Find Your Family Tree – How to Start Genealogy
Basic Steps to Begin Finding Family Ancestry
Jul 27, 2009
Family trees are fascinating – which ancestor immigrated through Ellis Island, which grandfather fought in World War I, which aunt worked for the women's rights? There is so much information available that new genealogists are often overwhelmed. Here are the first basic steps to get started.
Step 1: Personal Knowledge of Genealogical Information
The basic rule of genealogical research is to "start with what you know" and work backwards. Beginning genealogists often know more than they think they do. The first step is to write down facts such as your own birth date and place, and that of parents and siblings, plus marriage and death information if applicable. Ask parents about their parents, as well as their aunts and uncles.
The most basic information for family trees is vital statistic data: the date and place of birth, marriage and death. Family histories can be expanded as desired with military service, schools attended, career paths, occupation, etc.
Step 2: Pedigree Charts and Family Group Sheets
Specialized genealogy forms help organize the information and tame the otherwise unruly paper trail that could result.
Pedigree charts begin with one person, then show that person's parents, their parents, and so on. There is space for basic dates and places, but not siblings. Family Group Sheets show each couple, their information, and then have space for each child below. Use these forms to fill in the information already known by the family. (Read Find Your Family Tree – Basic Genealogy Charts for more information, including how to print the forms for free.)
Step 3: Genealogy Home Survey
A home survey for genealogy purposes is simple, but can be time-consuming. Search the house for anything that might give clues to ancestors' information. This can go further than legal papers such as birth and marriage certificates – check for photographs, wedding announcements, funeral cards, newspaper clippings, even school yearbooks. Read Find Your Family Tree - Genealogy Home Survey for more details.
Add the information from the home survey items to the pedigree charts and family group sheets. When an item verifies data already written, such as a birth or wedding certificate or newspaper announcement, note that source with the information. Also, add notes on a separate page with information that doesn't fit on the forms, such as education or military experience. These may give clues to other research, as well as make a more complete picture of an ancestor's life.
Step 4: What Genealogical Information is Missing?
A new genealogist will now have a good, basic family tree. Look at it carefully and see where the gaps are. Do grandparents have an anniversary day, but no year? Is a sibling's birth date missing? Does an ancestor have a birth date but no parents?
Beginning researchers should now make a list of specific information they want to learn. It may be a missing marriage date, the place someone was buried, or the names of an ancestor's parents. With a specific goal, a genealogist can focus research efforts for the best results.
The last step is to determine where to find the answers for these research goals, and that will be determined by the place and year of the event. For births, marriages, and deaths in the late 1800s and early- to mid-1900s, government resources can provide actual certificates. Census records can narrow an approximate time to within a year or two.
Newspapers, land records, tax records, pension applications – the list of genealogical resources goes on and on. As one answer is found, another research question is created, and the search continues. But that's the fun of genealogy, right?
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