Genealogy

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Genealogy

Genealogy 101: A Refresher Course in Family History

"We know our families. After all, we lived with them for, well, longer than some of us care to admit. Still, if we knew just a little more . . .

Learning more about your ancestors is easy at Ancestry.com . But sometimes it pays to do a little homework first so you know exactly who, and what, you're looking for.

As you start your trek through Ancestry.com , consider brushing up on the following refresher-sources--unofficial, and often undocumented, treasure troves of family history that might be right under your nose--to ensure you're prepared with all of the information you'll need for a successful journey:

	1. Begin with yourself . It may sound elementary, but start with yourself and word backwards. Even if every bit of known information about your family is etched indelibly in your brain, jot down a list of what you know about everyone and anyone in your family. Names, relationships, birthdays, to whom they were married or divorced. Include deaths, births, places lived, siblings, children--anything and everything you can remember. Make educated guesses when you have to. Review the list and keep it handy--it will help you better understand how much more information you need to know about your personal history. Plus a homegrown quick-reference guide makes your search through Ancestry.com much more efficient.
	2. Prove it. . Once you have listed all you can about your immediate family, determine how much of this information you can actually prove. Do you have copies of records? A birth record, for example, can provide evidence of birth date, place, parents' names, address, ages, occupations, birthplaces of both parents, and other clues. Marriage certificates, death certificates, deeds, immigration documents, and even drivers' licenses or passports, can also provide proof of certain facts.
	3. Interview Relatives . Talk to your aunt, your grandfather, even younger cousins--any relative who can offer first-hand or even hand-me-down stories and clues to your family's past. Take notes or record the interviews: all stories have value and are worth preserving, and remember to cite the source of the information. Remember that not all stories are accurate, but each one can give you insight you many not have had before.
	4. Look Close to Home . Search for names, dates, places, and other family clues in home sources. Baby books, family Bibles, certificates, letters and journals, diplomas, family photographs, newspapers clippings, school records, yearbooks, and scrapbooks are just a few of the sources that can help you find out more about your family's past. If you don't have these records in your own home, contact other family members. They may have a gem hidden in their attic that you never realized could pertain to you.
	5. Read, Read, Read . Take some time to read and learn more about your ancestors and where they lived. Check libraries and genealogy societies for published family histories. Search for a link to your own family tree on the Internet at OneWorldTree (go to Ancestry.com and select "Family Trees") or at RootsWeb . As your search progresses, you may also want to look for local histories and archived newspaper articles (many available at Ancestry.com ) written about the communities in which your ancestors lived. You might even get lucky and find your ancestors mentioned in a previously-unknown publication. "

Ancestry Magazine
3/18/2006

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