On- and off-topic questions: Other specialist related topics

Question

As mentioned at On- and off-topic questions: an attempt to reach consensus (please read first) this is one of a set of questions attempting to reach consensus on the scope for this site.

This question focuses on questions relating to

Other specialist related topics

i.e. advice and guidance on topics generally considered to be related to genealogy and family history

Please up-vote answers you believe are on-topic, down-vote answers you believe are off topic and add your own suggestions for what should be in or out (with your view made clear).

Related questions:

PolyGeo · Accepted Answer · 2017-02-17 23:24:07Z

5

Origin and meaning of surnames

ColeValleyGirl view: On-topic
PolyGeo view: On-topic but often low value - better to veer asker towards finding where their ancestors came from using genealogical research methods

edited Feb 17 '17 at 23:24

PolyGeo♦

10.9k1 gold badge12 silver badges21 bronze badges

answered Dec 3 '12 at 17:52

user104

2

Including surname distribution (as an aid to locating origins and records) might 'add value' – bgwiehle Mar 25 '15 at 12:42

add a comment |

user104user104 · Accepted Answer · 2012-12-03 17:49:45Z

4

Heraldry

ColeValleyGirl view: on-topic

answered Dec 3 '12 at 17:49

user104

Discussed in more detail in another post: meta.genealogy.stackexchange.com/questions/1753/… – brianmearns Aug 20 '13 at 13:16

add a comment |

user104user104 · Accepted Answer · 2012-12-03 17:53:52Z

4

Government policies relative to genealogists (e.g. pricing, access to government records)

ColeValleyGirl view: Undecided.

answered Dec 3 '12 at 17:53

user104

2

Questions about what is or isn't available to genealogists per government policy is definitely on-topic. However, discussions about how to change such policies is not. – efgen Dec 5 '12 at 17:41

add a comment |

score 4 · Accepted Answer · 2015-05-14 16:12:18Z

4

Academic and other studies of genealogists and their networks

ColeValleyGirl view: On-topic

edited May 14 '15 at 16:12

answered Dec 3 '12 at 17:54

user104

1

I'm not sure what this means. – Jan Murphy♦ May 14 '15 at 15:50
1

@JanMurphy genealogy.stackexchange.com/q/317/104 is an example – user104 May 14 '15 at 16:11

add a comment |

PolyGeo · Accepted Answer · 2017-12-23 21:58:22Z

3

Discussions about the origins or etymology of given names (note: surnames have already been discussed).

Jan Murphy: Allowable as part of a discussion of a solvable problem. Follow the rule in dont-ask which says general "chatty" discussions are off-topic.
PolyGeo: Allowable as part of a discussion of a solvable problem. For example: Why might name Ferdinando be found in early 17th century Cornwall baptisms?

edited Dec 23 '17 at 21:58

PolyGeo♦

10.9k1 gold badge12 silver badges21 bronze badges

answered Dec 23 '17 at 18:28

Jan Murphy♦

22.7k2 gold badges9 silver badges17 bronze badges

add a comment |

Jan Murphy · Accepted Answer · 2015-09-29 15:46:53Z

1

Ethnicity calculations and assessments (other than by DNA)

ColeValleyGirl view: Off-topic
Jan Murphy: Off-topic (I would also include assessments that include DNA, unless the question involves working a specific genealogical problem)

edited Sep 29 '15 at 15:46

Jan Murphy♦

22.7k2 gold badges9 silver badges17 bronze badges

answered Dec 3 '12 at 21:38

user104

add a comment |

PolyGeo · Accepted Answer · 2019-01-25 00:09:19Z

1

Genealogy of Royalty, Celebrities and other Famous People

ColeValleyGirl view: Off-topic (unless it's being used to illustrate a research process question)
PolyGeo view: On-topic (as long as the Privacy Policy is observed)

edited Jan 25 '19 at 0:09

PolyGeo♦

10.9k1 gold badge12 silver badges21 bronze badges

answered Dec 3 '12 at 19:06

user104

I have a person in my database whose case illustrates both of these situations at the same time (might be related to someone in my research and is an interesting research process question). The only other exception I would make is asking a question related to a person featured in one of the celebrity-based TV shows like Who Do You Think You Are, where the question is a follow-up about a record group or research process that was mentioned in the show. On the other hand, WDYTYA and other shows have the celebrity's permission to go digging and we do not. – Jan Murphy♦ May 14 '15 at 15:46

add a comment |

user104user104 · Accepted Answer · 2012-12-03 17:51:23Z

-1

Entitlement to wear a specific tartan (or other lineage-specific clothing)

ColeValleyGirl view: On-topic (if heraldry is)

answered Dec 3 '12 at 17:51

user104

Expand to include lineage society qualifications? - didn't see that mentioned elsewhere, and seems to be along the same lines. – bgwiehle Mar 25 '15 at 12:40
@bgwiehle Not sure about that -- at least qualifying for a lineage society needs some genealogical input, whereas wearing a specific tartan almost never does. – user104 Mar 25 '15 at 14:40

add a comment |

user104user104 · Accepted Answer · 2012-12-03 21:41:40Z

-2

Modern naming practices, e.g. Choose a name for my baby, or How do I change my name?

ColeValleyGirl view: Off-topic

answered Dec 3 '12 at 21:41

user104

add a comment |

user104user104 · Accepted Answer · 2012-12-03 21:42:29Z

-4

History trivia and crossword puzzle questions

ColeValleyGirl view: Off-topic

answered Dec 3 '12 at 21:42

user104

add a comment |

lkessler · Accepted Answer · 2012-12-06 04:01:53Z

-4

Discussions about Biblical genealogy

answered Dec 6 '12 at 4:01

lkessler

16.1k9 silver badges20 bronze badges

Pointing to the FAQ section two, line one here: "You should only ask practical, answerable questions based on actual problems that you face." – American Luke Dec 21 '12 at 15:29
What if my hobby and research is biblical genealogy? Do the questions come here, or is some other StackExchange site better? – lkessler Dec 21 '12 at 16:44
Stack Exchange does not guarantee to have a site for every question. However, in this case, Biblical Hermeneutics is your site. – American Luke Dec 21 '12 at 16:49
@πLuke - 14 search results there for "genealogy"! – lkessler Dec 21 '12 at 20:12

add a comment |

score -4 · Accepted Answer · 2012-12-06 08:59:00Z

-4

Appearance or health-characteristics determined by genealogy e.g. I'm red-headed; am I Scottish. Or: my grand-father had X; will I inherit it?

ColeValleyGirl view: Off-topic

edited Dec 6 '12 at 8:59

answered Dec 3 '12 at 21:40

user104

However, I think genetics as related to genealogical determination of biological parantage, and similar characteristic among family members as a clue to determining relationships would be on topic. – lkessler Dec 21 '12 at 16:50
@Lkessler is that the same as meta.genealogy.stackexchange.com/a/1381/104? – user104 Dec 21 '12 at 16:51
Yes. That's the same thing. – lkessler Dec 21 '12 at 20:14

add a comment |

Stack Exchange Network

current community

your communities

more stack exchange communities

On- and off-topic questions: Other specialist related topics

Other specialist related topics

12 Answers 12

You must log in to answer this question.

Welcome!

Linked

Hot Network Questions