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Marielle Bourgeois
P. O. Box 31172
Santa Barbara
Ca. 93130, USA
tel. 805 683 7768

(Pour le site français, veuillez cliquer à gauche)

Consultation - how to obtain an estimate of cost of genealogy research and lineage back in time?

Research rates are usually determined on a per hour basis. When a person provides Marielle with names, dates, and places where his/ her people lived (or best approximations), including husband and wife's names, preferably for more than one generation, an estimate of research cost is provided which includes the researcher's time and the cost of renting microfilms containing original documents.

Even though Marielle has 30 years experience in genealogy research and has contacts around the world, her rates are at the low end of the scale - $25.00 US per hour, which compares to professional research fees that are at least twice and at times more than three times that rate. In general the rental of one microfilm costs $6.00 US and a search could require 6 microfilms or more depending on how far back one searches. If a search results in the finding of more than 20 or 30 documents, we may need to order several microfilms over a certain time period.

Depending on the exactitude and quantity of information provided to Marielle, the country where the research takes place and the actual dates involved in the search, the total cost of a genealogy lineage can be at times less than $250 US. If documents are found in a shorter time period than originally estimated, the unused portion of your deposit will be refunded. When a search takes longer than originally estimated, Marielle keeps you informed of the results as the search progresses.

Two descending genealogy lineages are exhibited on this page, one with photos. One can also obtain ascending genealogy charts starting with you and going back to the early ancestors.

How far back can a genealogy chart go? A genealogy lineage can go back quite far, occasionally to 1700's or earlier. Certain countries have better archives than others. Quebec and Eastern Canada provinces have excellent archives often going back to the migrating ancestors in 1600's. In the United States one often can reach 1800's, 1700's, perhaps mid or late 1600's in the early colonies of Connecticut and Massachusetts and surrounding areas. A challenging difficulty in USA research is name changes, especially foreign (non English) names.

In France, Belgium, England and other European or different countries, it does happen that we can find genealogy information back to 1600's, at times 1500's, and when notarial records are available mid or late 1400's.

To obtain an estimate of research fees and rental costs applicable to your particular search or searches, please provide the following information:

Names of ancestors / dates and places of birth, marriage and death if known - for as many generations as possible

Mention husband or wife's names, dates and places where they lived as well as their children's detailed information

If a person(s) changed country, provide approximate date(s) of the move, name of the ship(s) and date of transit if known

Give you name, address, Email address and phone number and send all to Marielle at:

m@searchancestors.com

or if you prefer you can mail your information at the address listed on the left

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