Master Class: Find Their Hometown - October 2025
Master Class Schedule
October 15, 2025 - November 18, 2025
Break through your biggest genealogy brick wall: uncover their original hometown.
Many people become interested in genealogy because they want to learn more about where their family came from—specifically, to discover the identity of their immigrant ancestors.
Focusing on the period 1820-1930s, this course will teach you how to identify the immigrant ancestors in your family tree using U.S. records, identify their hometown, and pinpoint when and where he or she left.
Join Amanda Epperson and learn the steps to identify and trace your immigrant ancestors from the U.S. to their homeland. We'll also cover how to identify the immigrant ancestors in your family tree using U.S. records, locate their hometown, and pinpoint when and where they left.
By mastering these research steps, you’ll be able to locate your immigrant ancestors and their homeland, no matter their origin.
In this six-week Master Class, you’ll learn how to:
- Understand Immigration's Impact: A brief review of United States immigration can help you understand how it may impact your research.
- Decipher Place Names: Learn how to track your ancestors by understanding how historical geography, changing borders, political considerations, and administrative jurisdictions influenced place names and where to find records.
- Leverage Ethnicity and Religion: Discover how to use ethnicity and religion as clues to help you track your ancestor's journey.
- Identify and Locate Ancestral Towns: Get to know key U.S. records and other sources that can help you identify and locate your ancestor's town or village of origin.
- Trace Migration Patterns: Find out how social history and migration patterns can provide valuable insights for tracing your ancestors.
- Access Records in the Homeland: Learn what records in your ancestor's homeland will help you further your research.
- Master Online Record Access: Get tips on how to access both U.S. and foreign records online.
- Effectively Use Foreign Records: Gain valuable tips for reaching and interpreting foreign records to push your research forward.
- and much more!
What the Master Class Includes:
- Hours of exclusive video instruction, broken up into six, go-at-your-own-pace lessons
- Live Q&A sessions with expert instructors
- Worksheets and exercises that will help you put what you’ve learned into practice
- Discussion board where you can network with fellow researchers, ask questions of instructors, and learn from other students
Who Should Take This Course:
- Those who wish to learn where their family came from outside the United States
- Descendants of fairly recent immigrants—e.g., late 19th- and early 20th-century arrivals—who have just a few generations to trace in US sources
- Researchers who have traced a family line as far back in America as they can, and want to take their research to the next level
- People who wish to continue their research in their ancestor’s homeland
Frequently Asked Questions:
What if you miss the first Live Q&A session?
No problem! Each live Q&A session will be recorded. The video will be uploaded for you to watch at any time.
Will you be behind the rest of the students?
No, the classes in each part of the Master Class are self-guided. You can go at your own pace and catch up over the weekend.
About the Instructors
Amanda Epperson who completed her Ph.D. in Scottish History at the University of Glasgow, is the eLearning Producer at Family Tree University. She is the author of The Family Tree Scottish Genealogy Guide.
Additional instructors to be announced!
Master Class Schedule
October 15, 2025 - November 18, 2025
Break through your biggest genealogy brick wall: uncover their original hometown.
Many people become interested in genealogy because they want to learn more about where their family came from—specifically, to discover the identity of their immigrant ancestors.
Focusing on the period 1820-1930s, this course will teach you how to identify the immigrant ancestors in your family tree using U.S. records, identify their hometown, and pinpoint when and where he or she left.
Join Amanda Epperson and learn the steps to identify and trace your immigrant ancestors from the U.S. to their homeland. We'll also cover how to identify the immigrant ancestors in your family tree using U.S. records, locate their hometown, and pinpoint when and where they left.
By mastering these research steps, you’ll be able to locate your immigrant ancestors and their homeland, no matter their origin.
In this six-week Master Class, you’ll learn how to:
- Understand Immigration's Impact: A brief review of United States immigration can help you understand how it may impact your research.
- Decipher Place Names: Learn how to track your ancestors by understanding how historical geography, changing borders, political considerations, and administrative jurisdictions influenced place names and where to find records.
- Leverage Ethnicity and Religion: Discover how to use ethnicity and religion as clues to help you track your ancestor's journey.
- Identify and Locate Ancestral Towns: Get to know key U.S. records and other sources that can help you identify and locate your ancestor's town or village of origin.
- Trace Migration Patterns: Find out how social history and migration patterns can provide valuable insights for tracing your ancestors.
- Access Records in the Homeland: Learn what records in your ancestor's homeland will help you further your research.
- Master Online Record Access: Get tips on how to access both U.S. and foreign records online.
- Effectively Use Foreign Records: Gain valuable tips for reaching and interpreting foreign records to push your research forward.
- and much more!
What the Master Class Includes:
- Hours of exclusive video instruction, broken up into six, go-at-your-own-pace lessons
- Live Q&A sessions with expert instructors
- Worksheets and exercises that will help you put what you’ve learned into practice
- Discussion board where you can network with fellow researchers, ask questions of instructors, and learn from other students
Who Should Take This Course:
- Those who wish to learn where their family came from outside the United States
- Descendants of fairly recent immigrants—e.g., late 19th- and early 20th-century arrivals—who have just a few generations to trace in US sources
- Researchers who have traced a family line as far back in America as they can, and want to take their research to the next level
- People who wish to continue their research in their ancestor’s homeland
Frequently Asked Questions:
What if you miss the first Live Q&A session?
No problem! Each live Q&A session will be recorded. The video will be uploaded for you to watch at any time.
Will you be behind the rest of the students?
No, the classes in each part of the Master Class are self-guided. You can go at your own pace and catch up over the weekend.
About the Instructors
Amanda Epperson who completed her Ph.D. in Scottish History at the University of Glasgow, is the eLearning Producer at Family Tree University. She is the author of The Family Tree Scottish Genealogy Guide.