Welcome! My name is Daniel, and this is The Genealogy Corner, my website dedicated to genealogy and family history research. I invite you to explore the articles I’ve published over the years where I discuss some of my favourite genealogical resources as well as first-hand accounts on how I’ve researched not just my family tree but also how I unearthed other people’s fascinating family history.
I first became interested in genealogy when I was about ten, when I was shown a diagram of a branch of my family tree that a distant relative had drawn up. I instantly became fascinated by the fact that, unknown to me, I was an integral part of a huge puzzle that I call my family. My insatiable appetite for knowledge and unravelling mysteries has led me to where I am today: I help others crack their genealogical brick-walls, play an active role in social media groups dedicated to genealogy, speak at family history conferences and write articles for my own website as well as family history magazines.
Over the years, my research has taken me to many locations across Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom, as well as the United States. Of course, a great deal of this research would not have been possible without the tremendous help offered by many friends and colleagues in the field, as well as the many and invaluable resources online, from family history websites to other collaborative spaces. However, I am of the opinion that nothing beats visiting an archive in person to uncover old documents and manuscripts which have remained unopened for decades – if not centuries!
My own research has unearthed truly remarkable stories, from social scandals to family tragedies, from bigamous marriages to murders. I have so far successfully traced my ancestry back to the 15th century through several lines, and I have found ancestors who lived as far afield as England, Wales, Italy, Spain and the United States. As of 2019 my family tree file features well over 27,000 individuals living on all five continents, and I am currently working on what I hope will soon be my very first one-place study. Thus, I have created this blog, to share with you my family’ past, so their stories will not be forgotten in the future.
If you want to know more about my CV please visit the corresponding section on my website. If you want to learn more about the results of my research for others, you can read some of the testimonials written by grateful customers here.
I hope you enjoy your visit to The Genealogy Corner. Thank you for dropping by, for commenting, for linking, for liking and for subscribing!
The author delivering a presentation at a conference in 2019.
The Genealogy Corner 
Hello Dawsr,
I do not know how to start this letter. Maybe by saying I am one of your relatives, although a very distant one. My name is Alexandra, my mother’s name is Maria Victoria Agra Cadarso, daughter of Blas Agra Cadarso and Gloria Cadarso Camano. I am trying to gather the Agra Cadarso family history from my side and I was doing research on Admiral Cadarso. And I stumbled on your blog. I have to go and see my family in Noya to get all the information. My aunt Chola, born Blanca Agra Cadarso, was the one who had all the information when she died 6 years ago it sent me into a terrible depression and I just shut myself off the family as it was too painful. I am starting to go back to Spain to visit my remaining aunt and uncle and I know that time is of the essence so I am planning a trip.
Anyway, I am writing this in case you want to know something or you want some pictures. The painting of the Admiral used to hang above my grandmother’s main staircase in La Chainza Noya. Now that we have this wonderful technology I can send you scanned photos and stuff. Let me know because I might not be from the same branch of the family as you and it might be useless to you.
Hope we can exchange things. Looking forward to your reply.
alexandra
DO YOU WANT A PICTURE OF ROCKY AS A YOUTH, WHEN HE STARTED IN PAL? IHAVE ONE MY GRANDFATHER TOOK HIM OFF THE STREETS AND MADE HIM FAMOUS. PETER J WICK
Do you have access to the archives in Santiago de Compostela in Galicia?
Hi Ofelia, yes I do have access to the Diocesan and the University archives, but as I don’t live in Spain my access is limited at the moment. If you have a specific query you can drop me an e-mail and I will try to assist. If you are able to communicate in Spanish you can always try and contact them directly by e-mail (they are a bit slow, but usually always respond)? Regards.
Hi Dawsr,
My name is Nadia and I have just started doing some research into my family history. I just want to say thank-you on behalf of my mother and uncle for the information you have provided us with on John Tippins son of Luke Ricketts Tippins. As we believe that Luke Ricketts Tippins may be my 4X great uncle. If he is indeed the brother of my 4X great grand father Mark Henry Tippins who was born in Hambleton, Herefordshire, England on April 4th 1855 to William Tippins and Mary Anne Tippins (Ricketts). Mark Henry arrived in Australia on January 13th 1886 (which is actually exactly 36 years to the day before his grand-daughter Phoebe Joyce was born :-D).
Like I said I am new to this family history stuff very, very new just dipping my toes in at the moment and I’m having a blast with all the interesting information i have been able to locate. So anyway to my point i was hoping that you may be able to confirm for me the relationship between Luke Ricketts Tippins and Mark Henry Tippins. I just seem to be going round and round in circles and don’t feel 100% confident that i’ve got it right.
Thank-you for any and all assistance you may be able to give me.
