How do you find out about your ancesters?

Question

On my Dad's side of the family I don't know very much. I don't even know who some of them are or my great grandmothers maiden name. My mom left my father when I was very young. I was wondering if any one knows how I would go about finding about my family ancestry.

Answer 1

"Linda in Lancaster" and "Boomer Wisdom" both have given good answers.

I would suggest starting with your mother, and talk with her. Obtain a copy of your parents wedding certificate (from your mother or through the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registry) along with the divorce papers.

Then obtain a copy of your fathers birth certificate which would have his parents names on it and also possibly his siblings listed.

You then apply for and obtain copies of your grandparents birth and marriage certificates (and death certificates if they are dead).

THEN join "Ancestory.com" or "genesreunited" which is a UK based site and start your family tree on either of those sites or obtain one of the geneaology software packages to use.

(personally, I am using Genes Reunited and have over 2,700 names on my tree).  <genesreunited.com.uk>

Google and look up a number of genealogy sites on the web, looking at shipping names, DNA projects for certain name groups of your family.  I am assuming you live in the US, so there will be a large number of sites to visit and check on to trace your family tree.

Answer 2

**First of all, do you know your father's full name and where he was from?  If so, that's a good start!  

Once you have his name, look for your parent's marriage license.  If they got married in the city you live in, check the public Recorder's office.  Marriage licenses should be public.  On the marriage license, it should have (depending on the requirements of your particular state/country, etc.) his parent's names.  Sometimes, even the printed marriage licenses column in the newspapers have the parent's names.  Ours does.  Once you get your grandparent's names, you have something to work with!  Go to Ancestry.com and put those in.  You will probably bring up their names in 1/2 dozen different places at that point and you've got a wonderful start.

Now, if you do NOT live where they got married, go to http://www.raogk.org  and find a volunteer for that area to go to the courthouse and find that information for you.  There are volunteers all around the world who love to help others!  (kinda like the people on Yahoo answers!)

Good luck!!!

Answer 3

my mom loves to look up our family history she goes to ancestry.com but i think you have to pay i am not sure

Answer 4

This site is a very good introduction and will point you in the right direction.

Plus, he's a regular Yamster here:

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