November 2 - 2019
Teresa McMillin -"He Took Her Name: Understanding German Farm Names"

In certain geographic areas of Germany, the custom of German farm names has been in existence since about 1000 a.d.  In this custom, a farm carried the surname and anyone who inherited that farm assumed its name as his surname. Usually, this was a son of the farmer, but if only a daughter existed, her husband would need to change his surname to hers. This lecture explains some of the common pitfalls a researcher may encounter when researching in one of these areas and how to overcome them.

Teresa Steinkamp McMillin, Certified Genealogist®, author of the Guide to Hanover Military. Reading German Gothic script found in German records prior to the mid-1900s is second nature to her. Researching ancestors in Chicago and other areas of the Midwest is another of Teresa’s specialty areas. She is a multi-year attendee and teacher at the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research (IGHR) and the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG).  Teresa chairs the monthly webinar series for the Board for Certification of Genealogists. She is a genealogy volunteer at the Arlington Heights Memorial Library.