Origins Unlocked

A step-by-step course to tracing your immigrant ancestors

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What if you could easily discover
your family history?

You may have heard stories about your family’s immigration to the U.S., but how much do you truly know?

A vintage black and white photograph shows women sitting in a confined area with a metal fence, possibly at a train station. Several women wear hats, including one with elaborate flower decorations, and some are dressed in dark coats. Some women appear to be waiting, possibly in a queue.

Unveil your family’s immigration story…

Learn how to research your family origins with precision and clarity:

  • Identify your immigrant ancestor(s)

  • Unearth difficult-to-find naturalization records and passenger lists

  • Interpret records to further your research and build your tree

Inside the course, you’ll get:

6 lessons

Course content is delivered via videos and supplemental content across 6 lessons

Interactive case studies

Apply lesson content to three specific case studies to see research strategies in action

Plug + Play research templates

Downloadable research templates will help you visualize your research and find overlooked details

Homework

Apply what you’ve learned to your own individual research: the course includes specific homework exercises as the lessons advance

Continued learning community

You’ll get lifetime access to a private Facebook community for continued learning, research collaboration, and access to the instructor

+ EXCLUSIVE ACCESS!

Get exclusive access to a naturalization record finder cheatsheet to fast-track your research

Lesson Sneak Peak

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Lesson Sneak Peak 👀

Step 1

Building Foundations

In Lesson 1, you will:

  • Develop a foundational understanding of the naturalization process and how the steps to naturalize have changed throughout U.S. history. Applying this context to your research will help you in knowing what exactly you should be looking for

  • Work through a 3-step process to identify your immigrant ancestor(s) who you will explore more throughout the rest of the course

Digital learning materials on US naturalization history, including a laptop displaying a history lesson, a smartphone with a diagram for mapping ancestors, and a tablet with immigration date identification exercises.

Step 2

Naturalization Deep Dive

In Lessons 2 and 3, you will:

  • Learn how to identify genealogically-relevant information on naturalization records through lesson videos and special case studies

  • Get exclusive access to the cheatsheet I use to quickly and easily find naturalization records from any county in any state

  • Be guided through applying the research tactics learned in these lessons to your own family tree

Step 3

Immigration Research

In Lessons 4, 5, and 6, you will:

  • Get the 411 on the history and process of immigration through Ellis Island and other ports of entry and apply that context to your own immigrant ancestors

  • Learn how to quickly and easily find passenger lists utilizing different research techniques tailored to your specific case

  • Unveil the often overlooked clues hidden within these records and learn how to use them to further your research and build your tree

Laptop displaying a scanned historical petition document and a tablet with a census worksheet.
A scanned document titled 'Declaration of Intention' from the U.S. Department of Labor, inter-International Review, issued in 1922, claiming Russian citizenship, born in Russia, and applying to be a U.S. citizen.
Screenshots of educational materials on immigration history and genealogy, including a slide on passenger records, a document of passenger lists, and a family tree chart for the Spezia family.
People disembarking a ferry at Ellis Island, with a group of men, women, and children dressed in early 20th-century clothing. Some carry luggage, with a group of men on the upper deck of the ferry. The handwritten annotation at the top reads "Arriving at Ellis Island 5-20-".
Black and white passport photo of Sonia Alper, a woman with short curly hair, wearing a collared top. Next to the photo is a document with her signature, dated October 2, 1941, issued by the U.S. Department of Justice, Immigration and Naturalization Service.

Unlock a world of genealogical gems previously hidden behind paywalls, hard-to-navigate databases, and confusing records

Historical document titled 'Declaration of Intention' issued by the United States of America for Patrick M. Shane, an immigrant from Ireland, dated November 20, 1913, signed by William F. Schneider, Clerk of the Supreme Court.

Start Today

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Start Today ☆

Origins Unlocked
$197.00
One time
$37.00
For 6 months

Get immediate access to Origins Unlocked when you pay in full (and save) or purchase a 6-month payment plan

✓ Unlimited lifetime access
✓ Downloadable plug + play research templates
✓ Community Q&A support in private Facebook group
✓ Access to a 25+ page naturalization record finder cheatsheet
✓ Actionable homework to apply lessons to your research

Do these scenarios sound familiar?

“I can’t find my great-grandfather on a ship manifest. I’ve checked every name variant I can think of, but no luck.”

“I know my great-grandmother immigrated from Italy, but I have no details beyond that. Where was she from? Who were her parents? Did she have siblings? I would love to know more!”

“As the story goes, our family’s name got changed at Ellis Island. It was supposedly a longer Polish name, but I have no clue what it was or how to find out.”

If so, Origins Unlocked is for you.

Close-up of a smiling young woman with long dark hair, wearing a black sleeveless top and a delicate gold necklace, against a white background.

Hi, I’m Lisa

Meet your instructor

Handwritten text saying "Roam Your Roots" in black on a light gray background.

There’s one thing I love just as much as researching my own family history: teaching others how to research theirs.

Over the years, I’ve taught myself creative research strategies to get around pesky paywalls and break through brick walls.

And now, I want to share them with you!

That’s why I built Origins Unlocked: to help you get over those research hurdles, and have fun doing it.

Ready to begin your research journey?

Have questions?

If you aren’t sure whether Origins Unlocked is right for you at this point in your research journey, send me a message! Tell me about your research pain points, and I’ll let you know if the course would be the right tool for you.