How to Trace Your Ancestry
Ask questions., Build on prior research., Make a family tree to organize what you know., Make a simple "direct route" list first.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Ask questions.
Find out as much as you can about your family history.
Look through old photo albums, and ask your family members what they know.
Ask for the names of grandparents, great-grandparents, and other relatives, as far back as they can remember.
Determine the names, locations, and timelines of the ancestors you want to know about.
Make sure to get the exact spelling.
Learn about any spelling changes that may have taken place over the years.
Perhaps your ancestors changed their names when they moved to a new country or community.
Family members can be the simplest way to the past.
Do not assume that your parents, grandparents, and other relatives have already told you everything that they know.
Older relatives may remember further back. -
Step 2: Build on prior research.
Find out whether your family has done any genealogy research before.
Look for any existing (online or physical) documents that tell about your family.
Also, look for pictures that can give you a sense of what life was like back when the photo was taken.
Look for family trees, records, and research projects that might give you a solid starting point. , Start with yourself, and map out everything that you know about your family history.
Trace the chain of ancestry backward through your parents, your grandparents, your great-grandparents, and beyond.
Add birthdays, death dates, marriages, locations, and any other relevant information. , Branch into the past from you to your mother and father, then their parents, and then their grandparents By the time you list your great-grandparents, you already have 15 people on your "tree".
To start your quest, find out as much as you can about those 15 people.
Try running a simple web search.
Find out when and where these ancestors were born.
Note when these people married, and how many children they had.
Figure out when and where these people died. -
Step 3: Make a family tree to organize what you know.
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Step 4: Make a simple "direct route" list first.
Detailed Guide
Find out as much as you can about your family history.
Look through old photo albums, and ask your family members what they know.
Ask for the names of grandparents, great-grandparents, and other relatives, as far back as they can remember.
Determine the names, locations, and timelines of the ancestors you want to know about.
Make sure to get the exact spelling.
Learn about any spelling changes that may have taken place over the years.
Perhaps your ancestors changed their names when they moved to a new country or community.
Family members can be the simplest way to the past.
Do not assume that your parents, grandparents, and other relatives have already told you everything that they know.
Older relatives may remember further back.
Find out whether your family has done any genealogy research before.
Look for any existing (online or physical) documents that tell about your family.
Also, look for pictures that can give you a sense of what life was like back when the photo was taken.
Look for family trees, records, and research projects that might give you a solid starting point. , Start with yourself, and map out everything that you know about your family history.
Trace the chain of ancestry backward through your parents, your grandparents, your great-grandparents, and beyond.
Add birthdays, death dates, marriages, locations, and any other relevant information. , Branch into the past from you to your mother and father, then their parents, and then their grandparents By the time you list your great-grandparents, you already have 15 people on your "tree".
To start your quest, find out as much as you can about those 15 people.
Try running a simple web search.
Find out when and where these ancestors were born.
Note when these people married, and how many children they had.
Figure out when and where these people died.
About the Author
Sophia Phillips
Brings years of experience writing about hobbies and related subjects.
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