Trace Your Genealogy in 3 Easy Steps
By Stephanie Varney
If you've developed a desire to trace your genealogy, you're not alone. The majority of people in the world do take an interest in their family history at some point in their lives. It's one of the most common hobbies on the planet. We're all naturally curious about where we came from.
Some people want to trace their genealogy in order to join prestigious lineage societies or to publish a book. Other people just what to know about their ancestors to satisfy their own curiosity or to preserve the information for their children. Whatever your reasons for wanting to do it, you need to know how to get started. Tracing your genealogy doesn't have to be overwhelming. Here's three easy, effective steps to get you going.
1. Write down what you already know. It may seem obvious, but so many beginning genealogists ignore this important first step. Writing down everything you already know about your family history will help you develop a plan for further research, because you'll have a better idea of what you need to find. Make a list of the names, birth dates, places of birth, and marriage date of your parents. If you know this information about your grandparents or great-grandparents, write this down, too.
If you know even more information than this, such as the place of marriage, occupation, hobbies, and extraordinary deeds of any of these people, that's great. Write all of that down, as well. Keep going until you can't think of anything else you know, being sure to include any anecdotes or stories you've heard that reflect the personalities of your ancestors. Chances are you already know more than you think.
2. Talk to your oldest relatives. This is often called taking an oral history. Bring a tape recorder or digital video recorder (with your relative's permission, of course), so you can get it all down for future generations. Your oldest living relatives are valuable genealogical resources. Ask them to give you names and dates associated with their parents, grandparents, and other relatives they remember from childhood. Then, ask them to tell you as many stories about these people, as well as their own lives, as they can remember. This information alone will probably take you back another generation or two, and will begin to flesh out the lives of your ancestors, which will make them more real to you.
3. Start digging up historical records. Once you've exhausted the knowledge of living people, it's time to delve into the world of historical records. Nearly everyone who's ever lived during the past 500 years or so has left behind at least a record or two as proof of their existence. It doesn't have to be difficult to find extremely informative records, and finding one or two can easily point you towards more. It can also take you back many more generations into your family's history.
One of the first historical records most genealogists consult is the U.S. census. This is available in many genealogy libraries, and can also be found online on such websites as Footnote.com and Ancestry.com. This valuable record source will tell you where your ancestors lived and when they lived there, and later versions also reveal who else lived in their household and the age of every person living there. The U.S. census has been taken every 10 years from 1790 to the present, and censuses up to 1930 are available to the public, so you can potentially go back pretty far into your family with these records.
Other records you will want to look for include wills, probate records, birth and death certificates, marriage licenses and land records, all of which are usually found in county courthouses or state vital record departments. If your ancestor served in the military, you'll want to look up his service and pension records. These are available going all the way back to the Revolutionary War and are kept by the National Records Administration in Washington, D.C. Bible records, baptismal certificates, and previously published books on your family should also be searched for and consulted. As you delve deeper into the records you find and discover more information on your family, you'll realize how easy, fun and deeply rewarding it is to trace your genealogy.
Stephanie Varney is a professional genealogist with over 17 years of experience. She specializes in New England and Southern U.S. genealogy, but has researched families throughout the United States and the United Kingdom. Find out more about how to trace your genealogy by visiting her website at http://www.squidoo.com/researchyourfamilytree
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