How can i start a search for info on family history?

Question

How can i start a search for info on family history?

Answer 1

Try this link, it will help you with the basics to get started:

http://www.tedpack.org/

His narratives are well written, and though he's opinionated (all genealogists are-- he's earned his opinions) you'll find all you need to get started in the discipline of genealogy.

And don't forget: check to see if you can join a local genealogy society. Learn from the more experienced.

Happy hunting!

Answer 2

Start right there at home. Pulling out your own birth certificate to DOCUMENT your self to your parents is step one. The reason for doing that, is so you start with the basic, key work for genealogy.. which is documentation (yes, even when you think you know the answer).  You know who your parents are (and yes, some do not) but you'll notice that it will have other info, such as their age, location.  Having verified that.. use documentation to "prove"  who your grandparents were, by using records concerning your parents. Some will have grandparents still living..for others, the grandparents will be dead, and you will want those records.  You will be flat amazed at how quickly you will find that what people remember (or don't remember) is not the same as the actual records.

For privacy reasons.. you will not find most of the "recent" records on the internet. You wouldn't want someone else accessing your personal info, right? it can be misused.  If you are in the US, the 1930 census, and prior, are open for research. The limit on UK census is 100 yrs.  Overall, ancestry.com is the main place that offers census (a major record for family), although it does have a fee. The fee is minor, compared to cost of going to libraries, or you might have a library close by, that subscribes and you can use it for free.

One major problem for new researchers, is expecting it "all" too fast.  Think about jigsaw puzzles, instead of finished painting. You have to 'build' on the prior info.. find the grandparents before you find the gr grandparents. If you don't build a solid foundation, you can wind up spending effort (read-money) on people who are not your ancestors. You may eventually find someone has already done the research for someone and posted it.. however, it is still important for you to know what records are used, and which can be good/bad.  Someone else's research is not a record or a source.. it is only their research.  Come to a screeching halt, if someone tells you that they are too busy to verify their own files. If THEY don't know if it is right or wrong, how will you?

Where you will find any given record, completely depends on the person you are working, the time, the place. You will quickly learn.. birth certificates as we know them were NOT always required, same for death. You shift then to things like church baptism records, tombstones, family Bibles.. whatever is out there.

If you bookmark ANY one site, I suggest

http://www.cyndislist.com/

Browsing what she has, is an eye opener as to the many topics and sites that are out there.  Don't overlook her excellent section for beginners.