My Least Favorite Genealogy Web Site

This week I decided to publish a "reprint" of an article that I wrote several years ago. The reason that I am publishing it again is because of all the e-mails I have been receiving lately on this topic.

I have written a lot over the past few years about Halbert's, a company that claimed to publish "the story of your family name." Halbert's sent hundreds of millions of advertisements showing a Bath, Ohio return address even though the company was actually located in nearby Akron, Ohio. I even visited the building at Halbert’s address as listed on their advertisements; it was a tiny office building. Halbert’s was actually a division of the NUMA Corporation, located in nearby Akron, Ohio. The Bath address was merely a mail drop.

While the advertisements seemed to describe books full of valuable genealogy data, the hapless buyer paid $30.00 or $40.00 for a cheaply-produced booklet full of names and addresses extracted from telephone books, along with some generic information on how to get started in genealogy. Halbert's also sold so-called "family coats of arms" suitable for framing. They also sold coats of arms on coffee cups, golf shirts and even on key chains. (Please note that there is no such thing as a "family coat of arms" in the British Isles or in Western Europe, but people keep buying this junk anyway.)

Over the years, I wrote several articles about Halbert's. One described an announcement that the company was for sale, and then, a few weeks later, another article described the shut down of Halbert's. In fact, the company laid off all the employees in 1999 and even sold the office furniture. The parent company, NUMA Corporation, also ceased operations a few months later.

Ever since I wrote that Halbert's has been shut down, I have received e-mails from people saying that the company only moved or perhaps was sold to new owners. Apparently the Internet newsgroups frequently contain wildly speculative messages claiming that Halbert's has been reincarnated elsewhere. These e-mails report "new operations" from various locations in Colorado, Florida, and Canada. In fact, all of the companies mentioned so far were in business for several years before Halbert's was shut down and are not affiliated with Halbert's in any way. While Halbert's was the best-known or most notorious company in this business, they always had competitors, other companies that sell the same or similar "products." Some of these competitors have been in business for years.

I received an e-mail this week proclaiming, "Discover Your Family History - Rated 'Cool Site of the Week'." This was obviously an e-mail sent as "bulk mail," not a personalized message to me. But the e-mail went on and on:

Do you know WHO your ancestors are and WHAT they did? Do you know WHEN your surname first appeared? Are you curious about WHERE your family roots originate?

Now you can fill in the missing pieces of this puzzle. Join the satisfied multitudes who have discovered their complete Family Surname History.

All Nationalities. It's easy. Just key your last name into our online index, and in seconds we will tell you it's [sic] origin and much MORE. See if we've researched your complete family name history during our 25 years of professional research.

Well, I happen to know who many of my ancestors are and even what many of them did to earn a living. I do know where my surname first appeared. I also admit to being rather skeptical, but I just had to see this one. So I fired up a Web browser and looked at the site listed. I was soon looking at the "Hall of Names International," which obviously is trying to sell reproductions of coats of arms and the "history of your family name." The Web site has numerous graphics of coats of arms and pictures of medieval armor.

The site offers a surname search capability, so I entered my own surname. It said, "Eastman is of British and/or Irish origin." That's only partially correct. The name is found in England in the 1500s but not in Ireland until the 1800s, when an Englishman of that name moved to Ireland. And the Web site ignores the various EASTMAN immigrants to the U.S. and Canada who came from Sweden and Denmark and even one Eastman who came from Russia.

I then clicked on an icon for more information and was informed that:

Yes! We have researched your Family History! The history of this ancient Suffolk family traces its ancestry as a family of Anglo Saxon origin before the year 1100 and appears first in the ancient records in Suffolk.

Sorry, folks. Again I disagree. The name first appears around the year 1500 near Salisbury, Wiltshire, and not "before the year 1100." In fact, surnames were not yet common in England before the year 1100 A.D. Therefore, the claim that the name appeared prior to 1100 A.D. is obviously bogus. The Web site's text went on to say that the company could send a "completely researched parchment history of the Eastman family [that] not only includes in full colour the most ancient family name Coat of Arms but traces the surname origin forward from the 11th or 12th century. This beautifully detailed history includes the Eastman nobles & titles, the family castles, estates and manors, the battles, wars and feuds they overcame, the branches as they formed throughout Europe, pioneers and settler's and also the notables of this distinguished family who lived during this century."

Nobles and titles? Family castles? Estates and manors? Give me a break! These ancestors were farmers and basket makers. The wealthiest one I ever found was one who left a few head of sheep and some pewter plates in his will. Nothing else. I've been researching this name for years and have combed every piece of information I could find. I have never seen a single documented reference to an Eastman castle, estate, or manor. I have to question this "completely researched parchment history."

