Jude Family Research Services

Hi, I’m Peggy Jude — a professional genealogist, speaker, and educator with a passion for helping people uncover their family stories.

I’ve been conducting genealogical research since I was fifteen years old, starting with interviews of older relatives and progressing to scrolling through microfilm in libraries and NARA archives. That lifelong passion, combined with a love of technology, now drives my business: teaching others how to use genetic genealogy and technology to find more ancestors.

I am based on the West Coast of Florida, spending summers in the Chicagoland area. My own roots run deep in the Midwest — with ancestors from Sweden, Scotland, and Ireland who settled in Illinois, Missouri, and Iowa, with stops along the way in Newfoundland, Virginia, and Kentucky.

My Professional Background

I hold a B.S. in Zoology from Iowa State University and an M.B.A. from the University of Michigan. After a successful career as a global Human Resources executive for a Fortune 500 company, I opened my genealogy business focused on teaching and research.

I have completed the ProGen program and am a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists and the Genealogical Speakers Guild. I have attended advanced institutes at IGHR, SLIG, GRIP, and Gen-Fed across multiple years, and served as co-course coordinator and instructor for the DNA Foundations course at IGHR from 2023–2025.

I currently serve as Vice President and Board Member of the Manatee Genealogical Society, where I lead both the DNA Special Interest Group and the Technology Special Interest Group, teaching a session in each every month.

I have presented at genealogical societies and conferences across the US and Canada, including the East Coast Genetic Genealogy Conference and the Newfoundland Rock Bounds Roots Conference. My courses are also available through Legacy Family Tree Webinars and Family Tree Magazine.

What I Teach

I specialize in five areas of genealogical interest:

• DNA and genetic genealogy
• Technology for genealogy
• Genealogical methodology
• Swedish genealogy
• Preserving family history and heirlooms

My Personal Journey

I grew up in Ossining, New York, in the suburbs north of New York City — making me the only easterner in my family! Iowa State is a big family school for us: my brother, sister-in-law, and uncle all graduated there, and my parents actually met in Ames, Iowa during World War II. During my time in Iowa I visited the cities, courthouses, and cemeteries where my Iowa ancestors spent their lives.

After years in Minneapolis (where I served on the Board of the Minnesota Genealogical Society), the Chicagoland area, and New Jersey, I eventually landed on the beautiful West Coast of Florida — where genealogy research and warm weather make for a pretty good life!

For more information on my teaching and speaking endeavors please check the Courses link below. For more information on my personal family genealogical efforts, please check out the My Family section of this website.