Paleography: Handwriting Studies for Genealogy
Handwritten manuscripts are a way of life in archival and genealogical research. Some are easy to read, some not so much. This lecture will introduce you to common types of hands from the middle ages, with ideas on how to read and analyze difficult-to-read handwriting.
Syllabus - Paleography: Handwriting Studies for Genealogy
Ngaahi Aʻusia Kehé
Deciphering Old Handwriting
While we might wish all our ancestors’ records were typed in a standard format and perfectly legible, that simply isn’t the case. Many of the records family historians turn to are handwritten and may be faded, use archaic terminology, unfamiliar abbreviations, or are just plain illegible. This online lecture will provide practical strategies for approaching handwritten documents, understanding and deciphering hard-to-read handwriting from different time periods, so that you can make the most of these important resources in your family history research.