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My Guide to Genealogy: 5 Easy Steps for Beginners

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Have you ever wondered where you come from? Whose footsteps you’re walking in? Genealogy is the journey of discovering your family’s past—and it starts with one simple step. Whether you’re curious about your roots or hoping to build a detailed family tree, getting started with genealogy doesn't have to be overwhelming.







Here are 5 easy, practical steps to help you begin your family history journey, even if you’re starting from scratch.



1. Start with What You Know

Every genealogy journey begins at home — with yourself. Before diving into records or databases, gather all the personal and family information you already know. This will give you a solid foundation and make research much easier.

  • Document Yourself

    Start by writing down details about your own life.

    • Full name (including middle names)

    • Birth date and place

    • Marriage(s) and spouse(s), if applicable

    • Children’s names and birth dates

  •  Work Backwards Through Your Family

    Record information about your parents and grandparents.

    • Full names (including maiden names for women)

    • Birth, marriage, and death dates

    • Places of birth, marriage, and death, if known

    • Occupations, military service, or other notable life events

  • Include Extended Family:

    Don’t forget siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, and even close family friends.

    • Record names, approximate birth years, and any stories or details you remember.

    • Jot down any family traditions, nicknames, or unique facts. Sometimes these details help connect records later. (TRUST ME)

  • Organize Your Information

    Use a family group sheet or pedigree chart to start arranging what you’ve gathered.

    • A pedigree chart is ideal for showing your direct ancestors in a simple, visual format.

    • A family group sheet  is perfect for capturing your parents and their children in one place, along with spouses and key dates.

    • Don’t stress about exact spellings, full dates, or complete information yet — the goal is to capture what you know, not what you’ve verified.

  • Collect Stories and Memories

    Interview living relatives as soon as possible. Older family members often hold the richest details that aren’t recorded anywhere else.

    • Ask about ancestors’ names, places they lived, jobs, military service, and family traditions.

    • Record these conversations via voice memo, video, or detailed notes.

    • Even small anecdotes — like a favorite recipe, migration story, or childhood memory — can become a clue in your research.


✏️ Tip: Interview living relatives early! Ask older family members about ancestors, places, and family stories. Voice recordings or notes from these conversations can hold priceless details not found in documents. Also asking open-ended questions like:

  • “What do you remember about your grandparents?”

  • “Where did our family live before I was born?”

  • “Do you know any stories about our ancestors coming to this country?”


Collecting what you know now will save time later and give your genealogy research direction. Remember: every small detail you record today could be the key to discovering generations past tomorrow.



2. Choose a Way to Organize Your Research

As you collect names, dates, and family stories, having a clear system to organize your research is essential. Without organization, it’s easy to lose track of important details, accidentally duplicate work, or become overwhelmed as your family tree grows.


The key is to pick a method that fits your style — digital, paper, or a combination — and stick with it consistently.


Digital Options

Digital tools make it easy to store, search, and share your information, and they can handle large amounts of data without clutter.

1. Free Family Tree Platforms

  • FamilySearch.org – Completely free and collaborative, with millions of indexed records and resources from around the world.

  • Ancestry.com – Subscription-based, offering access to global records, historical documents, and user-submitted family trees.

  • MyHeritage – Excellent for international records and includes DNA integration to connect with living relatives.

2. Genealogy Software

  • RootsMagic, Legacy Family Tree, Family Tree Maker – Desktop programs that allow offline data management, detailed charts, and custom reports.

  • Many of these programs let you attach documents, photos, and source citations directly to individuals, making it easy to see all related information at a glance.


💡 Tip: Digital platforms are ideal if you want to search records online, collaborate with relatives, or preserve a lot of media like photos and scanned certificates. They also make backup copies easy, so your research is safer from loss.


Paper Options

Some researchers prefer writing and handling physical documents. Paper systems can be just as effective if organized carefully.

1. Printable Charts

  • Pedigree Charts – Show your direct ancestors in a simple, visual format.

