About PA Ancestors

PA Ancestors is an independent business launched in 2019 by Denys Allen. The mission of PA Ancestors is to help people discover the communities and history of their Pennsylvania ancestors.

Pennsylvania genealogy is uniquely complex with records scattered across 800+ archives, German and foreign language documents, and jurisdictional changes that moved ancestors between counties without them moving at all. PA Ancestors provides the expert guidance, resources, and professional support you need to navigate Pennsylvania's genealogical landscape.

The Discover Your Ancestors Workshop was a highly-rated genealogy event held from 2023-2025. Members of PA Ancestors prior to June 2025 have lifetime access to this online workshop. Lifetime members can log-in here. It has now been replaced by Chronicle Makers (see below).

Podcast: Your Pennsylvania Ancestors

Listen to expert guidance on Pennsylvania records, archives, and research strategies. Each episode features history highlights, genealogical records deep-dives, and behind-the-scenes looks into archives and their collections.

Rated 4.8 stars with 4,000+ downloads per month.

👉 Listen to Your Pennsylvania Ancestors

Books: Pennsylvania Research Guides

Denyse has authored two comprehensive Pennsylvania genealogy reference books:

Pennsylvania Vital Records Research: A complete guide to birth, marriage, divorce, death, and adoption records from 1682 to today
Archives in Pennsylvania for Genealogy Research (2nd Edition): Navigate the state's 800+ archives, libraries, courthouses, and repositories

👉 View Pennsylvania Research Books

Professional Consultations

Stuck on a Pennsylvania brick wall? Get expert help with a professional 1:1 consultation.

Receive a comprehensive research evaluation, detailed analysis of your records, a prioritized research plan, and a personal 30-minute Zoom strategy session with Denyse.

Consultations start at $2,000 and are priced by project complexity.

👉 Learn More About Consultations

Chronicle Makers: AI-Powered Research Community

Ready to break through Pennsylvania brick walls using AI tools and systematic research methods? Chronicle Makers offers research training Labs, AI-powered genealogy tools, and a community of researchers solving problems together.

PA Ancestors remains your Pennsylvania research authority. Chronicle Makers is where you go for AI research tools and systematic training.

👉 Explore Chronicle Makers

About Denyse Allen

I created PA Ancestors in 2019 to build the Pennsylvania genealogy resource I wished existed when I started researching my own ancestors.

My mission is simple: Help as many people as possible discover their Pennsylvania ancestors—and give them the expert guidance, systematic methods, and professional support to actually succeed.

My Pennsylvania Research Expertise

I've researched my seven generations of Pennsylvania ancestors across 17 counties: Allegheny, Berks, Blair, Centre, Chester, Clearfield, Dauphin, Delaware, Lancaster, Montgomery, Northampton, Northumberland, Philadelphia, Schuylkill, Snyder, Union, and Westmoreland.

I've worked in courthouses, historical societies, libraries, and archives across the state. I know Pennsylvania's jurisdictional chaos, German records, fragmented vital records, and the 800+ places where records hide.

I'm your guide to navigating Pennsylvania's uniquely complex genealogical landscape.

Professional Training & Credentials

I believe in continuous learning and staying current with genealogical research methods, technology, and best practices. Here are recent programs I've completed:

Professional Development (2020–2023):

ICAPGen: Level 1 Study Group (2023)
Texas Institute of Genealogical Research: Intermediate and Advanced DNA for Genealogists (2023)
Pharos Tutors: Mapping Strategies (2022)
Pharos Tutors: One Name Studies (2022)
ProGen 53 (2021–2022)
Research Like a Pro with DNA, by FamilyLocket (2022)
Salt Lake Institute for Genealogy (SLIG): Writing for Peer Review with Karen Mauer Jones (2022)
Ship 30 for 30 with Dickie Bush and Nicholas Cole (2021 & 2022)
Gen-Fed (2021)
Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research (IGHR): Irish Research with David Rencher (2021)
Building a Second Brain, Cohort 12, with Tiago Forte (2021 & 2022)
Family History Academy: Case Studies with Tom Jones and Harold Henderson (2020)
IGHR: Military Records 3 with Michael Strauss (2020)
ISBGFH: British Institute (2020)
National Institute for Genealogical Studies (NIGS): U.S. Court Records (2020)
NIGS: U.S. Migration Patterns (2020)
NIGS: Religious Records, Part 1 (2020)
NIGS: Religious Records, Part 2 (2020)
SLIG: Advanced Research Methods with Paul Graham (2020)
Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP): Tackling Tough Research Problems with Kimberly Powell (2019)
GRIP: Confusion to Conclusion with Harold Henderson & Kimberly Powell (2019)

My Approach

I'm curious, systematic, and I believe in going straight to the source. I visit archives, examine original records, and test research strategies myself before teaching them to you.

You deserve to know everything you possibly can about your ancestors. My job is to show you where the records are, how to find them, and how to break through the walls that have been blocking your progress.

Whether you're just starting Pennsylvania research or you've been stuck on a brick wall for years, I'm here to guide you to the answers you're seeking.

Connect With PA Ancestors

Newsletter: Subscribe to PA Ancestors Discoveries Podcast: Your Pennsylvania Ancestors Email: Contact Denyse