Norwitz Notions

What would you like to know about your family? The town your grandparents immigrated from? Who your great grandmother was? The name your family used in the “old country”? Or just a more general idea of where you came from?

I have researched my family, my husband’s family, and those of other family and friends for many years and have just started turning my hobby into a business. So my rates are low but I have the experience to deliver results.

Costs

Genealogy Package

• 8 hours of solid research.
• Up to 1.5 hours of talking with you to gather information, explain my findings, or answer your questions.
• You get copies of all documents I find, as well as extensive and organized notes.
• $300

By the Hour

• $50 per hour. Each hour is 60 minutes of research and 10 minutes of conversation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: I’m not sure how many hours I’ll need. Can I start by the hour then switch to a package later?
A: Yes. Once you hit 6 hours ($300), the next 2 hours are free and additional hours are $37.50.

Q: If I buy a package but need more hours, what’s the cost?
A: $37.50 per hour.

Q: Can I use my hours on different research tasks or split them among different people?
A: Absolutely.

Q: Are there any additional costs?
A: Reimbursement for certificates I order for you or any other above-and-beyond expenses. No surprises; I’ll discuss it with you in advance and you can decide if you want to go ahead.

Q: Where are you located?
A: I’m in the San Francisco Bay Area (California, USA). But even pre-pandemic I mostly worked by phone, email, or video. You can be anywhere.

Q: Do you have any certifications in genealogy or related fields.
A: Nope. Just lots and lots of practice and reading and discussion with other genealogists.

Q: What is your educational background?
A: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Technical Writing (class of 1986 but no degree). Northeastern University, Speech Language Pathology and Audiology, B.S. Ed 1988. University of California, San Diego, Communication, M.A. 1991, 4 years towards PhD.

Q: What Traditional Genealogy resources do you use?
A: Most of my work is online, in both free and subscription databases. Ancestry.com, FamilySearch, MACSE, JewishGen, GenTeam.at, NARA, GRO, FreeBMD, Yad Vashem, Reclaim the Records, Old Fulton NY, Genealogy Indexer, HIAS, various newspapers, and many more. Some research needs to be done at a FamilySearch History Center, the public library, or a municipal archive. Other research can happen via the mail or online orders.

Q: What can you do that I can’t do for myself for free?
A: You absolutely can do most of what I do yourself for free or low cost. But it takes experience to know where to look, how to look, and, most importantly, how to evaluate what you find.

If you look at online family trees, most are riddled with mistakes because people copy information without understanding it (or without bothering to look at it closely). Even uncommon names can belong to more than one person.

A lot of my work is filling in the gaps for people who have already done what research they could do themselves.

Q: Can you do Genetic Genealogy?
A: Yes, I’ve been doing that for many years now. I’m familiar with 23andme, FamilyTreeDNA, My Heritage, AncestryDNA, GedMatch, and more. I can help you figure out who in your family to test, where to test, and how to interpret the results.

Q: Do you work with adoptees?
A: Both traditional genealogy and genetic genealogy with people who don’t yet know their biological heritage is a specialized skill. I can help with the basics but you may want to use a search angel with that experience.

Q: What if I need documents or items that only exist far away?
A: A lot more is online than you might think but, yes, sometimes you have to travel to find what you need. While I would be thrilled to travel for you (when safe to do so), your best bet is to hire a researcher local to where the material you need is (I can help you find one).

Q: What languages can you work in?
A: My native language is English and my Spanish is pretty good. I can work with typed or block printed documents in any language using the Roman alphabet (much of what I work with is in German, Hungarian, Slovak, Latin, etc). I am completely baffled by 19th century German cursive. I can sound out Hebrew and figure out short phrases on gravestones and the like. Hebrew cursive not so much.

Q: Can you guarantee results?
A: Sorry. Whatever time I spend ruling out theories and sources is paid time. But I won’t waste your money either. If the information isn’t out there, you can decide if you want me to keep trying or if we want to change tactics. And if you’re asking me for something outside my area of expertise, I’ll let you know that too.

Testimonials

Cyndi has helped me trace my family roots and corrected facts about my family members that I did not have to complete my family tree.  She has been a blessing to me and I am grateful for all the help that she has given me.  I give her five stars in her knowledge and abilities.  
Myrna, Northern California

Cyndi helped me find out more about my paternal grandfather’s family. He died before I was born, and had estranged himself from his family when he was just a teen, so I knew very little. Turns out my Great-Aunt Hazel and great-grandmother Winnie actually lived here in Los Angeles for a while in the middle of the 20th century!
Monica Waggoner, Los Angeles, California

Cyndi did an amazing job researching my family’s genealogy. The information she provided was meticulously researched and filled with fascinating details. She tracked down a treasure trove of information about my great-grandparents:  the precise areas in Poland and Russia where they were born, the dates on which they immigrated to the US, the dates on which they married and became US citizens, the addresses where they lived and worked, and much more. Best of all, Cyndi found a beautiful picture of my great-grandmother! Cyndi is a delight to work with. In addition to possessing superb research skills and a strong commitment to accuracy, she clearly has a passion for her work.
Anna M., Santa Rosa, California

Contact Me

Email me at cyndi @ norwitz dot net or use my blog form. We can communicate via email, telephone, Facetime, Zoom, Skype, or another platform. When safe, we could also meet in person.