Australasian Association of Genealogists and Record Agents - AAGRA

20/06/2026

“A to Z Genealogy Tips – Fortnightly Series”

O – Occupation Records: Work Lives Revealed

Understanding your ancestors’ work helps explain their lives and movements.

Trade directories, apprenticeship registers, guild records, and employment documents reveal occupations, locations, and social networks. These records can also lead to discovering relatives and uncovering social status.

While very few personnel records have survived, some occupations are more likely to have survived than others. Some State Records Offices have index cards and occasionally larger files for teachers, railway employees, police officers etc. You may not always find occupation records relating to your ancestor, however always worth checking, because if there is something, then it adds to your ancestors story. Alternatively, if you know your ancestors occupation, research what that occupation entailed in your ancestors era.

Investigate occupation records for an ancestor to gain insight into their daily life.

16/06/2026

Did you watch the latest episode of 'Who Do You Think You Are? Australia' featuring celebrity chef Curtis Stone?

AAGRA was delighted to see one of our Accredited Genealogists, Phoebe Wilkens MAAGRA, playing a key role in uncovering a long-standing family mystery.

Using advanced DNA analysis, Phoebe examined both Curtis Stone's DNA results and those of his mother to identify the previously unknown father of Curtis's grandmother. Through careful genetic genealogy research, she was able to help solve a mystery that had remained hidden within the family for generations.

The episode highlighted the growing importance of DNA in family history research and demonstrated how traditional genealogical methods, combined with modern genetic analysis, can answer questions that documentary records alone cannot resolve.

Many viewers may recognise Phoebe from previous appearances on 'Who Do You Think You Are? Australia', where her expertise has helped uncover remarkable family stories and reconnect people with their past.

Congratulations to Phoebe on once again showcasing the skill, professionalism and dedication of AAGRA Accredited Genealogists on national television.



Images: SBS Australia - 'Who Do You Think You Are? Australia'

12/06/2026

👑 "We're descended from William the Conqueror."

It's the kind of family story many genealogists hear — usually accompanied by a healthy dose of scepticism. After all, family legends have a habit of growing over the generations.

When a client approached AAGRA Accredited Genealogist Phoebe Wilken with exactly this claim, she set out to uncover the truth. What followed was an extraordinary research journey through birth records, wills, census returns, heraldic pedigrees, and centuries of history.

Did the family rumour stand up to scrutiny? Could a direct line really be traced back to 1066?

The answer surprised even the researcher.

Read Phoebe's fascinating story of tracing a family line across 34 generations and discovering whether the legend of royal ancestry was fact or fiction.

👉 Read the full article on the AAGRA website: https://www.aagra.asn.au/conquering-the-family-tree/



📷 Images from Unsplash

06/06/2026

“A to Z Genealogy Tips – Fortnightly Series”

N – Newspapers: Discover the Daily Life

Newspapers offer insights into daily life, events, and community connections.

Obituaries, announcements, advertisements, and articles provide dates, relationships, and social context. Researchers may find out stories about their ancestors lives they didn’t know or establish facts that may verify whether some family stories or legends were true. As our ancestors lived in a different era, articles can assist with understanding some of the choices families made. Digitized collections allow keyword searches.

Some State Libraries also have copies of newspapers on microfilm and some give access to more recent newspapers through their online services if you are a member. Trove is available to search at home for Australian newspapers and Papers Past for New Zealand newspapers.

Newspapers bring ancestors’ lives to life, they can gives us more than just names, dates and places.

Search historic newspapers for your family and see if you can uncover a story or two your didn’t know about your ancestors.

30/05/2026

Father and Son Reunited

AAGRA Accredited Genealogist Frances Cairns shares the remarkable story of reuniting a father and son after sixty years apart — a journey that began with only a birth certificate and ended with an emotional reunion on a 90th birthday.

Read the full story on the AAGRA website: https://www.aagra.asn.au/father-and-son-reunited/

28/05/2026

Did you catch last Tuesday night’s episode of Who Do You Think You Are? featuring actor Essie Davis?

AAGRA was delighted to see our President, Dr Dianne Snowden AM, FAAGRA, featured in the program as she helped uncover an extraordinary family story hidden within the records.

Among the discoveries was the will of Essie’s grandmother, which referred to her “adopted son and daughter.” Through expert genealogical research, Dianne was able to reveal the truth behind the wording — that Essie’s father had in fact been adopted by his grandmother after her unmarried daughter became pregnant, reflecting the social pressures and family decisions of the time.

It was a powerful reminder of how family history research can uncover long-held secrets, provide answers across generations, and bring understanding to complex family stories.

Congratulations to Dianne on showcasing the value of professional genealogical research on a national stage.

If you missed the episode, it can be watched on SBS OnDemand.



Images - SBS On Demand - Who Do You Think You Are? Australia

23/05/2026

“A to Z Genealogy Tips – Fortnightly Series”

M – Military Records: Service and Stories

Military records reveal more than service details—they uncover family stories and relationships.

Enlistment papers, service records, medals, and pensions provide personal information and often include next-of-kin details. These records can reveal life events not documented elsewhere, from battles to migrations.

Unit and Commander’s War Diaries record daily activities of units during operations periods. While an ancestor may not be specifically recorded, the diaries give an insight into the lives of those in the unit during that period of time.

Nearly all Australian WWI and WWII military service records have been digitised and are held by the National Archives of Australia. The exceptions are where personnel continued in the service beyond the specific wars, though a request can be made for an assessment of the file if it’s not currently available. Archives New Zealand have all World War I military service records digitised.

Search military archives for an ancestor’s service record and add depth to their story.

16/05/2026

Heard of familysearch.org full text search?

Like to know how it benefits genealogists? Like to learn how to use it?

Read the step by step guide by AAGRA Accredited Genealogist, Maureen Martin Ferris - https://www.aagra.asn.au/how-to-use-full-text-search-in-familysearch-org/

12/05/2026

Here's an article I think will be of interest to people with Irish ancestors. Thank you AGI - Accredited Genealogists Ireland for making us aware of this article. 😀

Make the most of the 1926 Census of Ireland!

Genealogist Nicola Morris and Zoë Reid of the National Archives of Ireland presents an essential guide to exploring this invaluable resource for family history research.

This article is published in Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine and is available to read for free on BorrowBox using your library membership:

BorrowBox : https://www.borrowbox.com

09/05/2026

“A to Z Genealogy Tips – Fortnightly Series”

L – Libraries: More Than Just Books

Libraries are invaluable research hubs, offering resources beyond books.

Many libraries hold newspapers, directories, microfilm, maps, and genealogical reference collections. Librarians can guide you to unique resources, and interlibrary loans make remote collections accessible. Libraries often hold records not available online and many have free access to subscription sites for research purposes.

Some libraries allow “from home” access to the digitised records, though it must be remembered that not all collections are digitised. Many libraries have an “Ask a Librarian” feature for small enquiries, this can be very beneficial, especially if you don’t live locally.

Visit a library to explore genealogical resources you haven’t accessed before.