Category Archives: Uncategorized

Legacy Mobile Launch: Week 3

Getting excited about possibly winning the iPad mini this month? Here’s a third way you can enter to win!
We want to hear from YOU! How do you like Legacy Mobile?

To enter to win the iPad mini, simply comment below this post and let us know any of the following:

• What you like about Legacy Mobile
• What you’d like to see in the next update
• What features you would like added to the app
• What we could improve on the app.

This is, of course, only the first version of the app so we are glad to hear anything you come across that could make it even better and easier to use.

This month’s launch has been fantastic and it is definitely exciting to see all the positive feedback we’ve had on our Facebook page and Twitter. Thank you for your comments and for helping us make Legacy Mobile bigger and better!

Week 1: March BillionGraves Madness

Check out the top uploaders and transcribers at the end of the first full week of March BillionGraves Madness! Where do you stand?

We’ve had a fantastic week with thousands of uploads and record-breaking transcriptions! Thank you for your contributions, the competition is tight!

We need a big push for images this week, our transcribers are going through records faster than ever! So get out there and upload as many images as you can, and let’s give our fast-fingered transcribers a REAL challenge!

Click here to see latest numbers on the BillionGraves bracket.

Why BillionGraves Uses GPS-Encoded Photos

Many people have been asking us lately why they can’t submit photos taken with traditional cameras to the BillionGraves database. The BillionGraves database is unique in that it contains GPS information.

By adding GPS data to each headstone image, cemetery and location data is attached to the image. This means that when you are researching your ancestors, you’ll be able to search for the transcribed headstone, see an image of that headstone, find out where in the world that headstone is located, and learn more about the cemetery it was found in. This wealth of information will make a big difference in your research.

GPS Makes Visiting the Cemetery Easier

Along the same vein, the GPS data allows you to visit a cemetery in person and walk directly to the headstone you want to view in the cemetery. The free Mobile Records Search on your iPhone or Android device is handy for finding the headstone you’re looking for. So if it’s your first time in a particular cemetery, you’ll be able to find that headstone in no time. And if you’ve been to that cemetery dozens of times? No more counting trees, memorizing certain fence posts, or documenting the number of paces to find your loved one.

You Can Find Other Relatives Buried in the Same Cemetery

Another advantage of keeping the GPS information with the headstone images is that it allows you to see all other headstones located in that cemetery. How great is it that you can see direct neighbors of the headstone you’re researching? This is a huge help in making valuable family history connections. You’ll be able to find relatives you didn’t know existed.

Not all GPS’s are Created Equal

What about cameras with GPS data in them? We’ve looked into using those photos, and the GPS is neither accurate nor reliable enough to use in our database. With our phone app, we can verify that users are in a cemetery, and because of this, information about cemeteries and locations is standardized in our database. So, at this time, we aren’t accepting photos from cameras, even if they have GPS.

You Can Still Add Additional Photos to BillionGraves Records

What if you have a photo of a headstone for a record that already exists? You can add that photo to the record! From the History tab on any Records View, you can add both personal histories and any additional photos of the person or the headstone. These photos do not have to be GPS encoded, since they are tied to the BillionGraves record with the GPS encoded headstone photo. This is a great way to create a robust record for your ancestors.

Thanks for your participation in BillionGraves! If you have additional questions, contact support.

Mother’s Day

With a day devoted to honoring mothers coming up here in the US, we thought we’d honor some here at BillionGraves. Our database of headstones is a great resource for your personal family history research, but did you know it also provides other interesting data that we can tap into? We did a bit of our own research and found the top 100 epitaphs transcribed in our database. These beautiful epitaphs show devotion to fathers, mothers, brothers, daughters, war heroes, and other loved ones.

As we looked specifically for epitaphs honoring mothers, we found that in the top 100 epitaphs, “Mother” is included in 28 of the entries. Then, we found that the word “Mother” is contained in 16% of all epitaphs in our database. Mothers are revered members of society, and it shows in the headstones you’ve collected for BillionGraves.

Check out this table of the most popular epitaphs about moms:

1940 Census

The 1940 Census is out! Not only can you view the records for free (unlike previous census images), but you can download your research right from the site.

An index for the 1940 census does not yet exist, but FamilySearch is providing a way for volunteers to index the census so that it can be searchable and available to the public. The indexing project will greatly improve your ability to research the wealth of information included in the census, so to expedite the indexing process, you can join the volunteer effort! Visit the FamilySearch website to get started. You can also sign up on the 1940 Census website.

When you need a break from indexing the Census, head out to your local cemetery for some fresh air and snap some pictures while you’re there! It’s always exciting to have access to new research like the 1940 Census, and when you document a cemetery for the BillionGraves database, you are providing new and valuable research for people all over the world.

Besides the obvious excitement of gaining access to new family history research, the hubbub surrounding the release of the 1940 census is the fact that there are many people alive today who are actually included on it. Babies born in 1940 are only in their early 70s now, and their parents could still be alive as well. When you study the census, you’ll be able to make important family connections as well as find occupations, immigration data, and locations for your own relatives.

You can access the 1940 Census at these sites: