Discovering Your Ancestry
Get Started Searching Your Family History in Genealogy
Genealogy is described by MSN Encarta® as “the history of the descent of a family, often rendered in a tabular list (i.e. family tree) in the order of succession, with the earliest known ancestor placed at the head and later generations placed in lines of direct and collateral descent.” Genealogical research has been likened to the study of history.
Getting Started
By starting with grand parents and great grand parents, one could delve into centuries of family information. While it is a time consuming and intensely investigative hobby, modern technology provides many useful research tools via the internet.
Using Search Engines
There are many genealogy websites that can be extremely helpful in extracting information. While some websites charge monthly or yearly subscription fees, there are other less expensive methods of investigation that could be utilized. For example:
- Use a search engine to search for online genealogy societies by city, county, and state.
- Type an ancestor's name in parentheses into a search engine. This will create an “absolute value” to streamline results.
- Visit your local library's genealogy section.
- Use a search engine to find County Clerk/Recorder’s offices to determine if they have a grantor/grantee type search index that might allow you to view recorded documents (i.e. marriage licenses).
U.S. Census Bureau
A great source for information is the United States Census Bureau; however, due to confidentiality issues, collected information on individuals does not become available to the public until after 72 years.
Copies of decennial (every ten years) census forms are available on microfilm for the years 1790 through 1930 for review at the following locations:
- U.S. National Archives and Records Administration in Washington, DC
- Archives Regional Centers
- Select Federal depository libraries throughout the United States
- Various other libraries and research facilities throughout the United States
Protecting Personal Information
As with any personal information, caution should be taken to avoid posting private information on the internet (i.e. full names, dates of birth, social security numbers). According to an article published by Microsoft® on November 10, 2006:
If you decide to publish genealogical data online for others to enjoy, you should remove any personal information of all members shown, including:
· Full names (use only initials when possible)
· Social Security numbers
· Complete dates of birth (show only the year instead)
· Specific home addresses of family members, including former addresses
· Phone numbers
· E-mail addresses
· Private affiliations, such as fraternities and sororities
· Private holdings, such as real estate or deeds of trust
While Genealogy is the perfect hobby for historical enthusiasts, it requires a great deal of patience and persistence. With a bit of due diligence, the majority of genealogists find the search to be an extremely fulfilling pursuit of knowledge.
Sources
- MSN Encarta®
- U.S. Census Bureau
- Microsoft® (November 10, 2006). Genealogy: Avoid common scams while you seek and share your family history online. Retrieved June 1, 2008 from the internet.
