Breaking Through Brick Walls: Tips for Solving Genealogy Mysteries

If you’ve been researching your family tree for any length of time, chances are you’ve hit a brick wall—that maddening point where the trail runs cold and your ancestor seems to vanish into thin air.

Don’t worry. You’re not alone—and your research isn’t over. Brick walls are part of the journey, not the end of it.

Here are some tried-and-true strategies to help you chip away at those obstacles and keep your genealogy discoveries moving forward.

1. Be Flexible with Spellings and Names

Spelling wasn’t standardized until relatively recently, and even then, record keepers often wrote names phonetically. A person might appear as “Smyth” in one record and “Smith” in another—or “Elisabeth” in one census and “Lizzy” in the next.

Tips:

• Try wildcards in search engines (e.g., Sm?th or Sm*th).

• Search with variant spellings, nicknames, and abbreviations.

• Don’t forget transcription errors—scan original images when possible.

2. Zoom Out: Think in Terms of Migration Patterns

If your ancestor suddenly disappears from records, consider whether they moved elsewhere. Families often migrated together or followed economic opportunities like railroad work, mining booms, or westward expansion.

Strategies:

• Look at migration routes common in the time period (e.g., wagon roads, canals, rail lines).

• Search nearby counties and neighboring states.

• Study land records—did they sell land just before disappearing?

3. Dig Into Local Archives and Repositories

Not all records are online. In fact, many valuable documents are still in courthouses, historical societies, and local libraries.

What to look for:

• Probate records and wills

• Church records and cemetery lists

• Tax lists, land deeds, and voter rolls

• Local newspapers (often not digitized)

Contact local librarians or county clerks—they often know what’s available and where to find it.

4. Track the Whole Family (Not Just Your Direct Line)

Sometimes the key to breaking down a wall isn’t with your ancestor—it’s with their siblings, in-laws, or children. These collateral relatives can appear in records your direct ancestor doesn’t.

Ideas:

• Follow siblings and cousins through censuses and marriages.

• Look for multi-generational households—especially in census years.

• Pay attention to who appears as witnesses in wills or land transactions.

5. Use DNA to Shake Loose New Clues

If you’ve done traditional research and still can’t find the connection, DNA testing can offer new leads. Sites like AncestryDNA, MyHeritage, and 23andMe provide match lists that may help you identify unknown branches or confirm relationships.

Start by:

• Building out trees for close DNA matches

• Looking for surname overlaps or shared locations

• Using chromosome mapping (on GEDmatch or MyHeritage) to triangulate relationships

6. Read the Fine Print—Literally

Never rely solely on indexed search results. Always view the original documents when you can. Marginal notes, misspellings, annotations, and crossed-out names can offer valuable context that digital indexes miss.

Also, read entire pages—not just the line with your ancestor. Neighbors may turn out to be family. I often find the parents of the wife with no last name in the Census records!

7. Pause, Rethink, and Review

Sometimes the best next step is to step back. Re-read your notes. Create a timeline. Reorganize your research. What did you miss?

Questions to ask:

• Am I making assumptions based on another researcher’s tree?

• Could two people with the same name be getting confused?

• Have I searched for them under a spouse’s name or an alternate occupation?

Fresh eyes—and a fresh mind—can make all the difference.

Every genealogist hits a wall eventually. But with persistence, curiosity, and a willingness to try new strategies, even the toughest mysteries can start to crack.

Remember: the brick wall isn’t the end of the road. It’s an invitation to dig deeper.

Happy hunting—and may your next breakthrough be just around the corner.

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🧱 Brick Wall Toolkit: A Genealogist’s Checklist for Breaking Through Dead Ends

Use this worksheet to organize your thoughts, revisit sources, and uncover new research paths when you're stuck.

🔍 1. Review What You Know

• Write out a timeline of your ancestor’s life (birth, marriage, children, death).

• List every known location where they lived.

• Review your sources—what are facts, and what are assumptions?

• Have you documented siblings, children, spouses, and neighbors?

🗂 2. Explore Name Variations

• Try alternate spellings of first and last names.

• Look for nicknames or initials (e.g., “Lizzie” for “Elizabeth”).

• Search for phonetic variations (use wildcards in searches).

• Consider transcription errors in census or handwritten records.

🧭 3. Study Migration and Movement

• Have you checked neighboring counties or states?

• Investigate known migration routes (trails, rivers, railroads).

• Did the family relocate as a unit? Look at the whole household.

🏛 4. Go Local

• Contact historical societies or local libraries.

• Visit (or write to) county courthouses for land, tax, or probate records.

• Check church, cemetery, and funeral home records.

• Read local newspapers—births, marriages, obituaries, court notices.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 5. Expand the Family Net

• Research siblings, cousins, in-laws.

• Follow witnesses on documents—they may be family or close associates.

• Use FAN Club methodology (Friends, Associates, Neighbors).

🧬 6. Use DNA as a Tool

• Test with a major DNA company (Ancestry, MyHeritage, 23andMe).

• Review shared matches and build their trees.

• Upload raw DNA to GEDmatch or FamilyTreeDNA for broader analysis.

• Look for surname and location matches among your DNA cousins.

📜 7. Revisit Old Records with Fresh Eyes

• Re-read original record images (not just the index).

• Check full census pages to examine neighbors.

• Read margins and notes—especially on deeds and wills.

🧠 8. Pause and Reassess

• Step away for a day or week—return with fresh perspective.

• Ask someone else to review your work.

• Look for record types you haven’t explored (e.g., occupational, school, court).

✍️ 9. Record Your Hypotheses

Write down theories or leads you haven’t confirmed yet, and list what evidence would be needed to support or disprove them.

• Example: I believe John Smith moved to Missouri around 1850. I need land or census records to confirm.

• Hypothesis: ___________________________

• Evidence to confirm: ___________________

✅ Keep Track of What You've Tried

Sometimes knowing what didn’t work is just as important as what did. Record search terms, databases, and dates.

• Sites searched: _______________________

• Repositories contacted: _______________

• Alternate names used: ________________

• Notes/next steps: _____________________

🔁 Genealogy is about the long game. Don’t get discouraged—get strategic.