Your possible distant relative Nadia 😀
Hi Nadia (and apologies for the late reply!). We are indeed related as both Mark Henry and Luke (who were indeed brothers) were my great-great-grandmother’s second cousins. If you are interested in exchanging more information about the family please drop me an e-mail (see “Contact” section). I have been in contact before with the grandson of Mark Henry Tippins – a third brother of the above- who lives in Australia. Time for a family reunion? Regards.
HI Daniel
I am intrigued by your article about Milboroughs and Montilions. It seems we share the same relatives on the Montilion side of the family. I would love to explore this further with you ( we must be relatives!). Could we find a way to get in touch please – by email at first?
Bev
Hi David, Do you know a genealogist we could contact in Valencia or Barcelona for help in tracing my husband’s family? His name is Amor Villar, as was his father’s name. His father’s mother’s name was Delores Maldonado. His father, who was born in Adra, was the youngest of 10 and, after fighting for the Republic in the Spanish Civil War left Spain in 1939. We’re hoping to find some relatives. Thank you. Nora Hoover Villar
Hi Nora, thanks for dropping by! Have you tried asking for the birth certificates? You’ll need a name and a date of birth, at least a fairly close idea of a date. If you want to find relatives you may try the Yahoo groups dedicated to Valencian genealogy. If you want to hire the services of a professional genealogist I can give you a name, although I have never used his services (professional genealogy in Spain is unfortunately in its earliest stages). Best wishes, Daniel
Hi Daniel,
Thank you for all of your interesting hints to follow and find out about my grandfather. So far I have come up pretty empty. I know (at least I was told by my father) that my grandfather, Manuel Caruncho was from the town or province of Ferrol. My father (deceased) said his father Manuel was a merchant marine who later jumped ship (?) and came to America. I found records on Ancestry that tell me the following below. I would like to know about his birth, family (mother & father) and death in the United States. I know he contracted Tuberculosis and died when my father was 7 years old. He may have passed sometime around 1945 in the USA.
Name:Manuel Caruncho
Nationality: Spanish
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Mucker- M Helper
Birth Date: 30 Aug 1898
Record Date: 21 Mar 1924
Residence Place: Tamaqua, Pennsylvania
Hi Christina – thanks for dropping by!
Your grandfather’s story sounds very intriguing. I hope you can find more about him. Wouldn’t his marriage certificate in the US mention his parents’ names? Have you tried looking? Or did he marry in Spain?
Ferrol is a city, not a province, and it has been one of the most important ports in the country – so with that reference and the fact that he seems to have been a sailor of some sort, it definitely seems that Ferrol is a good starting point. You could ask for his birth certificate (free of charge) online to the Civil Registry, which began in Spain in 1871. The certificate would tell you who his parents and grandparents were, as well as where they came from. If you can’t figure it out I could always order it for you.
Caruncho is an unusual surname and all the Carunchos I know of are all related. I’m sure you’ll find out more about him!
Best wishes
Daniel
Thanks so much, I didn’t realize you responded. I will keep you posted.
Hi Daniel,
I’m trying to research a couple (Jose Charlon-Rivas and Josefa Gomez-Merin) that is listed on their descendants’ records as being from Betanzos, but moved to and had some of their children born in Ibarranguelua and Bilbao in Vizcaya. I have access (via FamilySearch) to some of the records in Betanzos (mostly before 1870), but my couple was likely married about 1878. Do you know of a good genealogist in or near Betanzos that can aid me in filling in a few details on this family?
Thanks,
Deanna
Pingback: Tips on Spain’s Civil Registration System, from Daniel at the Genealogy Corner
Hi Daniel,
It’s Jenny,
You may remember my Great Grandfather was Henry Rodway, Colwall & I’m related to the Allens through Henry Allen & my Great Aunt Emily Rodway.
My Husband Jack & I have met up with Nick Allen also.
I have linked William Rodway (Bromsberrow) to Hawksbury Gloucestershire, but can’t exactly locate his Father. Also, not able to uncover parents for Elizabeth Redin his wife.
Wondering if you know more please?
Have looked through the Bromsberrow Church records which are free, a bonus for a Pensioner like myself but haven’t found family further back
I hope you are continuing to uncover exciting new family facts.
All good wishes,
Jenny Chippendale.
Hi Daniel
I’m writing from Adelaide, Australia – I stumbled across your blog as I was researching Giuseppe Amerio who was the Italian consul here in the late 1920s, early 30s. I am conducting research for a novel I am planning to write about the experiences of early Italian migrants to Adelaide. You’ve done a fabulous job of researching using available online materials. I was a student of Professor Desmond O’Connor who wrote the book “No need to be afraid”. Here is a link to an article he wrote based on his book:
https://dspace2.flinders.edu.au/xmlui/bitstream/handle/2328/1091/OconnorJHSSA1993.pdf?sequence=1
I’ve recently been in contact with Des and will let him know about your blog the next time I see him.
Your blog is very inspiring! Keep up the good work !
Laura Kempt