1. Get Organized
Getting organized is the first and most important step in initiating your genealogy project.A family tree is a chart that outlines the results of a genealogy search. Making a family tree starts with getting your paperwork in order.
Starting the search for your own family tree marks the beginning of a private adventure into your personal history. You’ll find delightful surprises, family secrets, and heartaches. The treasures you find will be enjoyed by generations who follow.
You start a genealogy search by writing down everything you know about your family history. You begin with yourself and work backward to your parents and their parents.
Getting Yourself Ready For a Genealogy Search
You’ll search for documents that can verify family stories - birth certificates, military records, wills, marriage licenses, and deeds. Therefore, It is a good idea to prepare a notebook to organize yourself.
More Info:
To Organize or Be a Genealogy Slob
By: Rudy ColemanClick Here to Read This Article (will open in a new window)
When doing genealogy you’ll also explore how to plan a family reunion or visit with relatives to obtain all the information you can. You’ll visit to your local courthouse to learn about searching public records. We’ll address countless genealogy search web sites and look through their database for your family information.
You can hire a professional genealogy search company to find missing ancestors when your own leads are exhausted. But I know that after you’ve gathered your initial information, you’ll focus on one ancestor at a time. You’ll be more successful and get less discouraged if you research one person at a time. Ready? Ok, let’s get started.
What Does a Family Tree Template Look Like?
A Google image search on “genealogy chart” will show you hundreds of examples of what a family tree can look like.
Most family tree templates wont Aunts, Uncles, or Cousins. This is because a family tree typically includes only you, your grandparents, great grandparents, etc. (Note that others have argued this point. Some believe that searching for Aunts, Uncles, or Cousins can provide leads back to your own bloodline. I agree that they can find leads; they still have no business on your own tree.)
Building a Genealogy Chart or Template
The first chapter of The Basic Beginner’s Genealogy Guide provides over a dozen different family tree templates, genealogy templates, and genealogy worksheets that you can use to get yourself organized.
A genealogy chart starts with you and then branches first to your parents and then your grandparents. From there it goes to your great grandparents, great-great grandparents, and so on.
At a minimum, a genealogy chart will have the full name for each entry. Many will argue that (at a minimum) the genealogy chart should include date of birth and date of death.
A good family tree has formal evidence behind every entry. Birth certificates, death certificates, and marriage licenses are all typical sources of evidence. The complete Genealogy Guide provides a lot of details on how to find these documents (but you’ll find the first few in the next section).
Next Step… Starting With Yourself
