Uncovering Women’s Voices in Family History
Length: 60 minutes
Summary: Women’s voices may be harder to find, but they are not lost. Discover how to uncover women in Canadian land petitions, school registers, directories, and newspapers. Learn practical strategies and case examples to reconstruct women’s lives and place their stories at the centre of family history.
Audience Level: Beginner -Expert
Requirements: Projection for computer on a large screen; internet connection
Content: 4-page PDF handout
Outline
Researching women in family history presents unique challenges, as their lives were often recorded in indirect, fragmented, or obscured ways. Legal and social norms frequently left women underrepresented in official records, and name changes through marriage can further complicate the search. However, women’s voices are not invisible; they can be uncovered with careful strategies and a variety of sources.
Explore overlooked resources that bring women’s stories to light in Canadian genealogy. Learn how women appear in land petitions as heirs, widows, and property holders; in school registers and teaching records; in city directories and newspapers; and in community and church records. By combining these sources with cluster research, timelines, and case study methods, researchers can reconstruct the lives of their female ancestors and gain a deeper understanding of their roles within family and community.
Through real examples and practical strategies, discover how to place women’s voices at the centre of family history research to reveal their stories in your family tree.
Attendees will learn:
- Why women are often more difficult to trace in family history records and how to overcome those challenges.
- How to locate women in Canadian land petitions, school registers, directories, newspapers, and community sources.
- Practical strategies, including cluster research, for uncovering women’s stories through relatives and associates.
- Ways to apply case study methods to reconstruct fuller narratives of women’s lives.
- Where to access key archives and online resources that preserve records of women in Canada.
Book This Webinar NOW!
Click HERE to have me present this webinar either through your group’s virtual meeting platform or my StreamYard platform. Includes 45-50 minutes of instruction plus 10-15 Q&A session, PDF handout and a limited time (one year) webinar recording.