For "only" $14.95 they offered to send me this "completely researched parchment history." And free with every order is a key chain with my coat of arms. They even offer a golf shirt embroidered with "my" coat of arms for $25.95. I decided to pass up these "great offers."

If you really want to see this electronic equivalent of the stuff sold in mall pushcarts, look at: http://www.hallofnames.com, produced by Swyrich Corporation. But hang onto your wallet real tight.

The International Hall of Names also sells "franchises" to others. Apparently some of these are the pushcart businesses that you sometimes see in shopping malls. Private individuals can license the database and some software to make printouts on demand. A "franchise" costs $5,000, according the International Hall of Names' Web site at http://www.hallofnames.com/downloads/licenseinfo.pdf. I also found a number of other Web sites peddling similar products. While they were doing business under several different business names, every one of them had the statement "Copyright by the International Hall of Names" on their pages.

If you would like to learn more about legitimate coats of arms, look at The Baronage Press at http://www.baronage.co.uk or at the American College Of Heraldry Web site at: http://www.americancollegeofheraldry.org or at the Institute of Heraldic and Genealogical Studies Web site at: http://www.ihgs.ac.uk. The information found on these sites will be far more accurate than that from someone peddling coffee cups, key chains and golf shirts.

Caveat Emptor!

Comments

[Loxi Connerley]

I really enjoyed reading this article. My opinion of such sites is much the same as yours, and it was fun to read your comparison of what information they touted to what information you have researched over the years.
Thanks for sharing it with us.

[Robert Ragan]

Good article, as usual, Richard. You're a great writer.

On Halbert:

That letter from Gary Halbert has wound up in college textbooks as an example of an outstanding direct mail letter. And it is because it has surely stood the test of time.

I heard Gary speak, on tape, in a marketing conference and say something that blew my mind. Back in the Bath, Ohio days when all of this was going on, people would drive through Bath, OH looking for the company.

These folks were usually on vacation and wanted to stop and talk about genealogy. It was a friendly visit they had in mind (just so you know), not a tar and feathering mission.

It happened so often that Gary set up a small building ala down home country-style, and hired some kind grandmotherly ladies to mind the shop. So...when people would drop in, there would be a place to chat about genealogy.

He made millions of dollars. He sold the company and I'm not sure what state it is in now. But I do know that it is a distant memory to Halbert. He has moved on to other things.

About coat of arms:

There are Heraldry societies and organizations that study this subject. Anything that will promote genealogy and family history is fine with me...but let's make sure that we know the story here:

You mention the American College of Heraldry.

Read these few paragraphs from the introduction found on their site:

"Heraldry is at once both an art and a science. Its origins are rooted in the social and political
structure which existed in Europe and the British Isles from about the year 1100 A.D. However, far from being an obsolete relic of a bygone era, heraldry has rather emerged as a vibrant and growing cultural form. Legitimate coats of arms are more widely used throughout the world today than ever before in history.

A large and rapidly growing number of Americans rightfully bear coats of arms. Many of these were granted, certified, registered or otherwise recognized by armorial authorities abroad, and a sizable number of these have been registered by their owners with The American College of Heraldry. In addition, the College has assisted many persons in designing a new coat of arms for their use which is then properly registered and published. An increasing number of corporate bodies have also acquired coats of arms which they display on armorial flags and in place of the less distinctive logo which is so rapidly outdated in terms of artistic style and structure."

Correct me if I'm wrong -- This organization will register you for a fee, they will create new coat of arms for companies, etc. This is a business! Got it?

Here is one of the top questions asked on their FAQ page:

"QUESTION: There isn't any OFFICIAL United States Government agency for registering arms in the United States. Who do you people think you are?"

"ANSWER: You cannot imagine the frequency with which this question arises, largely from individuals who have not spent the time to learn exactly what The American College of Heraldry does. We are not now, nor ever claimed to be, a GRANTING authority for arms. The College merely serves as a repository for those wishing to REGISTER their arms with an organization dedicated to preserving that heritage. Further, our goal is to aid those who wish to establish their own heraldic tradition create and register new arms. We have also assisted individuals in both creating new arms and having said arms registered with other international heraldic entities, such as the Court of Lord Lyon, The College of Arms, The Cronista Rey de Armas of the Kingdom of Spain, and the Collegium Heraldicum Russiae to name a few."

My two cents:

I just want to make sure that you know that there are organizations and businesses that work with Heraldry, Coat or Arms, Family Crests, etc. as a business...and I think it is wonderful.

I personally don't think that all of those products are "junk."

This stuff is popular and is selling like crazy!

Why?

People want their Family Coat of Arms, I want MY Family Coat of Arms and yes...even if you don't, there are people in your family who want their Family Coat of Arms...

EVEN IF they are not authentic! At least they have some form of history and connection to the surname to them.

