Marcus Curtius

 

Favourite Links


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Document Viewing Applications


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Here is a list of my favourite sites from the World Wide Web.

You can jump to the described Website by clicking on the hyperlink in italics.

 

Curtius - Korte - Kur(t)z(e) et al Websites:

  • Kurz Family Genealogy Forum http://genforum.genealogy.com/kurz/
    • Kurz Family Genealogy Forum is a message forum within the Genealogy.com web-site and includes a link to their main commercial site and also to their sister site Ancestry.co.uk. There are also similar message boards for Kurtz, Kurtze and other variants.
  • Kurz Family History http://kurzfamily.tripod.com
    • Kurz Family History is for the the Kurz ancestors who originated in Raudern, Nürtingen in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. They immigrated to the United States in the early to mid 1800's.
  • Kurtz Family History http://www.kurtz.me/Kurtz/Genealogy.
    • Kurtz Genealogy is in a personal web-site for the descendants of Ulrich Kurtz was born about 1610 in Rothenbach near Eggiwil in Zwitzerland. They immigrated to the United States in the 1740's.
  • WikiTree http://www.wikitree.com/genealogy/KURTZ.
    • Wikitree is a web-site for a community of genealogists dedicated to growing an accurate single family tree using DNA and traditional genealogical sources. WikiTree balances privacy and collaboration so that living people can connect on one world tree to common ancestors. The link is to the Kurtz webpage but you can search for any other surname.
  • Newcombe Family of Devon http://www.newcombe.info.
    • Newcombe.info is the Website that I built for my Newcombe family history. This fully searchable website has been included here as it was built by myself to preserve the memory of my adopted parents and their family history and it can also illustrate the potential scope of what is in this Curtius - Korte - Kur(t)z(e) website through the password portal in the members' area.

 

DNA Websites:

  • Family Tree DNA (FTDNA) https://www.familytreedna.com/
    • Family Tree DNA (FTDNA) is the pre-eminent testing facility for family historians as it has the most comprehensive Y chromosome, autosomal, and mitochondrial ancestry DNA database for genetic genealogists!

There are several first class DNA testing facilities and I have used others for my DNA tests, but the idea of my Curtius website is to get the results of any tests on one website / database and I have chosen FTDNA due to its' large database and active promotion of genealogy, hosting of surname DNA projects and integrated links to other websites such as the Genographic Project created by the National Geographic Society and WorldFamilies (now closed due to the burden of the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)). If you have a Y-DNA test with another testing company such as AncestryDNA; 23andMe; MyHeritage; Living DNA etc. it may be possible to transfer that data to an FTDNA database; please contact me.

  • International Society of Genetic Genealogy (ISOGG) http://isogg.org/
    • ISOGGis the first society founded to promote the use of DNA testing in genealogy. There are many useful links on the Genealogy Wiki to search for related information.
  • WorldFamilies.net http://www.worldfamilies.net/
    • WorldFamilieswas a website to collate Y-DNA for the purpose of linking families typically sharing the same surname; it will therefore help you see the typical YDNA of a surname and in the case of common surnames such as Jones it will group these families together, perhaps by region or country. The Kurtz DNA Project had showed the results of 23 males' Y-DNA tests in 7 Haplogroups (clans), but sadly this website has now closed due to the burden of the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which came into force from 26 May 2018.
  • ysearch http://www.ysearch.org/?uid=
    • ysearchwas a database created to collect the Y-DNA results of people who have tested from different companies and to make their results available for comparison on one website database. In 2016 the Surname Count was 105,628; Unique Haplotypes: 123,287; Number of Records: 165,914 contributed by people who tested with FTDNA (145,901); Relative Genetics (1,084); Oxford Ancestors (464); Others (18,465). Tragically this website has now closed due to the burden of the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which came into force from 26 May 2018.
  • Genographic Project (GENO 2.0) created by the National Geographic Society https://genographic.nationalgeographic.com/
    • The Genographic Project is an ambitious attempt to answer fundamental questions about where we originated and how we came to populate the Earth. Through your DNA participation, you can play an active role in this historic endeavour.
  • DNA Painter created by Jonny Perl https://dnapainter.com/
    • DNA Painter is a website that you can use to visualize and make notes on your DNA matches. The site is intended for genealogists and family history enthusiasts who have taken a DNA test. We have a natural desire to discover who our matches are and how we’re related to them, but interpreting test results can be a challenge, with unfamiliar names and pages of numbers. DNA Painter helps by providing a platform where you can:
      • Enter the numerical information provided by the testing company for each match and visualise it on your chromosomes (click here for info on where to find this data)
      • Make notes and indicate how certain you are that you've identified correctly how you are connected to each person.
    • I have many Autosomal DNA matches on my accounts at FTDNA, MyHeritage, 23andMe and GEDmatch and these websites allow the download of matching DNA for comparison (AncestryDNA does not have this facility). I have then used the downloaded DNA from the other matching testors to visually see where their DNA segments match onto my own 22 chromosome template. This enables me to allocate specific segments of DNA on a particular chromosome to an ancestral surname; fascinating stuff!

