RootsChat is a free online genealogyforum for researching family history through collaboration. The countries include research in United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, USA and South Africa. It was launched by Trystan Davies and Sarah Davies on 31 December 2003.[1] 18 months after its launch its membership was 16,000 and it was gaining 140 new members per day.[1][2] Members ask questions and exchange information using a number of online forums.
As of April 2014 there are now over 200,000 members with over 4.5 million postings covering over 588,000 topics.[3] RootsChat uses volunteer forum moderators in an effort to keep a friendly atmosphere and welcome new visitors.
Members have created various games combining the resources available to them, and their passion for genealogy. These include Censuswhacking, whereby people look through the English census indexes for a unique first name, surname or occupation; and a monthly challenge with an aim of discovering as much as possible about a randomly selected person.[2]
At irregular intervals "Meets" are organised, where RootsChat members can meet and get to know each other face to face.
Website Organisationedit
The message posting area of the site is organised into various boards, some grouped together. As well as generic beginner and "common room" boards, countries and British and Irish Counties all have their own boards to allow people researching in the same areas to communicate and share knowledge. There is a strong ethos of sharing resources, with members frequently looking up census and parish records for each other.[4]
In addition to these boards there are special Cornish, Irish, Gaelic and Welsh boards for postings in each respective language.
There are also several very active "Special Interest" boards, including
Photograph Restoration & Dating board to help date and restore damaged family pictures
Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition Reading and understanding of old handwriting
Technical Help board providing assistance with hardware and family-history software
Armed Forces WW1 and WW2
Occupation Interest for people interested in the history of a particular occupation
Travelling People for topics about Ancestors who travelled around the Country including Romanies, gypsies and Circus Travellers.
One Name Studies Research and discussion of one single surname.
Heraldry Crests and Coats of Arms Questions on Coats of Arms Answered
Ancestral Family Tree DNA Testing how to interpret DNA Test results
Friendship bonds created between members have led to the creation of two boards, the "Lighter Side" and "Totally Off Topic" available to members only, and a chatroom for humorous and postings unrelated to family history[citation needed]
RootsChat in the Newsedit
In a case reported by the BBC[5] the members of the site were successful in closing a police enquiry dating back over fifty years. In another, through the help of RootsChatters, the relatives of airmen killed in a crash in 1942 were traced and were able to attend the funeral ceremony for the lost airmen.[6][full citation needed]
In 2014 the BBC reported about a Tennessee woman who found her half-brother in Birmingham, England, after help from Rootschat members.[7]
Referencesedit
^ abSam Burson New website where genes detectives take on other people's past, Western Mail, 16 June 2005. Retrieved 2011-11-14.
^ abRob Liddle The kinship of strangers, BBC News, 13 June 2005. Retrieved 2011-11-14.
^"Rootschat Forum Homepage". Retrieved 14 November 2011.
^RootsChatters discover a half Brother for American lady researching her Black Country Family History, BBC News, 14 April 2014.
External linksedit
Official website
Family History Forum
Castle Combe Museum Website: Sampler Discovered In New Zealand
Genealogyintime top 100 genealogy websites of 2014: Top 10 Free Family History Websites
January 01, 1970
rootschat, rootschat, free, online, genealogy, forum, researching, family, history, through, collaboration, countries, include, research, united, kingdom, ireland, australia, zealand, canada, south, africa, launched, trystan, davies, sarah, davies, december, 2. RootsChat is a free online genealogy forum for researching family history through collaboration The countries include research in United Kingdom Ireland Australia New Zealand Canada USA and South Africa It was launched by Trystan Davies and Sarah Davies on 31 December 2003 1 18 months after its launch its membership was 16 000 and it was gaining 140 new members per day 1 2 Members ask questions and exchange information using a number of online forums Contents 1 Membership 2 Website Organisation 3 RootsChat in the News 4 References 5 External linksMembership editAs of April 2014 there are now over 200 000 members with over 4 5 million postings covering over 588 000 topics 3 RootsChat uses volunteer forum moderators in an effort to keep a friendly atmosphere and welcome new visitors Members have created various games combining the resources available to them and their passion for genealogy These include Censuswhacking whereby people look through the English census indexes for a unique first name surname or occupation and a monthly challenge with an aim of discovering as much as possible about a randomly selected person 2 At irregular intervals Meets are organised where RootsChat members can meet and get to know each other face to face Website Organisation editThe message posting area of the site is organised into various boards some grouped together As well as generic beginner and common room boards countries and British and Irish Counties all have their own boards to allow people researching in the same areas to communicate and share knowledge There is a strong ethos of sharing resources with members frequently looking up census and parish records for each other 4 In addition to these boards there are special Cornish Irish Gaelic and Welsh boards for postings in each respective language There are also several very active Special Interest boards including Photograph Restoration amp Dating board to help date and restore damaged family pictures Handwriting Deciphering amp Recognition Reading and understanding of old handwriting Technical Help board providing assistance with hardware and family history software Armed Forces WW1 and WW2 Occupation Interest for people interested in the history of a particular occupation Travelling People for topics about Ancestors who travelled around the Country including Romanies gypsies and Circus Travellers One Name Studies Research and discussion of one single surname Heraldry Crests and Coats of Arms Questions on Coats of Arms Answered Ancestral Family Tree DNA Testing how to interpret DNA Test results Friendship bonds created between members have led to the creation of two boards the Lighter Side and Totally Off Topic available to members only and a chatroom for humorous and postings unrelated to family history citation needed RootsChat in the News editIn a case reported by the BBC 5 the members of the site were successful in closing a police enquiry dating back over fifty years In another through the help of RootsChatters the relatives of airmen killed in a crash in 1942 were traced and were able to attend the funeral ceremony for the lost airmen 6 full citation needed In 2014 the BBC reported about a Tennessee woman who found her half brother in Birmingham England after help from Rootschat members 7 References edit a b Sam Burson New website where genes detectives take on other people s past Western Mail 16 June 2005 Retrieved 2011 11 14 a b Rob Liddle The kinship of strangers BBC News 13 June 2005 Retrieved 2011 11 14 Rootschat Forum Homepage Retrieved 14 November 2011 Rootschat Lookup Forum news bbc co uk Genealogists help police inquiry 10 June 2005 http www raf mod uk news news 0608 16 html RootsChatters discover a half Brother for American lady researching her Black Country Family History BBC News 14 April 2014 External links editOfficial website Family History Forum West Midlands Police Federation Genealogists used in police inquiry Cleator Moor Crack Photo sparks world wide hunt Castle Combe Museum Website Sampler Discovered In New Zealand Genealogyintime top 100 genealogy websites of 2014 Top 10 Free Family History Websites Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Rootschat amp oldid 1212353552, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
