Beginners Guide to Genealogy Research

A Step-by-Step Guide

Step One
Read a beginner’s book to become familiar with how to do genealogy and the types of resources used. Attend a class. Join a genealogy society. Read some beginner's guides online.

Step Two
Gather your supplies. You will need print copies of pedigree charts and family group sheets and/or a genealogy computer software program to organize your information. You’ll also want to have binders or file folders to organize the documents that you find.

Step Three
Record what you already know. Pencil in all that you know on the charts. Remember to use maiden names for women.

Step Four
Look for clues in your own attic, basement, etc. Photographs, diaries, scrapbooks, documents, family bibles, and other mementos in your own home may have information that can help you find names, dates, and places to help guide your research.

Step Five
Talk to your relatives. Ask them about documents and photographs that they may have in their homes that will provide further clues. Record their personal stories and memories.

Step Six
Find out what others have already done by checking for published family histories in books or magazines and looking at web sites.

Step Seven
Start research at libraries, courthouses, cemeteries, churches, funeral homes, etc. Search online databases. For a list of the types of resources you can try when researching an individual, try our Family History Resource Search Checklist.

Step Eight
Document your sources. Sort through the conflicting information. Try to find more than one source to confirm information by evaluating your sources for reliability. Some problems you will encounter are missing records, spelling variations, and lack of indexes.

Step Nine
Keep organized. The number of people you are researching increases quickly with each generation you go back in time. Take the time to enter information on your charts or in your program. Copies of records will mount up so develop a system to organize your copies by surname, place or type of record. Preserve your original documents and photographs.

Step Ten
Ask Questions. People generally are willing to help. Most genealogists are happy to share their knowledge about where to look for information. Join genealogy societies in the areas you are researching, keep attending workshops, read how-to books or watch videos, find books on the state, type of record, or general problem that you are working to solve. Come to the library’s reference desk.

Getting Started Guide Books

The Bare–bones Guide to Genealogy: Researching and Recording Your Family History (929.1 MCG). Offers clear and concise steps to get you started on the trail of your family’s history.

Climbing Your Family Tree: Online and Off-Line Genealogy for Kids (Youth Services 929.1 WOL). Gives step-by-step instructions with lots of fun projects along the way.

Do People Grow on Family Trees?: Genealogy for Kids and Other Beginners (929.1 WOL). Includes suggestions for conducting interviews, tracking down relatives, and deciphering handwriting.

Through the Eyes of Your Ancestors: A Step-by-Step Guide to Uncovering Your Family’s History (Youth Services 929.1 TAY). Presents many different ways to approach family history and the types of records you will use.

Unpuzzling Your Past (929.1 CRO). Offers an introduction to genealogy research that includes helpful examples. If you like this one, also check out this author’s other books: The Genealogist’s Companion and Sourcebook (929.1 CRO) and The Sleuth Book for Genealogists (929.1 CRO).

Web Resources