  • Family Group Sheets – Record parents and their children together, along with important life events.

2. Binders & File Folders

  • Organize documents, certificates, and notes in labeled folders.

  • Use tabs for each family line or type of record (e.g., birth certificates, census records, photographs).

  • Include a master index or table of contents to quickly locate materials.


💡 Tip: Paper systems are great for hands-on researchers, those who like to write notes and annotations, or when working in archives without internet access.


By choosing an organizational system early and sticking with it, you’ll save time, prevent frustration, and build a research process that can grow with your family tree.



📂 Pro Tip: Always Cite Your Sources

Whether you choose digital or paper organization, source citation is critical:

  • Record where each piece of information came from, even if it’s an oral account like “Aunt Mary told me.”

  • Proper citations help keep your research accurate and traceable.

  • They make it easier to verify details, correct errors, and revisit sources as new information becomes available.

Suggested citation format for beginners:

  • Name of the record or person providing the information

  • Date you accessed or recorded it

  • Location or repository

Example: “Birth certificate of John Smith, 1923, County Clerk, Springfield, IL”

Example: “Interview with Aunt Mary, June 2025, recorded in family notebook”


Also see Evidence Explained: Historical Analysis, Citation & Source Usage By Elizabeth Shown Mills, an internationally acclaimed historical researcher and writer. The book of the same name is a BIG must have among genealogist.



3. Fill in the Gaps Using Records

Once you’ve built the foundation of your family tree, the next step is to verify and expand it using historical records. These sources help confirm relationships, uncover new relatives, and add valuable context to your ancestors’ lives.


Key Record Types to Start With

1. U.S. Census Records (1790–1950)

  • Taken every 10 years, census records allow you to track families over time.

  • Look for details such as occupations, locations, household members, and even immigration or naturalization status.

  • Pay attention to neighbors—extended family often lived close by.


How to use: Start with the most recent census available for your ancestor, then move backward in 10-year increments. Compare ages, household members, and places of residence to ensure you’re following the right family.


2. Vital Records: Birth, Marriage, and Death Certificates

  • Birth records confirm parentage and exact dates.

  • Marriage records can reveal spouses’ names, maiden names, and sometimes parents.

  • Death certificates often list next of kin, cause of death, and burial locations.


How to use: Always cross-check these records with census entries. For example, a marriage certificate can help explain a new surname or additional family members appearing in later census years.


3. Obituaries and Newspaper Archives

  • Obituaries often list surviving relatives, married names, and places of residence.

  • Local newspapers may include marriage announcements, community events, or even legal notices connected to your ancestors.


How to use: Search local papers for the towns where your ancestors lived. Pair obituary information with cemetery databases to verify burial locations.


Where to Find These Records


🔍 Research Tip

Work one generation at a time. Start with yourself and move backward. Resist the urge to jump several generations without proof. Always confirm each relationship with at least one reliable document, and when possible, use multiple sources for verification.



4. Get Familiar with Surnames, Places & Spelling Variants

Names and places are the foundation of genealogical research—but they’re rarely straightforward. Before standardized spelling, names were often written phonetically by clerks, ministers, or census takers. Add in immigration, language differences, and shifting boundaries, and suddenly the trail can get complicated.


Things to Remember:

Surnames aren’t fixed.

  • A Swedish surname like Johansson might become Johnson in America.

  • Nicknames often show up in records—Elizabeth could appear as Lizzie, Eliza, Betsy, or Beth.

  • Immigrants sometimes adopted entirely new names to assimilate, making it important to look for clusters of families, not just one name spelling. (example from my own family tree: Fournier to Fuller, Petre to Peets)

Places can change too.

  • A town listed in 1800 may no longer exist, or it may now fall under a different county or state.

  • Boundary lines often shifted, especially in the 18th and 19th centuries—meaning the same piece of land could show up under multiple jurisdictions over time.

  • Always note the historical county/state at the time your ancestor lived there, not just the modern name.

