Currently accepting clients for...

• Family History Research
• Speaking / Presenting

Surrounded by genealogy from a young age, Pamela has long appreciated the richness that learning about your heritage and ancestors brings. Leveraging her own family stories and partnering with her brother, a Ph.D. Germanic linguist with over two decades of experience translating, they launched Unlock Your History in 2017 to help people translate their heirloom family documents from German and Germanic languages.

Pamela conducts professional genealogical research, with her heaviest focus on Pennsylvania and Germanic areas, although, like with all genealogy, people moved all over, and she follows the research where it takes her.

Pamela is a member of professional associations, including the Association of Professional Genealogists, the National Genealogical Society, and the Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society, where she is on the board of directors.

Services

Translations

Unlock Your History focuses on providing context for the original documents and maintaining the emotional connection that old family documents inspire and deserve. We help people along a marvelous journey: one that begins with a tantalizing, but frustrating family document. It could be a postcard, an old passport, a will, an invitation or obituary. It may have been handwritten by a recent or long-departed ancestor. We call it genealogical translation, but it's so much more meaningful than that. Unlock Your History specializes in Germanic languages (German, Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Swedish, Icelandic, even English from earlier centuries) to help families translate and understand the context of their enigmatic documents.

Genealogical Research

Curious about your family's roots in general or stuck with a particular brick wall? Pamela brings experience and persistence to both. She truly loves to help those digging into their family past and discover their own family's fascinating history.

Record Retrieval

Pamela provides document and record retrieval,  particularly within Western Pennsylvania, but she can travel to nearby Ohio, West Virginia and central Pennsylvania.

Presentations

Pamela has a range of presentations that she customizes for different audiences.

Geographic Specialties

PA, Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, Baltimore, Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Germany and its forerunners.

Testimonials
I began going through 100s of pages of German documents from my mother's family in 2020. I learned of UnlockYourHistory from the Max Kade Institute at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, so I knew that the translation quality would be good. I was expecting a simple translation but got so much more. I have gotten context of language that was used, research into names and places that are mentioned, and the tone in which the letters are written (with humor,a formal greeting, etc). I am beginning to 'know' my ancestors through this, and I could not be more grateful and happy with the work by Stefan and Pam. - HT - Wisconsin I am very pleased. Your company was the only one that was able to decipher the message and I contacted six. Your work presentation is outstanding and very professional. - J.M. - Texas - Danish West Indies record I looked at some general genealogy research websites and a few other translation services websites which did not provide both the genealogy context and translation services like Unlock Your History does. - AR - Norwegian Letters Many thanks for your translations and the value-added contextual information also provided. I am a retired librarian so I recognize the scope of the work and the value of the results that you provided. - EB - Washington Fantastic. I had 2 documents in old German text and handwriting. I hoped a translation would help uncover at least the names of my father?s great great grandfather and mother. Unlock Your History deciphered their names and more. Plus they gave me ideas on where I might dig next based on info in the documents. They are reasonably priced, easy to work with and genuinely interested in helping you. I?m so glad I connected with them. - AK - Chicago

Additional specialities or search keywords
German, Danish, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Speaker, Researcher, Retrieval, Pittsburgh

Publications/Media
Which Margaret Mahaffey was the Mother of Eliza Emily Mahaffey, Born in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania About 1841?" - Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Quarterly

Repositories
Pennsylvania Courthouses Heinz History Center - Detre Library and Archives University of Pittsburgh Archives Pennsylvania Room - Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society Local Historical Societies and Libraries

Research Time Periods

• 20th Century
• 19th Century
• 18th Century

Languages
Danish, Dutch, German, Norwegian, Swedish, specializing in 17th-20th century handwriting.

Certificates
ProGen GenProof Certificate in Genealogical Research (Boston University)

Affiliations
Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society, Board of Directors and Archives Chair Heinz History Center Affiliate North Hills Genealogists National Genealogical Society Member Association of Professional Genealogists