How do I get started
doing my genealogy?
First search your entire home, attic, basement,
closets, trunks, shoeboxes and photo albums for clues.
Then, talk to your whole family – Aunts, Uncles,
Cousins, Grandparents – to learn everything that they
know. Only then, can you begin your research.
Now this is sound genealogical advice and in the world
of search-based research, can obviously be quite
helpful. The more you know, the more likely you are to
get results. But it is a very tiny percentage of people
who are willing to start with that level of effort. In
an attempt to make family history available to the
mainstream, we’ve provided for another (and so far
globally more successful) method.
First, start with what you know. Create a tree with the
things you remember. Don’t worry if there are holes –
or you don’t have exact dates or locations. This will
help give you a foundation to determine what you want
to learn.
Then, invite your family to contribute what they know.
Invite your Aunts, Uncles and Cousins to add to your
tree online, fill in dates, tell stories, upload
photos.
Then, come to
Free Genealogy Online to fill in the gaps. |