For those with immigrant ancestors, it’s tempting to start researching in the home country as soon as soon as it is learned the ancestor was born in a foreign country. The desire to connect with a past “across the pond” is understandable. However, researching the ancestor in the country of origin without knowing much about them is not the best approach. Completely researching the immigrant in the area of settlement may give additional clues as to the specific point of origin or the names of relatives and associates in the new country who also lived near the immigrant in the old country. All of this can make the research in the homeland more efficient.
Of course, sometimes all that research in the area of settlement may not provide you with the details needed to work on the ancestor in the country of origin. That’s when it is advisable to make certain you’ve done all the homework in the area of settlement as possible–including sources which may not be easy to access or understand.
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