I am interested in researching my family tree.?

Question

I'd like to research my family tree, but Im not too sure where to start.
My family traces back to Europe.
Are there any websites which can atleast guide me to SOME information about my ancestors.

Kindof like Census?

Answer 1

These questions come up every day.

Where can I find my family tree for free?
Does anyone know the {Surname} family?
What are good sites for ancestors / genealogy?

They are all about tracing your family tree on the Internet. The fourth time I typed in my favorite beginner's links I realized I should save them in a text file and paste them in. This is long and general. Because it is general, not all the links will apply to every question or questioner.

These may help get you started. They are large and free. Many of them, however, have subtle ads for Ancestry.com in them - ads that ask for a name, then offer a trial subscription. Watch out for those advertisements.

http://www.cyndislist.com/
(240,000+ links, all cross-indexed. If you want Welsh or Pennsylvania Dutch or Oregon or any other region, ethnic group or surname, chances are she has links for it.)
http://www.familysearch.com
(Mormon's mega-site. Click on "Search")
http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi
(460,000,000+ entries, of varying quality)
http://www.ancestry.com/learn/facts/default.aspx?ln=
Surname meanings and origins
http://www.tedpack.org/begingen.html
My own site: "How to Begin"

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". You may find your grandparents.)
http://find.person.superpages.com/
(US Phone book, for looking up distant cousins)


United Kingdom Only:
http://www.genuki.org.uk/
(Biggest site for United Kingdom & Ireland)
http://www.freebmd.org.uk/
(Free Birth, Marriage & Death Records)

(If you posted your question in Genealogy, ignore this paragraph. If you posted it in the "Family" category, read on.)
Tracing your family tree is called genealogy. YA has a category for genealogy,
Home > Arts & Humanities > Genealogy
There are hundreds of more links in the resolved answers there.


Notes:

You usually have to do some research. Sometimes you get lucky. Don't give up if your Great grandfather with your surname isn't there. Try all eight great-grandparents.

You won't find living people on any of the sites except the phone book one. You won't find many people born after 1920 on any of the sites except the SSDI one. Genealogists hide the birth dates, birth places and other facts of living people to protect their privacy. You will have to find your grandparents' or great grandparents' birth dates and maiden names somewhere besides the Internet.

The free sites are supported by advertising, just like TV. You can't watch the Super Bowl without seeing a beer commercial, and you can't surf for dead relatives without seeing an Ancestry advertisement. Many people complain about advertisements. Please don't. They bring you the "free" sites. There's no such thing as a free lunch.

If you get serious you'll need a genealogy program. They are to family research what "Word" is to writing a novel. I like Roots Magic. Family Tree Maker is the market leader. Both cost around $29. The Mormons will let you download PAF for free. It is clunky, but it is free. You can sometimes find old versions of FTM or Family Origins (FO is the predecessor of RM) in bargin bins at CostCo.

This is a general hint. Even though you go in through YA Canada, YA Australia, YA UK or YA USA, all of the questions go into one big "pot" and get read by everyone in the world who speaks English. Most of the people here are in the UK and USA, but you sometimes get questions and answers from people who worry about kangaroos eating their roses. So - put a nation, or, better yet, if you are asking about a specific individual, a nation and a state / province in all of your questions. It will help people help you.

Answer 2

Familysearch.org
Ancestry.com
Sites that are local to your area, find them at your local Genealogy Society website.
Your state historical society website.
Your nearest presidential library or local library with genealogy department.
Obituaries and Census books at these libraries, sometimes there are other books published about immigrants to a county, either published lately, or years ago.

I started with the census in the library, and have eventually found my ancestors in Europe back to the 1600s. Someone in your extended family may already have been working on it. Make sure you ask these relatives, when you go to your reunions. Find out who kept your grandparents' papers, your great-grandparents' papers. Your county probate court will have wills which are often indexed at the library in that city. Good luck!

Answer 3

genealogy.com is a good site. Also you might look up your surname on the web. I did that and i found a site that had the history of my family. I was amazed. you can also try to google your last name. It takes awhile, but its well worth it. I has just now getting info. On genealogy.com i found a forum that had my last name. When you go to the site, click on surname forum and type in the name you are looking for. I am still doing my search, so if i find anything new, i will let ya now. wish you well and luck.

Answer 4

The easyest way to start your family tree is talk to your partent, gradparents and great gradparents if possible. As well as relitives. Its amazing how much some people know when you ask them.
I know for some families it is hard. I can only trace my family to my great great gradefather becuase he was a immigrant from Germany. He was adopted. So I don't know if he kept his German name or used the last name of his adpoted parents.
I am trying to track down any relitives with the last name in the US and in German.

Answer 5

Start with yourself, your parents and grandparents first. Collect birth, marriage & death certs for accurate information.

Then (assuming you are american) join (pay a subscription) Ancestry.com - the best place to find records.

Oh yeah familysearch.com is good too & free.

Answer 6

You can try genealogy.com or just type genealogy into the search engine. Be aware that many want money to use the service. The more dates you have to verify online with is good, not everything listed is fact.

Answer 7

ask someone in the family like a grem or something... then look them up on google or any other web...if that dont work see if u have an old dieyy op pic aldum...good luck