How do I find more info on family?

Question

researching geneology most of my family is deceased so how do I find info with what little I have and how do I get details you know the story behind the name?

Answer 1

First, how much info do you have?
Second, how far back does that info go?
Third, how common is the name?

Alright, with that, if your info goes back far enough, you can probably find SOMETHING. It may not be much, but something. Most records are private for 50 to 100 years, so, for someone say 25, you would need info about your great grandfather/mother. Any info is useful; names, dates, places. And I mean ANY. Names of siblings, your great aunts and uncles, cousins, any name. Dates of birth, death, marriage, immigration. Records about buying, selling, or renting land. Owning a business. Anything.

Look online. Check obituaries, if you know where and when they died, because they'll have names of children, siblings, and parents. And where each live. See if someone else is researching the same last name; there are several listservers that send info on all info found from a given surname to everyone on the list. If you live near the public library, go and look through census records. .If you don't you can write the Department of Vital Records for whichever state, and get copies of the records they have. They do cost, usually between $10-$50 a record. So know what you're going after. Check EllisIsland.org, it's a record, free, of immigrants who passed through Ellis Island in NYC.

And last but not least, join one of those family tree websites. I do not recommend ancestry.com, because they charge entirely too much, but there are several others: genealogy.com, myfamily.com, etc. They may cost, but they give you access to all they have access to, which includes census and immigration records. You can also, on myfamily.com at least, build your family tree online and invite other family members. I've found several that I didn't kow existed that have given me entire branches of the hereforeto family shrub.

Answer 2

Hey brooklynncre...,

The best way is to start with all the records you have, and all the live people in your family. Organize what records you have, and interview the people. Get Names, Dates, Birth, Death, locations, and if they know of any family records.

Use Birth Certificates to get parents names, locations, and dates. Once you do that, get their death certificates - you can order online. That will tell you a lot of information. Get Marriage certificates too. Obituaries will give information about relations too. Track all of this. Use a Software program like Family Tree Maker (about $30) to help you organize the information you are collecting. Here are some web sites:

Answer 3

Grey Trees gave you a great answer. Here are some links. They may help.

http://www.cyndislist.com/
(240,000+ links, all cross-indexed.)

http://www.familysearch.com
(Mormon's mega-site)

http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi
(450,000,000+ entries, of varying quality)

http://www.ancestry.com/learn/facts/default.aspx?ln=
Surname meanings and origins

United States only:

http://www.usgenweb.net/
(Subdivided into state sites, which all have county sites.)
(The Canadians have Canadian Gen Web, by province)

http://ssdi.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/ssdi.cgi
(Social Security Death index - click on "Advanced".)

http://find.person.superpages.com/
(US Phone book, for looking up distant cousins)

Answer 4

I would go to wikipedia and look up your last name.
Have a good day,
Sarah!

Answer 5

you should pick graytrees' answer...very descriptive indeed! makes me want to research my roots! i will be happy with the two points!

Answer 6

go as far as you can, then go to websites like geneology.com, ancestry.com and the website for the Church of the Latter-Day Saints (Mormon Church)