How do I make a family tree, or find out about genealogy?

Question

I am trying to trace back from both my father and mother's side, but I can only get information about my great-grandparents at best. How do I go about finding relatives? I know nothing what-so-ever about this

Answer 1

There are sites which help you in getting valuable information about tracing family tree. Few example of such sites are:

www.tribaljunction.com

www.ancestry.com

www.genealogy.com

www.familysearch.org

www.rootsweb.ancestry.com

As you add relatives, your tree automatically grows and automatically links to existing trees of more distant relatives. This lets you discover your roots more easily. I hope these sites will render useful information in search of your genealogy.

Answer 2

some of my tips -

1. start with YOU and work back. Do not pass go, do not collect 2.95.

2. Do not ignore rule 1.

3. ALWAYS get documentation, even for what you "know".  10% of the time, what you "know" will be false.

4. It's cool if family can tell you info. The core of genealogy is #3, so you shift from what they tell you, to finding records

5. Someone else's research online is not a record. It is their collection of info, which can be wrong, if they ignore #3.

6. It will NOT all be online (especially living persons). It will not all be free. Some of the pay sites are worth their weight in gold.

7. None of us knew this stuff either, when we started. Don't feel lonesome. You learn as you go, then it changes. You are flexible, right??

8. There is no one best website. You will use MANY websites.  The more the better.

9. You do not have a family crest, or a Cherokee princess in your family.  Coats of arms were given to individuals; Cherokees did not have Royalty.

10. The more specific your question, the best chance of someone helping. Lots of cool people here, and almost all simply love the challenge of helping.

11. You are not tracing a surname. You trace individual persons (this helps focus on where their records will be hidden).

12.  If you are not having fun.. you are doing it wrong. Wait, that is a life rule. Ok, you may use it here if you like.

Answer 3

You can join Ancestry.com free for 14 days, and they have wonderful information.  I recently started doing our family tree and have found so many interesting little stories, like our Quaker ancestor who was so obnoxious to the British they burned his house and barn with all their contents.  The DAR named him Patriot, although he never fired a shot.  LOL!

Anyway, they also have census records and lots of other helpful information.  Plus, you can look at other people's family trees, people looking for the same people you are.  Try it.  It won't cost you anything for the 14 day period.  They are the LDS site, actually.

Answer 4

1. Go to your local Public  Library and ask if they have genealogy classes  and if they have a genealogy branch or family history library nearby, many public libraries offer ancestry free on their computers where you can look up stuff.

2. My Favorite Websites

   Genforum

   rootsweb

   familysearch.org

   Cyndis list

   usgenweb archives

   State Archives websites

   tribalpages.com

   legacyfamilytree "Standard Edition" is free to keep track of   all your stuff.

    3. Make a list , interview all your relatives, Look at Census data from 1930 backward in time. Find books on where your relatives where, marriage licenses, death certificates, etc.

Look for Military records, WWI and WWII records, Civil War Pension Records and Revolutionary War Pension Records

4. Make copies of everything , TRACK your Sources!

write down where you found everything, Page numbers, book name, publishers etc, Website etc.

If I make a copy I put all the info on the back of the copy of where I got  it.

Good Luck...

Answer 5

You can also go here. This site has links to tutorials, as well as a guide to the basics:

http://www.tedpack.org/howstart.html

Most local libraries usually have books on genealogy; sometimes a book just works better than a computer screen for learning things.

I joined the local genealogical society, and have found it to be very helpful. It's good to learn from the more experienced folks.

The people who frequent this Y!A forum are very helpful and handy, too. So keep checking in. And happy hunting.