     

    National Websites:

    Austrian Websites:

    • Familia Austria, Österreichische Gesellschaft für Genealogie und Geschichte [Austrian Society for Genealogy and History] http://familia-austria.at/index2.php.
      • Familia Austria is a voluntary workers association, which has set itself the goal of promoting the ancestors and family research in the area of ​​the old Habsburg monarchy to link existing initiatives in this field and, more generally to elaborate genealogical knowledge and to publish the data. A great site to investigate what is available to the Austrian genealogist.

     

    Dutch Websites:

    • Centraal Bureau voor Genealogie [Central Bureau for Genealogy] http://cbg.nl/bronnen/
      • The Centraal Bureau voor Genealogie (Central Bureau for Genealogy - CBG) is the Dutch information and documentation centre for genealogy, family history and related sciences. The CBG is the ideal starting point for most research into Dutch ancestors or Dutch migrants who settled in other countries in the world.
    • Digital Resources Netherlands and Belgium http://www.geneaknowhow.net/, by Herman de Wit.
      • Digital Resources Netherlands and Belgium(Geneaknowhow) is the 'gateway' to Dutch and Belgian searchable digital resources of interest for genealogical researchers.
    • Genealogieonline http://www.genealogieonline.nl/en/.
      • Genealogieonline, by webmaster Bob Coret, contains a large collection of searchable online Dutch genealogies.
    • The Meertens Institute http://www.meertens.knaw.nl/cms/en/.
      • Meertens Institute, was established in 1926 and has been a research institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) since 1952. They study the diversity in language and culture in the Netherlands; and give an excellent account of the etymology of Dutch (and North German) names.
    • Nationaal Archief [National Archives of the Netherlands] http://www.nationaalarchief.nl/.
      • The Nationaal Archief (Dutch National Archives) is the ‘national memory’ of the Netherlands. We hold 125 kilometres of documents, photos and maps both from the central government, as well as from organizations and persons of national importance (past and present).
    • Nederlandse Genealogische Vereniging [Dutch Genealogical Society] http://www.ngv.nl/Kenniscentrum/homepage.php?frams=n.
      • The NGV is the largest genealogical society in the Netherlands, an association representing approximately 10,000 members and is completely run by volunteers. The NGV has as one of the largest Dutch genealogical collections where members and non-members (for a fee) to do their research. A selection from this collection are: transcripts from parish registers for baptisms, weddings and burials, reference books, microfiche, family announcements, prayer cards, heraldic archives, etc., etc.,
    • WieWasWie [WhoWasWho] https://www.wiewaswie.nl/.
      • WieWasWie (successor to Genlias) helps you to find your Dutch ancestors. A large number of Dutch archive organisations take part in WieWasWie by making their digitized collections available via one national portal.
    • AlleDrenten http://alledrenten.nl/.
      • AlleDrenten (successor to Drenlias) helps you to find your ancestors from the province of Drenthe. The Drenthe archives have made available 5 million records for Drentenaren people. You can search the database or browse through scans of archival documents that you can download for free. Scans of notarial deeds are available on www.drentsarchief.nl.
    • AlleGroningers http://allegroningers.nl/.
      • AlleGroningers helps you to find your ancestors from the province of Groningen. The Regional Historic Center Groninger Archives have made millions of their records accessable from their 32 kilometer long collection. You can search the database or browse through scans of archival documents that you can download for free.
    • AlleFriezen https://www.allefriezen.nl/.
      • AlleFriezen is a website that presents data from Frisian municipal archives, the “Streekarchief Noordoost-Fryslan” (the regional archives of north eastern Friesland), the “Historisch Centrum Leeuwarden” (Leeuwarden Historical Centre), and “Tresoar” (Frisian Historical Centre). Data about all Frisian people, born, married, or deceased in the province of Fryslân from the 19th century till the middle of the 1950’s.
    • Historisch Centrum Overijssel https://www.historischcentrumoverijssel.nl/.
      • Historisch Centrum Overijssel (HCO) is the information center for the history of the province of Overijssel. Archives, books, prints, newspapers, maps, photographs, films, videos and sound recordings tell the story of Overijssel from the Middle Ages to the present.They have made available several sources of information on the internet of which their "Generale Index Zwolle" is essential for research in the city of Zwolle. The General Index of Zwolle is a digital card index that contains information about people, streets, buildings and professions related to Zwolle and Zwollerkerspel. The data includes the period from about 1300 to 1940; and is now available online.