Spelling variants are your friend.

  • The surname Smith might appear as Smyth, Smithe, or even the German Schmidt.

  • Try “wildcard searches” in databases (e.g., Sm?th to catch Smith/Smyth).

  • Look at handwriting closely—what looks like an “r” might actually be an “n.”


🗺️ Bonus Tip: Use Historical Maps: Overlay old maps with modern ones to see how borders shifted, towns disappeared, or railroads developed. Using tools like the David Rumsey Map Collection or USGS Historical Topographic Maps can help you track down where your ancestors really lived.


Why this matters: Getting comfortable with variations in names and places will prevent you from overlooking records that do belong to your family, but don’t look like an exact match at first glance. (I'll have many examples in future posts)



5. Connect with Other Researchers

Genealogy can feel overwhelming when you’re working alone—but you don’t have to do it by yourself. One of the most effective ways to grow as a researcher is to tap into the genealogy community. Other researchers can offer advice, share resources, verify information, and even help you break through “brick walls” in your family tree.

1. Join Online Communities

  • Platforms like Facebook host groups for specific surnames, regions, origins, or research challenges.

  • Reddit’s r/Genealogy is a popular forum where members share tips, answer questions, and celebrate discoveries.

  • How to use them effectively: Read past posts to see common questions, ask clear and specific questions, and share your findings when you can.

2. Follow Experts and Educational Content

  • Subscribe to genealogy blogs, newsletters, or YouTube channels to learn new research methods, tools, and strategies.

  • Look for content that provides case studies or tutorials—this shows you how professionals approach research step by step.

  • Example: Following Roots & Resting Places will keep you updated on tips for cemetery research, record interpretation, and storytelling techniques.

3. Attend Local Meetings and Workshops

  • Libraries, historical societies, and genealogy societies often hold monthly meetings, workshops, or speaker events.

  • These gatherings are valuable for learning about local records, unique collections, and regional history that may not be digitized online.

  • Meeting other researchers in person can also lead to collaborations, record-sharing, and mentorship opportunities.

4. Take Free Courses and Webinars

  • Resources like FamilySearch’s Learning Center or the National Archives webinars offer free courses on topics like census research, vital records, and DNA analysis.

  • Structured learning can help you develop research strategies, citation habits, and problem-solving skills more quickly than trial and error alone.


💡 Pro Tips for Collaboration:

  • Don’t just consume content—actively participate. Ask questions, share your discoveries, and offer guidance when you can.

  • Collaboration can speed up your research; another genealogist may already have found records or information you’re seeking or even know where you can find what you are looking for.

  • Keep an organized log of who you connect with and what advice or records they provide—this ensures you can trace sources and revisit helpful tips later.



My Final Thoughts

Genealogy is far more than collecting names, dates, and documents—it’s about uncovering the stories that make your family who they are. Every ancestor lived a life full of choices, challenges, and experiences that ripple down through generations. By exploring their histories, you gain insight not only into their lives but also into your own identity and place in the world.


Remember:

  • You don’t need to be an expert to begin. Genealogy is a skill developed over time, through curiosity, patience, and consistent practice.

  • Every piece of information matters. Even a small clue—like a cemetery record, an old photograph, or a relative’s anecdote—can lead to important discoveries.

  • Mistakes happen, and records may be incomplete or conflicting. That’s normal. Each challenge is an opportunity to learn, verify, and grow as a researcher.


Start simple:

  • Pick a single relative or branch of your family to explore.

  • Document what you know, then slowly work backward generation by generation.

  • Use the tools, tips, and communities we’ve discussed to verify facts and expand your understanding.


Genealogy isn’t just about creating a family tree—it’s about connecting with your heritage, honoring the lives of your ancestors, and preserving their stories for future generations. Each discovery, no matter how small, is a thread that strengthens the tapestry of your family history.


So grab a notebook, open a new family tree, or call your grandmother.

Your story is waiting to be told.



Happy Hunting,

Shawna

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