Samples of—and meanings to—dozens of the most-common tombstone icons
Tips for using FamilySearch’s FREE family tree-builder
A comprehensive German genealogy guide
Timeless advice for backing up digital files
Contents
Cultural Icons: By Joy Neighbors. Decode the “secret language of remembrance” with this visual dictionary of tombstone symbols.
Zen and the Art of Cemetery Transcription: By Robbie Gorr. Record the data etched in tombstones using these tips.
The World Tree: By Sunny Jane Morton. Master the FamilySearch Family Tree—and preserve your research for future generations—in these simple steps.
Hitting the Deutsche Mark: By Stephen Wendt. Find your Deutschland ancestors with this guide to the basics of German genealogy: records, history, language and more.
Breaking News: By Lindsey Harner. Read between the lines in historical newspapers to find these 15 critical genealogical details.
Plus!
Research Guides: Idaho and North Carolina
Stories to Tell
Tech News
Lisa’s Picks
Source Spotlight: Special US Censuses
Website Tutorial: International Society of Genetic Genealogists Wiki
Photo Detective
Family History Home: Saving Funeral Memorabilia
Now What
From the Archive: Backing Up Digital Files
DNA Q&A: Can I Really Delete my DNA? (And Should I?)
Once you download the September/October 2025 issue of Family Tree Magazine, you’ll need a PDF reader, such as the free Adobe Reader software, to open it. Adobe Reader is available for both Mac and Windows computers.