     

    German Websites:

    • Verein für Computergenealogie [Society for Computer Genealogy] http://compgen.de/.
      • Verein für Computergenealogie is a comprehensive website for German genealogy with links to many on-line databases. The growing list of Ortsfamilienbücher is particularly promising of what will be available in the future http://www.online-ofb.de/. This site gives a great many links to other Germanic genealogical websites, including those in former German territories; lands settled by Germans; Austria and Switzerland.
    • Die Maus http://www.die-maus-bremen.de/index.php.
      • The Maus [Mouse] Genealogical Society in Bremen was established 20 March 1924 in Bremen and is located in Bremen State Archives building. For the genealogist there are photocopies of Bremen church records from the beginning until 1811, civil registers from 1811 to 1875, as well as other extensive material is available. Due to the close cooperation with the State Archives it provides ideal research opportunities. Their website has an extensive on-line database.
    • Deutsche Biographie http://www.deutsche-biographie.de/search
      • The Deutsche Biographie website is a portal to an extensive on-line database of German biographies. Just type in the surname you are interested in researching and Deutsche Biographie will give you a list of famous people it has in its' database to view.

     

    Swiss Websites:

    • Schweizer Familienforschung auf dem Internet [Swiss Genealogy on the Internet] http://kunden.eye.ch/swissgen/.
      • Schweizer Familienforschung auf dem Internet has been compiled by a group of volunteers to help genealogists in Switzerland and worldwide with their research and is an excellent starting point to discover Swiss genealogy through the many internet links.

     

    Genealogy Websites:

    • Genealogical list of Web sites http://www.cyndislist.com/.
      • Cyndi's List is a 'one stop shop' for all your genealogical queries:
          • A categorized & cross-referenced index to genealogical resources on the Internet.
          • A list of links that point you to genealogical research sites online.
          • A free jumping-off point for you to use in your online research.
          • A "card catalogue" to the genealogical collection in the immense library that is the Internet.
          • Your genealogical research portal onto the Internet.
    • UK & Ireland genealogy societies http://www.genuki.org.uk/.
      • The aim of GENUKI is to serve as a "virtual reference library" of genealogical information that is of particular relevance to the UK & Ireland. It is a noncommercial service, provided by an ever-growing group of volunteers in cooperation with the Federation of Family History Societies and a number of its member societies.
    • Mormon's Family Search http://www.familysearch.org/.
      • Family Search is the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) Web site and the single most important source of online family history data and information anywhere in the world. Creators of the famous International Genealogical Index (IGI), the Mormons have done more for the collection, preservation and free dissemination of worldwide family history than any other organization.
    • Society of Genealogists http://www.sog.org.uk/.
      • The Society of Genealogists (SoG) offers a unique combination of research material, guidance and support for those interested in family history and the lives of earlier generations. It is a charity whose objects are to "promote, encourage and foster the study, science and knowledge of genealogy". They have the foremost library in the British Isles with a large collection of family histories, civil registration and census material, and the widest collection of County Sources in the country (over 9,000).
    • National Archives http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/.
      • The National Archives of England, Wales and the United Kingdom has one of the largest archival collections in the world, spanning 1000 years of British history, from Domesday Book of 1086 to government papers recently released to the public.
    • English & Welsh digital genealogical data http://www.findmypast.co.uk/.
      • findmypast.co.uk helps you to trace your family tree by searching the entire copy of Birth, Marriage and Deaths indexes for England and Wales from 1837 to 2002, as well as British nationals overseas from 1761 to 1994. Access a host of digital data for the English & Welsh census records, military, newspapers, migrations, parishes etc.
    • Civil Registration free index from 1837 http://www.freebmd.org.uk/.
      • FreeBMD is an ongoing project, the aim of which is to transcribe the Civil Registration index of births, marriages and deaths for England and Wales, and to provide free Internet access to the transcribed records for the period 1837-1983.
    • The Family Tree Magazine http://www.family-tree.co.uk/.
      • Family Tree Magazine began in 1984 and has steadily grown into the highest circulating British family history publication, currently (November 2004) selling more than 40,000 copies every month, with readers in more than 40 countries throughout the world.
    • General Register Office http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/.
      • General Register Office (GRO) has a responsibility for recording all births, marriages and deaths in England and Wales.

     

Heraldic Web Sites:

  • English heraldry http://www.college-of-arms.gov.uk/.
    • The College of Arms is the official repository of the coats of arms and pedigrees of English, Welsh, Northern Irish and Commonwealth families and their descendants.
  • British heraldry http://www.theheraldrysociety.com/.
    • The Heraldry Society exists to increase and extend interest in and knowledge of heraldry, armory, chivalry, genealogy and allied subjects.
  • Blazon Search http://www.blazonsearch.com/.
    • The Armorial Général is a monumental work, containing descriptions, or blazons, of the arms of over 130,000 European families, alphabetically arranged and accurately described. It was compiled in the late 19th century by Johan Baptiste Rietstap from the Netherlands. In addition to a full description of the arms, many entries identify the nationality of the arms bearer, his title, and the conferred date. Never before has it been possible to use the Armorial Général as a virtual ordinary and search its blazons at lightning speed for particular charges, tinctures, mottos, etc.

 

Genealogy Software Web Sites:

  •  The Master Genealogist (TMG) http://www.whollygenes.com/.
    • The Master Genealogist (TMG) produced by Wholly Genes is by far the best genealogy programme available. The last thing you want to do is enter thousands of ancestors into an inferior genealogical software programme that you out-grow and then later on have to convert to TMG, with all the possible problems that entails due to miss matching data fields and parameters etc. It really isn't worth considering any other piece of software - do it right first time - I'm talking from experience.
    • On the 29 July 2014, TMG owner Bob Velke made the sad announcement to discontinue The Master Genealogist ("TMG"). This is a real disappointment to the many users of this software; but don't panic! TMG is still the very best genealogy programme available, especially when considered with its' companion programmes listed below and it will remain so for a long time even without further development. I for one, will continue to use TMG and the companion software. For those in dispair at the demise of TMG there is hope provided by the History Research Environment (HRE) project which aims to write a new programme to be fully compatible with TMG; this will provide an essential route for TMG users to migrate their genealogy fom TMG to a programme fit for the 21st century. I have also investigated the alternative programmes that make an attempt to read my TMG database and like Family Historian.
  • TMG Companion Programmes http://www.johncardinal.com/.
    • If you use The Master Genealogist (TMG) from Wholly Genes, you may want to consider using one or more of the TMG companion programmes created by John Cardinal. These programmes are enormously significant enhancements to TMG; and a 'must have' for any TMG user, especially if you have say 17,850 relatives on your computer database like me and then want to make a change to all or some of their data!
  • Second Site Programme http://ss.johncardinal.com/.
    • If you use The Master Genealogist (TMG) from Wholly Genes and want to publish the data on the Internet then use Second Site. It has more features and provides more control than any GEDCOM-based method. If you are serious about publishing your TMG data on the Web, or if you are sharing your data with family members on custom CD's, you need Second Site, created by John Cardinal. It is fast, and the HTML format makes the data easy to browse. Many users have reported that it has helped them to find inconsistencies in their data and other problems.
  • GedSite Programme http://www.gedsite.com/en/index.htm.
    • If you use genealogical programme that can save your genalogical database into a GEDCOM file (and most programmes can do this) and want to publish the data on the Internet then use GedSite; it's another great programme by John Cardinal. GedSite is the best way to publish your GEDCOM data in HTML format. It has more features and provides more control than any other GEDCOM-based method. If you are serious about publishing your genealogy data on the Web, or if you are sharing your data with family members on thumb-drives or DVDs, you need GedSite!
  • PathWiz! http://beesoft.soho.on.net/BeeSoft/.
    • The PathWiz! program by Bryan Wetton is a presentation tool which allows you to access a TMG database table (dbf) containing information attached to exhibits (graphical images and other files) stored anywhere on your local PC. In addition, the ability to directly edit the Topic, Reference and Description fields of a list of related exhibits (for example - External Images attached to persons) from one screen with the ability to see the actual images both internal and external provided they are available. This great tool has not been developed for a number of years, but still works with Windows 10.
  • Family Historian http://www.family-historian.co.uk/.
    • The Family Historian programme by Calico Pie is a powerful genealogy programme with comprehensive features and an alternative substitute for TMG users, that can comprehensively import TMG data directly albeit requiring some effort to clean up some misplaced data.
  • Genealogical retailer supplies http://www.genealogysupplies.com/.
    • S&N is the largest UK genealogy publisher and retailer, with over a decade of experience in serving the needs of computer based family historians.

 

General Information Web Sites:

  • Wikipedia https://www.wikipedia.org/.
    • The Wikipedia the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit has nearly 4.5 million articles in English in March 2014; 1.8 million articles in Dutch and 1.7 million articles in German.
  • Europeana http://www.europeana.eu/portal/.
    • The Europeana database. Explore millions of items from a range of Europe's leading galleries, libraries, archives and museums. Books and manuscripts, photos and paintings, television and film, sculpture and crafts, diaries and maps, sheet music and recordings, they’re all here. No need to travel the continent, either physically or virtually!

 

Search Engine Web Sites:

 

Useful Tools Web Sites:

  • Adobe® Reader® http://www.adobe.com/products/reader.html.
    • Adobe® Reader X software is the free global standard for reliably viewing, printing, and commenting on PDF documents. It's the only PDF file viewer that can open and interact with all types of PDF content, including forms and multimedia.
  • Maps http://www.multimap.com/.
    • Microsoft Multimap / Bing Maps provide up to date, online maps, to just about anywhere in the world.
  • Website Hosting https://www.familyhistoryhosting.com/aboutus.htm/.
    • Family History Hosting specialises on hosting web sites for genealogists and was founded by John Cardinal the creator of several great genealogical programmes such as Second Site and GedSite mentioned above; there are of course many other fine web hosting providers but perhaps they are not so focused on the needs of the genealogist.

 


 

 

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