What is the best most efficient method of researching one's ancestry?

Question

I don't know anything about mine and the only people I know are my grandparents, past them I'm not sure and they're all dead. I'd prefer the method with the least amount of cost involved since I'm currently and unfortunately unemployed.

Answer 1

You start with yourself and work back documenting everything as you do so.

Get as much information from living family as possible, particularly your senior members.  Tape them if they will let you.  It might be they are confused on things, but what might seem to be insignifcant story telling might turn out to be very significant.  People who do this state they go back later after doing research and hear things they didn't hear the first time around.

Ask to see and make copies of birth, marriage and death certificates.  You have to understand, people who do genealogy do not put info regarding the living on line because it is an invasion of privacy and can lead to identity theft.   Birth and death certificates will give both parents' names including mother's maiden names.  Death certificates will usually give places of birth of both parents.  Also depending on the religious faith, baptismal, first communion, confirmation and marriage certificates can be helpful.  If no one has your grandparents' death certificates, see if you can obtain one from the state or the county where they died.  Each state has its own laws regarding who when and where a person can obtain vital records on another person.

Find out if any family has any old family bibles.

Go to your public library and find out what all they have. They might have a subscription to Ancestry.Com you can use.

Ancestry.Com has, I believe, the most records on line. They have all the U.S. censuses through 1930.  The 1940 and later are not available to the public yet. They also have U.K. censuses.

They have transcribed the censuses.  However, you can also view the original census images.  There are errors in those transcriptions but when you see the original image you can take pity on the transcribers.

Frequently, there are errors in the original images.  Census takers were trying to get a head count and to get certain data that were required during that particular census year.  They had no earthly idea that people 100-150 years down the line would be pouring over those censuses trying to find their family history.

Just don't take as absolute fact everything you see in their family trees or family trees on any website, free or paid.  The info is subscriber submitted and mostly not documented or poorly documented.  Even when you see the same info repeatedly by many different subscribers that is no guarantee it is correct. A a lot of people copy without verifying.  The information can be useful as CLUES as to where to get the documentation.

There is no way the people who run those websites can know what is being uploaded or fed into their sites is accurate.  I saw one poster say you can notify them and they will make corrections.  On records, yes.  You can notify them and they have a way of fixing the record where you can see the correct info in the transcription along with the original info. Therefore, other people who come along and try to locate persons can find them.  However, if you see what is an error in a family tree, don't expect the website to make the correction.  You will be told to notify the subscriber.  They are not going to determine which subscriber has the correct information.  

A Family History Center at a Latter Day Saints(Mormon) Chuch is free to use and they have records on people all over the world, not just Mormons.  You need to call them or visit their free website,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.  Sharing ideas and experiences is very helpful to anyone doing genealogy.

Good Luck!

Answer 2

The best way, the most efficient way and the least expensive way are all different. Your question is like asking

"I need to serve a seven-course gourmet meal (with wine) to 12 people. I only have 10 minutes to cook and $4.00 for materials. What is the best way to do it?"

Please re-state your question. Or, since "How do I trace my family tree?" gets asked a dozen times a day here, browse the resolved questions.