Wolfram Alpha (https://www.wolframalpha.com) is a powerful computational search engine that can assist in genealogy research by providing information on historical events, demographics, and even some specific genealogical data. What sets this computational knowledge engine apart from other search engines is the ability to pull data from external sources (meaning websites outside of Wolfram Alpha) that are curated (meaning selected for their data reliability and sources).
Research your ancestors on MyHeritage
Wolfram Alpha’s Capabilities
Dates: The engine contains a vast amount of historical data, such as dates of holidays, calculating dates based on other dates (i.e,. a birth date based on a death date on a tombstone), calculating dates based on a previous day of the week, and more.
Family relationships: Determine complex familial relationships such as "how am I related to my great-grandmother's niece" with results depicted in simple family tree including blood percentages.
Money. Calculate the current value of historical money as well as converting historical quantities of money.
Name analysis: Analyze the meaning, origin, and popularity of surnames or first names across different time periods as well as offering a list of nicknames and name alternatives for searching genealogy records.
Weather: Determine local historical weather as well as historical weather for specific locations.
Words and text: Determine missing letters in a word as well as determine the Soundex code for a surname.
Many new users tend to “overthink” how they should use Wolfram Alpha, perhaps because the site is capable of computing large amounts of data and serving up complex answers. Most Internet users are accustomed to search engines which simply fetch and present the most relevant and popular links to websites.
Input Field: To get more information about a word, a calculation, or any question, enter data in the input field and click the equal sign. There is no need to use complex formulas; plain English is best.
Assumptions: Depending on the query, Wolfram Alpha may use some base assumptions which will appear once calculations begin. To change an assumption, click on one of the interpretations listed as a hyperlinked term.
Reports: The “answer” displayed at Wolfram Alpha is in the form of a report, the length of which can vary depending upon the query. Some reports require entry of additional information in a formula/calculator field.
Input interpretation: Displays how Wolfram Alpha interpreted the data. Sources for the information displayed appears at the bottom. Other sections which may appear, again depending upon the type of query, include related queries and definitions.
Date Calculations
Birthdate Estimation: With an approximate age from a census record, use Wolfram Alpha to estimate birth years. For example, input "What year was someone born if they were 30 in 1870?" to get an answer.
Time Span Calculations: To calculate the number of years between two dates, simply input both dates in a query like "years between 1820 and 1895." This is useful for understanding generational gaps.
Exploring Historical Context
Historical Events: Use queries like "What happened in 1881?" to get a summary of significant events in that year, helping contextualize an ancestor’s life.
Population Data: To research a particular location, enter "population of New York City in 1881" to see how large the city was when an ancestor arrived.
Analyzing Names
Name Popularity: Input queries such as "popularity of the name John in the 19th century" to see how common a given name was, which may provide insights into family traditions or naming patterns.
Surname Origins: Ask Wolfram Alpha "origin of the surname Putman" to learn more about the history and distribution of a particular surname.
Locating Records
Vital Records: While Wolfram Alpha does not provide direct access to genealogical records like birth certificates or census data, it can give statistical summaries or timelines that might suggest where to look next.
Place-specific Queries: Try queries like "vital records availability in New York in 1880s" to get an overview of what records might exist and where to find them.
Advanced Features
Custom Queries: Wolfram Alpha allows for complex queries involving multiple factors. For example, input "life expectancy in 1850" to better understand an ancestor’s potential lifespan.
Mathematical Models: When dealing with uncertain dates or need to model family relationships, use Wolfram Alpha's computational power to estimate probabilities or analyze patterns.
Free vs. Pro version of Wolfram Alpha
Wolfram Alpha's Basic version is free to access with or without creating an account. Creating a free account is recommended since it allows users to customize their settings. The Pro version of Wolfram Alpha with allows for data uploads, advanced customized preferences, faster calculation speed, and output in step-by-step instruction format.
Example 2: Enter "Given name Elizabeth" Scroll to the Alternate Version section and the results include "Alzbeta | Bella | Bess | Bessie | Beth | Bethia | Betsy | Bette | Bettie | Betty | Elis | Elisabeth | Elise | Eliz | Eliz'a | Eliza | Eliza'th | Elize | Elsie | Ibby | Libby | Lilly | Lisa | Liz | Liza | Lizabeth | Lizzie | Tess | Élisabeth | Elyzabeth"
Example 3: Enter "b_ _ _ k" - including the beginning letter, the ending letter, and spaces for each missing letter. The result is a list of English words including "b | a | t | i | k", "b | a | u | l | k", "b | i | t | o | k", "b | l | a | c | k" and more.
Example 4: Enter "Soundex Henneberg" to determine the Soundex code for a surname. The result is "H516"
Example 5: Enter "Sounds like Rubin" The result is "Rabin | raven | ripen | riven"
Example 6: Enter "Easter 1910" to determine the date of a holiday. The result is "March 27, 1910"
Example 7: Enter "February 2, 1901 -74 years -3 months -2 days" to calculate a birth date based on a death date listed on a tombstone, for example. The result is "Tuesday, October 31, 1826"
Wolfram Alpha historical value of money 100 dollars 1910Example 8: Enter "Sunday before July 13, 1869" to calculate a date based on a newspaper listing. The result is "Sunday, July 11, 1869"
Example 9: Enter "$100 (1910 dollars)" to calculate the current value of historical money. The result is "$3,259.65"
Example 10: Enter "weather Chicago June 21, 1960" to determine historical weather for a specific location. The results include "Recorded weather for Chicago, Illinois: temperature | (58 to 70) °F (average: 64 °F), conditions | rain, fog, overcast, cloudy, relative humidity | (58 to 93)% (average: 78%), wind speed | (3 to 18) mph (average: 12 mph)"
