how can i find my heritage?

Question

i know my mothers maiden name was tait, and last name is martin, and one of my grandmas maiden name was visaw, and im wondering were these are from?

Answer 1

Ansestry dot com

Answer 2

Surnames do not mean very much in genealogy as the same surname can frequently come from more than one nationality and not everyone with the same surname is related or share ancestors.

Like Benthebus said, start with you living family, particularly your senior members. Tape them if they will let you. It might turn out they are confused on some matters but what might seem to be insignificant story telling might turn out to be very important.

Go to your public library and find out what all they have. They might have a subscription to Ancestry.Com you can utilize. Ancestry.Com has a lot of records and seems to be getting more all the time.
They have all the U. S. Censuses through 1930. The 1940 is not available to the public yet.

Now be very careful about taking as fact everything you see in family trees on any wesbsite, free or paid. The information is submitted by folks like you and me, not necessarily by experts. Most is not documented. Even when you see the same information repeatedly by many different submitters, you can't take it for granted that that means it is correct. A lot of people are copying without verifying. Use the information as clues as to where to get the information.

Call your nearest Latter Day Saints(Mormon) Church and find out if they have a Family History Center. They have lots of records on people all over the world, not just Mormons. In Salt Lake City, they have the world's largest genealogical collection.
Their Family History Centers can order microfilm for you to view for a nominal fee.

They don't try to convert you and they won't send their missionaries by to ring your doorbell.

Cyndi'sList has a multitude of websites. Check it out.

Good Luck!

Answer 3

first port of call would be www.familysearch.org but you also need to settle down with family, parents, Grandparents, Cousins etc and find out what they know or think they know,

Then gather paper work birth, death and marriage certificates and the like any thing that can give you information. Then work back one generation at a time.

Answer 4

There are various websites, some free, some like ancestry.com allow free trials; ancestry.com and heritagequest.com may be available at your local library (as well as books and magazines).
You can try:
Free sites: there are several to choose from. Start with:
http://www.searchforancestors.com/...

http://www.censusrecords.net/?o_xid=2739...

http://www.usgenweb.com/

http://www.census.gov/

http://www.rootsweb.com/

http://www.ukgenweb.com/

http://www.archives.gov/

http://www.familysearch.org/

http://www.accessgenealogy.com/...

http://www.cyndislist.com/

Assuming they emigrated from Europe, start with Ellis Island and the Battery Conservancy sites:
http://www.ellisisland.org
http://www.castlegarden.org

For those with native American ancestry, try:
http://www.tribalpages.com/

Two good places I use are www.zabasearch.com and www.peoplefinder.com
also..
http://www.cyndislist.com/finding.htm...

Your heritage is what is passed down by your parents, aunts and uncles and grandparents, etc.
If you really want to know WHERE your ancestors came from, try www.familytreedna.com or similar and have your DNA tested.

Answer 5

there are a billion books on the subject. check your library

also check out familysearch.org

Answer 6

Try rootsweb.com it will give you an idea where the come from..