I want to see a family tree of my family?

Question

My mom, my dad, my grandma and grandpa don't know anything. What can I do, is there good websites?

Answer 1

They can't not know ANYTHING. They know their own names, birthdays, where they were born, the names of their parents (unless they were adopted). It's very hard to not even have the basics.

I started with my own details- my date of birth, place of birth, marriage dates. And the same with my parents and grandparents.

If your grandparents are still alive, they should remember the names of their parents, and perhaps even their grandparents. My family has always been big on remembering birthdays. I've always known my grandparents birthdays, and perhaps your grandparents know THEIR grandparents birthdays, or at least where they were from. They may also remember some smaller things about them. For example, what they looked like, their accents, their character, their likes and dislikes. Anything that helps you build up an image of them in your mind.

Also, ask to go through their albums and name people in your family. After they die, those images become pretty useless if you don't know who they are. Plenty of people on here would be envious of you to still have your grandparents alive and able to help with your research.

If your grandparents remember the names of THEIR grandparents, that's 5 generations right there; and it didn't cost you a penny. When you have this information, sign up for Ancestry or Genes Reunited, and build up the information on your tree. If you're lucky, you can find a common ancestor (ie, a person you have in your tree that someone else has in their tree too), and this will unlock new information for you. But if not, it's time to look at the censuses and birth, marriage and death certificates.

If you need more help, we're always here

EDIT - What's the thumbs down all about? All of my advice is sensible and obvious, and I myself was in this position, therefore I know what I'm talking about.

Answer 2

O.K., here is what to do:

You should start by asking all your living relatives about family history.  Then, armed with that information, you can go to your public library and check to see if it has a genealogy department.  Most do nowadays; also, don't forget to check at community colleges, universities, etc.  Our public library has both www.ancestry.com and www.heritagequest.com free for anyone to use (no library card required).

Another place to check out is any of the Mormon's Family History Centers.  They allow people to search for their family history (and, NO, they don't try to convert you).

A third option is one of the following websites:

http://www.searchforancestors.com/...

http://www.censusrecords.net/?o_xid=2739...

http://www.usgenweb.com/

http://www.census.gov/

http://www.rootsweb.com/

http://www.ukgenweb.com/

http://www.archives.gov/

http://www.familysearch.org/

http://www.accessgenealogy.com/...

http://www.cyndislist.com/

http://www.geni.com/

Cyndi's has the most links to genealogy websites, whether ship's passenger lists, ancestors from Africa, ancestors from the Philippines, where ever and whatever.

Of course, you may be successful by googling: "john doe, born 1620, plimouth, massachusetts" as an example.

Good luck and have fun!

Check out this article on five great free genealogy websites:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article...

Then there is the DNA test; if you decide you want to REALLY know where your ancestors came from opt for the DNA test. Besides all the mistakes that officials commonly make, from 10% to 20% of birth certificates list the father wrong; that is, mama was doing the hanky-panky and someone else was the REAL father. That won't show up on the internet or in books; it WILL show up in DNA.

I used www.familytreedna.com which works with the National Geographics Genotype Program.

Answer 3

The only way your family tree is online is if some family member has researched it and put it online.  Don't expect to find your family tree online.  You might find some of your family as long as they're not living.  It is a violation of privacy and can lead to identity theft to put information about living people online.

However, family trees  on ANY website are subscriber submitted and mostly not documented.  You cannot take as absolute fact everything you see in them.  You might see different information on the same people from many different subscribers. Then you will see the same information on the same people from many different subscribers. That is no guarantee at all it is correct.  A lot of people copy without verifying.  There are errors in online family trees.  Anybody that has told you that they found their family tree online, you need to tell them unless they have verified it with documentation, they don't know if they have an accurate family tree or not.  Use the information only as CLUES as to where to get the documentation.

You start with yourself and work back one generation at a time.  Talk to as many living relatives as possible, particularly your old folks.  Tape them if they will let you.  It might turn out they are confused on some things but what might seem to be insignificant story telling might turn out to be very significant. Ask if any family members has any old family bibles.  Ask to see and make copies of birth, death, marriage certificates. These have parent information.

Also, depending on the religious faith, baptismal, first communion, confirmation and marriage certificates also can be valuable.  

I know that the early applications for a social security number definitely had not only the applicant's name and place of birth but both parents' names and places of birth.

I ordered two for a friend on her parents.  Rootsweb and FamilySearch.org(free sites) has the Social Security Death Index.  All you need is the name as they were on Social Security OR their social security number.  If you find them on Rootsweb, there is a place to the right you can click on and a letter will come up for you to send to the Social Security Administration. All you have to do is put your name, address on it and send it with the letter and a $27 check.

Then go to your public library and find out what all they have in the genealogy area. The librarian there probably can help.   They might have a subscription to Ancestry.Com you can use.  Ancestry.Com has lots of records and seems to be getting more all the time. They have all the U.S. censuses through 1930.  The 1940 and later are not available to the public yet.  

They have immigration records and indexes to a lot of states' vital records.  

They have U.K. censuses also.

A Family History Center at a Latter Day Saints(Mormon) Church has records on people all over the world, not just Mormons.

You need to call them or visit their free website at FamilySearch.org to find out their hours for the general public.  In Salt Lake City, they have the world's largest genealogical collection. Their Family History Centers can order microfilm for you to view at a nominal fee.

I have never had them to try and convert me or send their missionaries by to ring my doorbell.  I haven't heard of them doing that to anyone else that has used their resources.  They are very nice and helpful.

While you are at your library and the Family History Center, you will probably have an excellent opportunity to talk with other researchers that can give you some great tips and advice.

Answer 4

Ancestry.com

Answer 5

idk but now I wont to do the same so if you fine out let me no plz

Answer 6

then i would go to google and type family tree and it would put 100's of websites to choose from.

Answer 7

Websites don't work, you can contact your local government and they will have a family tree of some sort for you to have.

Answer 8

If there was a website that had all the details of my family I would be freaked out!

Answer 9

myft.com

Answer 10

www.genealogy.com

Answer 11

you have to create it ! start with asking questions of your mom, dad, grandparents, like birthdates, etc of the oldest relatives they know and then go to ancestry.com and fill in info. There are other sites also, like familysearch.org.