Facts

A person who dies intestate dies without a will.

There are three types of wills:  Attested, Holographic and Nuncupative.  The attested will is the most common and is prepared for the testator.  A holographic will is written by the testator himself.  A nuncupative will are the deathbed wishes of the testator, recorded by a witness present at the bedside.  All wills must be witnessed.

Probate records refer to wills inventories, letters of administration and guardianship.  They are usually held at the county courthouse unless archived.

Polish children were often named after a saint whose feast day was near the child's birth or baptismal date.

Hungarians commonly put their family name before their given names, the reverse of most Western cultures.

A large number of military records from Austria's empire helps to make up for hard-to-access church records.

Having trouble finding female ancestors?  Think about multiple marriages.  In census records check to see if she is living with any of her children or other family members,

Remember that England switched from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar in 1752, omitting 11 days from September.

Genealogical citation is not always uniform.  Elements include name of the person who created the document, date of the records, form used (county deed book, microfilm, etc.) and where the document can be found.  Remember Undocumented genealogy is mythology!  Document everything you find on your ancestors.

Primary evidence is personal testimony or a record created shortly after an event by a person with personal knowledge of the facts.  Secondary evidence is copies or compiled from other sources written from memory long after the event has occurred.