Is that so bad? I don't think it is, especially if it gets MY family and cousins excited about genealogy. I need all the help I can get!

It's NOT going to bother your (okay, maybe yours, but not most peoples) family or my family. In fact, let me tell you exactly how it will go at one of my family gatherings...

I will have an O'Regan coat of arms picture I found on the cover of some genealogy information I print out and give to my Grandpa Ragan (he's been asking about it). I know him, he'll love it and say, "Boy, this is really interesting. Tell me about where you got it."

He already knows our line came from Ireland way back when. So I'll mention that and the part about O'Regan. I've got some information about the Ragans in Ireland, etc.

THEN I will tell him the all about how the coat of arms were given to individuals and not surnames and explain the whole thing and how I just put the picture on the cover because it looked nice.

Do you know what he will do? He will say something like, "That's interesting" and go on like I never told him about it at all--and then ask me IF I CAN GET THE COAT OF ARMS PICTURE FOR HIM TO HANG ON THE WALL!

All the while, other members of my family who are there are going to ooh and ahh over it: Both the genealogy information that I printed and especially the spiffy coat of arms. Especially since I went to the copy shop and had it printed in color.

Most people could care less if it is authentic. They just like it. It looks nice and it is has a historical appeal. I know my grandfather loves this stuff. He always get shirts for Christmas. Last year, he told us, "I've got enough shirts." So this year I am going to get him one of these coat of arms products.

He helped me get started with my genealogy over 20 years ago. So if this makes him happy and gives him a pride in the history of the Ragan name. It is valuable to me, authentic or not. I'm thinking of ordering the husband and wife's (side by side) coat of arms plaque myself.

Am I crazy? This is coming from a genealogy teacher who has told people to document their genealogy sources for all these years.

Just keep it simple:

If you do use coats of arms in your genealogy materials--just make sure to document the fact that it is not authentic.

So whenever you see a promotion that says, "Free Search of Your Historically accurate Family Crests and Coat of Arms" don't judge too harshly...There is nothing wrong in getting your family more excited about family history and you may (secretly) want your coat of arms (not authentic because, etc., etc.) hanging on your wall.

Keep up your wonderful work,

;-) Robert Ragan

[Brian Lord]

Hello,

Just a quick note to let you know that Copywriting and Direct Marketing genius Gary Halbert passed on peacefully on the 8th April 2007.

I understand your concerns with his product and we too in Australia got the letter and bought the "Coat of Arms" book you speak of... but as Robert says this was what got me interested in Geneaology. So is it so bad after all?

I thank Gary Halbert and was lucky enough to meet the man in 2005. He was a genius at direct marketing and always pushed the boundaries.

Sincerely
Brian Lord

[Dick Eastman]

Thank you for the information. I wasn't aware that Gary had passed away.

Actually, Gary sold the Halbert's business in Bath, Ohio to NUMA Corporation some years before it went bankrupt. He bailed out at the right time. I think that was before his prison term, although I'm not sure. After prison, he wrote a stock market newsletter and promoted a number of (mostly useless) products.

- Dick Eastman

[Jason Hart]

Gary Halbert never wrote a stock market newsletter, that is Gary D. Halbert, different fellow. Gary never invested in stocks and enjoyed spending ALL of his money. That was how he lived life. After he sold Halbert's he spent 11 million in less than a year - got to be some sort of record.

-Jason Hart

[Donald Boyle]

This company has risen from the ashes again and is selling it on The Shopping Channel in Canada.

[Dick Eastman]

Different company.

As I wrote in the original article, "Ever since I wrote that Halbert's has been shut down, I have received e-mails from people saying that the company only moved or perhaps was sold to new owners. Apparently the Internet newsgroups frequently contain wildly speculative messages claiming that Halbert's has been reincarnated elsewhere. These e-mails report "new operations" from various locations in Colorado, Florida, and Canada. In fact, all of the companies mentioned so far were in business for several years before Halbert's was shut down and are not affiliated with Halbert's in any way."

[Shirley]

I understand there is another peddler of coats of arms associated with Florida State University. Someone should investigate this.
The fact that it is associated with a university makes a lot of people think it must be valid.

[Marielizabeth]

Thank you for offering this information for free, no less. I have book marked the links you suggested. I am running into the same bogus rip off artists trying to get military information on my grandparents WWII era. I can buy replicas of the medals they recieved cheaper than what they want me to pay them to look for military records. Where can I find that information for free? Isn't it a matter of public record? I just wanted my grandsons and nieces and nephews to have some pride in who they are and where we come from, I am not a genealogist by any stretch of the imagination. I will provide you with two links if you would like and you can write another article so no one else gets ripped off. Any way, thanks again. I appreciated it.