Pearce Heritage Research Associates

Our Vision

At PHRA, we believe that the process of discovery is as important as the discovery itself. We want our clients to enjoy their family history research experience; it shouldn't be confusing or overwhelming. We are as excited about our clients' heritage journeys as they are, and we want to know our clients' stories as much as they do!

Our Mission

Our mission is to help you discover your personal, family, and cultural identity through professional heritage research. We want to save you time, money and frustration by helping you find the right resources in a timely way, and within your budget, so that you can experience the joy of learning about your heritage without being overwhelmed by the process.

News

Read the latest company and heritage research news on our blog or join us on FaceBook!

Please complete our online Family History Research Survey at SurveyMonkey.

Our People

Brenna Pearce, Chief Family Historian

Brenna Pearce is Chief Family Historian at Pearce Heritage Research Associates, with twenty years of experience in genealogical research. She holds degrees in History, English literature and Education. She is also a consultant for the Ontario GENWeb Project, helping connect genealogical researchers with the historical resources they need. Brenna is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists, and of the Delta Mill Society, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and maintaining the Delta Mill National Historic Site in Delta, Ontario.

Brenna specializes in researching the non-military Loyalist families who emigrated to Canada during and after the American Revolutionary period, as well as the early 19th century immigration to and settlement of Eastern Ontario. Her other research interests include First Nations heritage research.

In addition to her historical research experience, Brenna has extensive experience in corporate financial research and small business start up research. She has worked as a researcher for Acumen Capital Partners and Woodside Research/Evaluate Energy in Calgary, AB, as well as authoring, co-authoring, and editing dozens of business and career books while Senior Editor with publisher, FabJob, Inc.

Brenna is the author of the FabJob Guide to Become a Genealogist, as well as the forthcoming Genealogy Basics for Canadian Family History Researchers. You can read her blog here.

Marco de la Cruz,
Research Associate

Marco de la Cruz is our expert in Spanish-language research. His expertise is in Central American immigration to North America. Marco graduated from Universidad Rafael Landivar in Queztaltenango, Guatemala, with a degree in Education. Marco is also a former professional soccer player, coach, and entrepreneur, and has a wide-ranging knowledge of the history of soccer around the world.