find the maiden names of women in my family tree?

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  People & Blogs

[Annette McGinnis]

Try Genealogy Karma | Mocavo or

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[ruthyblakester]

Very useful, thanks!

[thrill ofhorror]

How do I narrow down the man's last name, He has 5 different known last names he used through out life. I do have this part as known and correct by his mother. Are there free services to look up this information?

[WTFpoopstar]

ansestry i dont get it i wrote about ten of my grandfathers and grandmothers but it keeps giving me more i bearly know any of their names >:(

[SharonHarper6]

I agree

[TheBirdingMom]

Re: naming patterns

In the South, female children were often given the mother's maiden name as a middle name. So you need to look at middle names for both sons AND daughters.

[cookala]

Very informative, Crista. I find your presentations to be very well organized; covering a lot of ground in the short period of allotted time. Thanks!