How do I find where in a country my family came from?

Question

To find the area they are from, what records can I find?

Answer 1

That can be very hard to do. I was told that in some countries people did not record birth's, death's and marriages because they had to pay a tax for doing so.

I found out that was the case in Scotland where my ancestors came from. But did find a marriage for a bride and groom matching the names I had on South Carolina records. The dates matched. But I still don't have 'real' documentation.

Also,  go to   http://www.rootsweb.com   and do a search. Someone

with the same family name may have already found some things that they have put on one of the message boards.

I did receive a wonderful account of my family of Douglas' from another researcher.

Answer 2

What country and approximately what year?

Answer 3

Check the County Clerk's Records in the county where your ancestor lived after immigration to this country. When ever a petition for citizenship was filed they may have named not only the country of origin but also the city.