Getting Started with Genealogy Research
Digging For Ancestors
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The order in which you begin your genealogy research can be as important as how you conduct
the search. Repeat this mantra to yourself each time you are tempted to skip generations of
your ancestors in your search. Start with what you know. Don't be tempted by family stories to
make any assumptions. Most of the time they turn out to be false.
Here is a guideline for the steps to take in your research.
#1 - Record information about yourself:
#2 - Interview family members:
# 3 - Record information using the genealogy software of your choice.
#4 - Use the data collected to search the census for your family.
the search. Repeat this mantra to yourself each time you are tempted to skip generations of
your ancestors in your search. Start with what you know. Don't be tempted by family stories to
make any assumptions. Most of the time they turn out to be false.
Here is a guideline for the steps to take in your research.
#1 - Record information about yourself:
- This is just as important as any other data gathering you will do.
 | full name, birth date and location, marriage date and location. | |
| full name of children and spouse including their birth and marriage information. | |
| you may want to record stories and memories about your children and other | |
| relatives. |
#2 - Interview family members:
- Start with your eldest family members first. When they are gone, you'll never have access
to their personal experiences and memories to help you complete your family tree again.
Record the following from each family member interview you conduct:
| full name (maiden name for females), birth dates, marriage dates and the location of | |
| these events (city, county and state) | ||
| children's names (maiden name for females), birth dates, marriage dates and the | |
| location of these events (city, county and state) | ||
| parents' full names, birth dates, marriage dates and the location of these events (city, | |
| county and state) | ||
| grandparents' full names, birth dates, marriage dates and the location of these events | |
| (city, county and state)Any stories about people or places in their lives. |
- (Be prepared for some resistance from some family members. They may feel that the
interview is an intrusion. Be sure to help them understand the purpose of the interview
and that they don't have to give you any information they are not comfortable with. This
tends to happen more with the elderly.)
# 3 - Record information using the genealogy software of your choice.
- Make sure to record the resource that backs up your findings for the data you've
discovered about your ancestors ("interview with grandmother Rose Lynn Johnson", etc.)
Software programs help keep everything organized and serve as a reminder for the
information you don't yet have. See Valuable Tools for more information or for
discussions on genealogy software others have found valuable, visit our blog.
#4 - Use the data collected to search the census for your family.
- Prior to starting your census search, take a look at our page on:
Making Sense of the Census. The census records are an incredible resource! You'll spend
lots of time with these records once you see how much they will reveal.
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