Genealogy 101: Where to start

If you're new to genealogy, it can be difficult to know where to start. You want to know more about your family but where do you go?

I'll be running a Genealogy 101 series, where I'll be helping you on your research journey. I'll cover all the basics: where to start, how to complete research, where to find records and how to record what you find.

But let's start at the beginning - they say every journey starts with a single step, so what does that mean when it comes to starting your own family research.

Start with what you know

Your family tree starts with you, so write down everything you know. Key facts include where you were born, where you were married (if that applies), the names of your kids, where and when they were born, etc.

Once you've mapped out your information, it's time to go back. Think about your parents - what their full names are (for women, make sure you always use their maiden name - the surname they were born with), where and when they were born, married and/or died. Write down everything you know or can remember. You may not know exact dates but perhaps you knew your mother was 20 when she got married - that's a clue that can help find records later. Perhaps you don't know the exact place your dad was born but you know the state/region he came from or that he always said his family was from 'x place'.

Do the same for any grandparents or other relatives you know. Again, write down everything you can remember - you're building clues to follow later.

Get to know your elders

Spend time and sit down with the eldest members of your family and write down what they know. When and where they were born and/or married? What about their parents or grandparents?

If they're willing to be recorded, ask them to tell you stories of their youth. Not only will give you a unique family history resource on your family and how they lived, but you might find that it helps them remember details more easily. Ask questions. For example, if they mention "grammy Smith", ask if they knew what her first name was? Was she their mother's mother or their father's mother?

Look at family records

Ask around your family to see if anyone has any old photos or records (like birth certificates, marriage certificates, war medals, family bibles, etc), that may help you with your research. Preserve any photos you can - they are an absolutely precious treasure when it comes to family history. To be able to see the face of an ancestor helps you connect to them in a really personal way. However, photos can also provide you with a surprising amount of information. Someone might have written on the back of the photo, or there may be details in the location and time period of the photo itself that helps gives you clues.

Collate everything you've learned

By the end of your information gathering, you should hopefully have gotten the beginning of a family tree and somewhere to start your family tree research.

Join me in the next instalment, where we will go through topics including where to record your information, where to find records and how to undertake research.