Welcome to Tech Tip Tuesday where I share a technology tool that helps make genealogy research more organized, efficient, and enjoyable.
Some tools are designed specifically for genealogists, while others—like today's tip—are everyday tools that can reveal surprising insights into our ancestors' lives.
One of my favorite genealogy research tools isn't a genealogy website at all—it's Google Maps.
Whenever I locate an ancestor in a city directory, one of the first things I do is enter the address into Google Maps. It only takes a few minutes, but it helps me see my ancestors in a whole new way.
Recently, I was researching my grandfather's family in Straubing, Germany. A 1960 city directory showed my grandfather, Franz Lukas, and his son Eduard living at Friedhofstraße 1b. Less than two miles away lived his daughter, Hedwig, at Viereckmühlstraße 13, and another son, Johann, lived less than two miles away in the opposite direction at Michaelsweg 6.
Rather than simply recording those addresses in my genealogy software, I entered each one into Google Maps and created a custom map showing where everyone lived.
Immediately, I could see something the directory alone couldn't show me. My grandfather and three of his children all lived within a short distance of one another. Seeing their homes on a map helped me visualize the neighborhood and imagine what everyday life may have been like. Did they walk to each other's homes? Did the grandchildren play together? Those questions might never have occurred to me if I had only looked at a list of addresses.
Google Maps offers another feature I enjoy using—Street View. While the homes have undoubtedly changed since 1960, Street View allows me to explore the streets, aerial view or street level, where my grandfather, uncles, and aunt once lived. It transforms an address into a real place.
Of course, Google Maps doesn't replace historical maps, photographs, or other records. But it provides valuable context that helps bring ancestors to life. Instead of seeing names and addresses on a page, I can picture the neighborhoods where they shopped, raised their families, and went about their daily routines.
The next time you discover an ancestor's address in a city directory, census record, draft registration, or death certificate, don't stop with writing it down. Take a few extra minutes to enter it into Google Maps. You may uncover new research questions—or simply gain a deeper appreciation for the places your family once called home.
Grandma's Tech Tip Snapshot
How It Can Help:
- Visualizing ancestor addresses
- Seeing family clusters
- Exploring neighborhoods
- Finding nearby churches & cemeteries
- Adding context to historical records
Grandma's Tip: "Every address has a story. Before you file it away, visit it in Google Maps. You might be surprised by what you discover."
