3 Tips for Beginning Your Ancestry Research

This post was originally published to my old family history blog, boldandqueer(dot)com. Since no longer publishing on that site, I have moved a handful of popular posts to this space and dated them as their original publish date. Please visit my Bold+Queer Family History category for all family history and genetic genealogy specific posts.

So you’re curious about your family history and feeling ready to begin your ancestry research but you don’t quite know where to begin? Yes, it can all feel a bit overwhelming at times, but trust me, there’s no need to complicate things for yourself right off the bat. I know exactly how you’re feeling and am happy to give you a few tips that have proven wildly helpful on my journey.

Determine Your Documentation Methods

Determining how you want to keep track of the information you collect and document from the beginning is crucial because it will lay the foundation for this grand adventure you’re about to undertake.

If you’re a paper and pen person, get yourself a spiral notebook with pocketed sections or a reem of paper and a couple of file folders to begin collecting information in.

If you’re a computer person, create a file on your desktop and label it Ancestry Research or Family History (or something similar that strikes your fancy).

Or maybe you’re both (like me) and like hard copies as well as digital. That’s great! Whatever method feels easiest to you will be the method that works best for you.

And please, while determining your documentation methods is important, don’t worry about it all too much right now. You can always adapt them later if you find a process that works better for you once you’re in the thick of it.

Establish the Key Facts to Include in your Documentation

While there are many facts you might include in your documentation, the key facts are most important right now (in your process and in present time). We’ll dive more into historically important/helpful facts another day.

Key facts to include in your notes:

• Full names (first, middle, last)
• Birth date and location (city/county, state, country)
• Marriage date and location (as relevant)
• Death date and location (as relevant)

Top Tip: If you don’t have exact dates for any of your facts yet, that’s OK! Start with approximations based on your memory of certain events by using “before”, “about”, or “after”.

For Example: Your Mom’s oldest sister died when she was young and you’re not exactly sure when but you know it was before your mom graduated from High School in 1970. In this case you could initially write: Jane Doe, born about 1950, died before 1970. Further details can always be added later.

From One Come Many

While ancestry research expands on itself very quickly (especially with the help of the internet), we’re going to start off simple and grow from there. You may have grand goals for your family history research but it all has to start somewhere and I believe right where you are is the best place to start so…

Start with Yourself

Yep, document yourself first and work your way out from there. So, grab a cuppa your favorite beverage and begin writing down (or typing out) the above mentioned facts.

Remember, the work you’re doing now is not only for yourself and your own discoveries, but for those in your lineage who either aren’t yet interested in family history or who maybe haven’t even been born yet. Your research will be valuable someday to people you can’t even imagine yet, don’t leave yourself out of that picture. You are the center of this new tree you are developing and now is the time to document your importance 😊

Next, Document Your Direct Relatives

Write down everything you know (or think you know) about your

• Parents
• Siblings
• Grandparents
• Great Grandparents (This might be a stretch, don’t worry if it is. All in good time.)

If you have them, also include your children and grandchildren in this step.

Now Move on to Your Indirect Relatives

Once you have as many direct relatives noted, it’s time to move on to your Indirect Relatives. Write down everything you know (or think you know) about your

• Aunts/Uncles
• Cousins
• Nieces/Nephews

Once you have as much of this written down as possible sit back and take a deep breathe…

Congratulations!

While it may look simple, what you’ve just done is created a firm foundation from which everything in your family history can be built off of and that’s huge!

Bonus Step: Expand Your Notes & Your Knowledge

Now that you’ve written out the essential information about yourself and your closest relatives you might experience two things:

1. Excitement and a wave of memories
2. Awareness about gaps in the information you’ve just pulled from your memory

Both of the above experiences are wonderful windows into your next steps and will help you formulate a plan.

If you are now called to write down some memories, do it! Following that flow of memory may seem frivolous but, trust me, it’s not. There are key bits of information in our memories that are capable of unlocking wonderful pieces of ourselves and our families that can either help build your family tree or become an outline for your eventual family story or memoir.

If, however, you want to get the facts all filled in first, by all means, do so and make contact with whoever you think might be ready and willing to share the information you’re looking for. Identify one or more family members who you feel comfortable reaching out to and give them a  call, text, or email (remember, everyone prefers and will respond to different modes of communication). Write down (or copy/paste) everything you receive.

Yes, everything.

It is key that you make note of everything you receive, even/especially if it differs from your own memory as it will all help you prove or disprove facts as you proceed in your research.

If you’re not ready for this step, no worries! Creating the foundation for your family tree is a brilliant first step and worthy of congratulations. You can always elaborate on it all another day.

WooHoo! You’re off to a roaring start!

I hope you’re feeling accomplished and excited about the work you’re putting in because you truly should. Remember, the first steps are always the hardest.

I’d love to hear from you and how your ancestry research is kicking off (or continuing). Please tell me all about it in the comments.

Onward,

Melissa