First Name Basis

For those using unusual names to search for missing twigs, branches, and roots.

First Name Basis is Now on GenealogyToday.com!

Christine started the project in 1995, "because so many of the women in my family tree were without maiden names”, and she found making connections based on a common (but unusual) first name was a simple and productive form of speculation.

The databases of the First Name Basis project include "Usual First Names”, "Roots of Married Women”, "Spinster or Spouse?” and "Stuck in the Middle with Yew”. All are designed to help people make connections based on first names, and now they are fully searchable on GenealogyToday.com with submissions being accepted online rather than via e-mail.

"First Name Basis is a perfect complement to our mission of highlighting alternative techniques to genealogical research,” said Illya D'Addezio, editor of the GenealogyToday.com web site. "Having a unique name myself, I had often wondered that a first name itself (or combined with a middle name) could be a tool for finding lost ancestors. Christine actually proved it with her project.”

Christine commented, "In some ways I'm saddened to step away from this labor of love, as it has been so rewarding to see genealogy grow real roots on the Internet. But other things have greater priority,” referring to her SOLOS project, non-profit organization for Survivors of Loved Ones' Suicides. She added, "at the same time, however, I'm very pleased to have found a proper home at GenealogyToday.com for my work.”

Enter First Name Basis