| Tracing your family history can be a fascinating | | | | your research. When you have exhausted the |
| experience. You may learn things about your | | | | memories of your family members, your |
| family's past that astound and surprise you. You | | | | research is just beginning. Now you can begin |
| might even gain a few insights about yourself | | | | your document search and examine old records |
| when you come to know the evolution of your | | | | like a census. You can use the maiden names you |
| family. The map that outlines your family history | | | | have as well as the names of the children and |
| is known as your family tree and when you begin | | | | addresses as puzzle pieces to help you identify |
| to research family tree information you are in for | | | | family members that were missed. In addition to |
| a lot of unexpected tidbits of information. The | | | | verbal memories, gather as many old photographs |
| idea of getting started in family history is | | | | as you can and scan old documents like |
| overwhelming to most people. Maybe you feel the | | | | naturalization papers. These old documents can be |
| same way and wonder how you could go about | | | | helpful in ways you may not be able to imagine. |
| learning about your distant relatives. It really isn't | | | | For example, if you have a picture of a relative at |
| as hard as you might assume. You may even be | | | | a world fair, you are able to pinpoint them at a |
| surprised to find out it is a lot of fun and a great | | | | specific time in your family timeline. |
| learning experience for you and your family. | | | | The internet will be a big help to you when looking |
| The first thing you should do is talk to as many | | | | up information about your family tree. You have |
| of your older relatives as you can while they are | | | | several good genealogy websites to choose from, |
| still around. They have a wealth of information | | | | some of them are free and some of them |
| and love to share stories about times past. Ask | | | | charge an access fee. The paid ones are easier to |
| them about relatives as far back as they can | | | | use in some ways because the sites can use that |
| remember as this will give you a starting point for | | | | revenue to improve their usability and database |
| your research. Eventually you will hit a brick wall | | | | availability. Using a free site though is a good place |
| that none of your living family members can | | | | to start and can help you find a lot of information |
| remember past. Don't let that discourage you | | | | about your ancestors. These family history |
| because it is bound to happen.When you are | | | | websites enable you to search through databases |
| talking to your relatives, be sure to take careful | | | | you would not otherwise be able to access. |
| notes and ask about maiden names and all of the | | | | These could provide you with the clues you need |
| marriages and children that were born. Draw up a | | | | to make progress. You will find census records, |
| family tree to the best of your ability as far back | | | | criminal records, birth record, and death records. |
| as you can with the help of your living family. | | | | Finding a vital record of one of your relatives can |
| When making your tree, cross check the | | | | really help you make progress. Knowing your |
| information supplied by your relatives. Memories | | | | ancestry and history is fun and even important to |
| often fail and if you were given false information, | | | | helping you feel connected to the past. When you |
| it is better to weed it out before you spend a lot | | | | research family tree information, it will give you a |
| of time researching a false lead. In addition to the | | | | clearer sense of where you came from and who |
| names of your ancestors, you also want to take | | | | you are. You will also be doing a great service for |
| note of the locations where they were born and | | | | the younger generations in your family by |
| lived their lives. All of this data may become | | | | showing them their family origins and helping them |
| useful, if not now, then further down the road of | | | | understand your traditions. |