Have you ever thought of using social media for more than just connecting with your friends and posting fun articles. One use of social media that I have been using lately is discover my ancestors hometowns and other places they have lived. I want to share with you how I use each of the major social media sources to do just this.

Facebook

Facebook has countless features that can enhance our view of our ancestors and the places they lived.

Join a group that relates to the cities of your ancestors. In groups you can ask questions, receive help and give help, and finally share your discoveries with others. Here are some of the ones I am currently a part of. Prussian Genealogy German Genealogy Ireland: Genealogy and Heritage Ireland Genealogy! Just Ask!

Search for a specific city and see videos and pictures taken by a individuals in that area.

Instagram

Search for a specific city to see photos and videos submitted by individuals.

Use hashtags to search for a city and see pictures that people took recently or have from the past.

Snapchat

Snapchat has a feature where you can look around the world and see snaps that people in those locations have recently posted. Startup Snapchat, pinch the screen and then enjoy seeing your modern day ancestors hometowns. This one is a little harder to find relevant pictures because they are only the most recent pictures and expire after a certain amount of time.



Twitter

Here you search through hashtags with specific names of those cities where your ancestors were located at. You can easily find people that live in these cities still. Make connections and find distant relatives.



Google Maps

Great Source to Find Updated Pictures of your ancestors homes See their house and the house around them



I hope these gave you some ideas of how you can use social media to get a better understanding of your ancestors. Let us know if you have any more ideas of how to use social media to find and enhance understanding of our ancestors.

Helpful Links

Best Social Media Websites 2014

Top 10 Social Media Sites for Family Historians – Revised 2014

Using Social Media For Genealogy Research

A Guide to Using Social Media for Genealogy

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