Dakota Genealogy
Genealogy research · Bismarck, North Dakota

Find the people behind your family's story.

I research North Dakota families of every background, from Native nations and Métis communities to Norwegian, German and other settler families. I work through church registers, census and land records, tribal and immigration files, and explain what I find in a clear, fully sourced report.

Book a consultation See services and rates

For immigrant families, every move left a paper trail

Each stop left records. Finding them is the work.

  1. Origins
    The home parish
    Church registers, local records
  2. Departure
    Leaving home
    Emigration and passenger lists
  3. Arrival
    A new country
    Ship manifests, naturalization papers
  4. Settlement
    Putting down roots
    Land and homestead files, censuses
  5. Living memory
    Your family today
    Vital records, obituaries, DNA
Services

Research sized to your question

Every project starts with a clear question and an agreed budget, so you know what you're paying for before any research begins.

Research consultation

$75 / 60 min

We look at what you already have, sort out what's solid and what's guesswork, and map your next steps. A good place to start.

Focused research question

from $350

One question, answered properly: who were this ancestor's parents, or when did the family arrive?

  • About 10 hours of research
  • Written report with full citations
Most requested

Immigrant origins

from $600

Trace an immigrant ancestor from their life in America back across the ocean to the town they came from.

  • Hometown and parish identification
  • Report, source copies and a research plan for further work

Lineage society applications

from $250

Help documenting each generation for DAR, Mayflower and other hereditary societies, with the proof they require.

Family history gift

quoted

A finished, readable family story with images and documents, made for a reunion, anniversary or milestone birthday.

Records fees, certified copies and overseas research are billed at cost and only with your approval.

How it works

From a shoebox of clues to a sourced answer

  1. Tell me what you know

    Names, dates, family stories, old photos and documents. Rough guesses help too.

  2. Agree on the question

    We set one clear research goal, a number of hours and a fixed budget.

  3. Research in the records

    I search online collections, archives and church books, and check every clue against the evidence.

  4. Receive your report

    You get a written report explaining what I found, how sure we can be, and what to try next.

Records I work with

Where the answers hide

  • Church & parish registers
  • Birth, marriage & death records
  • Passenger & ship manifests
  • Naturalization files
  • Homestead & land entry files
  • U.S. & North Dakota state censuses
  • Indian census rolls & tribal records
  • Historic newspapers
  • Obituaries & cemetery records
  • Probate & court records
  • DNA match analysis
About

Katherine Adraktas

Based in
Bismarck, North Dakota
Focus
North Dakota families of every background
Background
20+ years in research, technical writing and teaching
Works
Online with clients anywhere, and in person locally

I've spent more than twenty years taking complicated information and making it clear for the people who need it.

My background is in research, technical writing, editing and teaching. I've designed courses for universities, state agencies and nonprofits, and I hold certificates in technical writing and editing. That work trained me to dig into dense sources, check the details and explain the findings plainly.

Genealogy uses all of those skills. I follow the profession's published research standards, cite every source, and tell you honestly what the evidence does and doesn't prove.

Get started

Tell me about your family

Send a short note and I'll reply within two business days to set up your consultation.

Helpful to include

  • The ancestor you want to find, with any known dates and places
  • What you already have: documents, family stories, DNA results
  • The question you most want answered
  • Your budget and any deadline, such as a reunion