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Crafting the Perfect Title for Your Family History Book
- Devon Noel Lee
- Jun 12
- 2 min read
What should you title your family history book?
It seems like a small detail—until you’re staring at your finished draft, trying to wrap things up, and suddenly… you’ve got no clue what to call it. That was the exact situation a viewer named Terry found herself in, and she sent in a great question:
“What about titles? Do you change them up for each ancestor?”
The short answer? Yes, I absolutely change them up.
But I also follow a few simple guidelines to make sure my titles do more than just look nice on a bookshelf.
Let’s walk through what works—and why it matters.
Keep It Simple. Keep It Searchable.
When I write a book about an ancestor, I’m not just thinking about my immediate family. I’m thinking about future readers, too—whether that’s a distant cousin or a local history buff flipping through the shelves of a library.
That’s why I lean on this little trick:
🎯 Keep it simple. Keep it searchable.
Let’s look at an example. One of my books is titled:
Joseph Geiszler: From Baden to Columbus, Ohio, 1836–1863
It might not win a design award, but it does exactly what I need it to do. The title includes:
The ancestor’s full name
A key migration path (Baden to Columbus)
A clear date range
With just a glance, someone knows who this book is about, where he lived, and roughly when. That’s gold for genealogists — and for librarians who might be cataloging your work long after you're gone.
Titling a Family History Book Using Sentimentality
That said, sometimes I do get a little more personal.
One of my family books is called:
PaPa – The Life of Lewis Sherman Brown
That title reflects how we knew him—“PaPa.” It’s warm. It’s familiar. And it fits the tone of a book I wrote for my immediate family, especially the grandkids and great-grandkids who still call him that.
But here’s the catch: I haven’t shared that book publicly yet, because it includes stories and details about living relatives. If (or when) I do decide to donate a copy to a library or historical society, I’ll adjust the title for clarity:
Lewis Sherman Brown: 1918–1978, Columbus, Ohio
Again—it’s not flashy. But it’s findable. And that’s the sweet spot I’m always aiming for.
Your Genealogy Book Title Should Serve Two Masters
The best family history book titles strike a balance between two goals:
💡 They’re meaningful to your family—inviting, personal, and reflective of the tone of your stories.
🔎 They’re useful for future readers—full of clear, searchable clues like names, places, and dates.
So don’t overthink it. A great title doesn’t have to be clever—it just needs to clearly point to the person and the legacy you’ve captured inside.
And if you’re still feeling stuck, leave a comment or question—I’d love to hear what titles you’re working on!
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