I asked my cousin who is a Certified Genealogist about copy write. This her reply . Your research is copyright already when you write it and sign your name as researcher. As that stupid person said, all records are public. Public records, yes, but not when you dig them out with hours of your time invested and somebody comes along and uses your exact wording for their own write up. Besides, you are the one with the documentation. If any questions arise, you are the one to give the answers. What answers is he going to give if asked? He must refer the question to you as the author of the published piece. He cannot answer with authority if he did not do the research. Why would anyone want to put themselves in that position? The legal term for this type of "stealing" is Plagiarism. (copying, lifting, stealing, illegal use, breach of copyright, bootlegging) .