Genealogy Research for the Absolute Beginner

Feb 24, 2011
Penni Winter

In Grandad's Day - Penni Winter (Family Photo)

Family history research can seem daunting to beginners. But there are some simple ways to begin your search.

People often express to me an interest in doing family history research, but don't know where to start. Or, as I did, they pick up a book on the subject, then, overwhelmed by too much information, throw it aside as 'too complicated'. Yet it is possible to ease into the process gently, by following some simple steps.

Write Down What You Know About Your Ancestors

In hardback exercise books (one for each parent or grandparent) write what you do know, however little it is. Allocate one page per ancestor, and go back a generation at a time, using the same format on each page. Include everything you can - names, dates, places, occupations, etc. For women, list their known children. Include any family 'legends', no matter how fantastic - there's often some truth in them. Anything you're unsure about, write in pencil.

As you progress in your search, put the new information you discover in these books. Make a note of your sources as you go, you might need to return to them later. Where maternal ancestry brings new surnames in, move to another part of the book, using a coloured stick-on tab so you can find it again easily.

Talk to Your Family About Their History

Visit older family members, at a time and date convenient for them. They might have clues to aid your search - did any of your ancestors join the military, own property or a business, emigrate from somewhere else? If they have photos, letters, certificates, etc, they might let you borrow them to photocopy or scan. (But do remember to return them!) Make notes, or record the conversations if you can. But be respectful of age and infirmities - you can always return another day, or write to them instead.

And don't forget those distant cousins - one may have a family history already written, which will shorten your search considerably! Old family friends are also a good source of information.

Research Your Ancestry Online

New genealogy resources are constantly coming online. Some countries and states, for instance, now have online historical birth, death and marriage (BDM) indexes, where you can confirm you (probably) have the right person before ordering a certificate. Search for 'family history’, ‘genealogical records', 'historical BDM' or similar on the relevant government or national archives/library websites.

If not, there are many excellent non-government genealogy websites, a good free one to start with is the Mormon FamilySearch website, or, for the UK, FreeBMD. There are online censuses, ship's passenger lists, newspaper archives, and much more. Try also a Google search on your ancestor's name - you might be surprised at what you find.

If you've exhausted all the free sites, a subscription to a pay site may be worthwhile, if you can't get the information any other way.

Back to those Genealogy Research Books

Get a good general genealogy 'how to' book written as recently as you can find, published in your country if possible. Read the introductory chapters, then treat the rest like a reference source to dip into for further places to search, especially when you want to 'flesh out' the bare bones of birth, death and marriages you've found. As you go further, you might want to consult more specialised books, eg on researching Irish ancestry.

Spend Some Money on Genealogy Research

You may find that a photocopy of an original BDM entry is cheaper than a certified copy - and better, as it may have more information. Also, you can see - and decipher for yourself - what is possibly your ancestor's original handwriting.

Consider joining a genealogical Society. They may offer specialist resources not publicly available, or help with interpreting documents, as well as support and like-minded companionship. Or how about a holiday to distant towns or regions, or even other countries, to visit relatives living there; or to investigate the resources of national archives, libraries, museums, etc.

Genealogy software, on which you can compile a family tree, might prove a good investment. Even without it, it's a good idea to put everything onto computer at some stage, in case anything happens to those precious exercise books. Also scan photos, certificates, etc, if possible, and make backup copies of everything, eg on a flash drive.

So there you have it - the simple way to start on your ancestry research - write down what you know, talk to family members, go online, consult books, and spend some money. You may even end up writing your own family history. One final warning though - family history research soon becomes highly addictive!

Happy Hunting!