How would I go about researching my family?

Question

My last name is Parris, but everywhere I look it says my name is from France or Belgium. I am neither, it would be Jewish, Scottish, or Irish.

I don't have much to go by, except my Grandpa's first name, which is Herschel. My father is in prison and I'm not very close to his family.

Good places to start that don't cost a lot, or that are free? Any help at all is appreciated.

Answer 1

Parris? Remember the story about Helen of Troy? The guy's name was Paris.
Anyway, start by asking all your living relatives. Write everything down and keep notes on your sources. Then go to the library.
Here is a list of sites:
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 Scotland, check:
http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/

For ship’s passenger lists, try:
http://www.immigrantships.net/
www.cyndislist.com/ships.htm
www.geocities.com/Heartland/5978/Emigration.html
www.immigrantstips.net/
www.searchforancestors.com/passengerlists/
www.archives.gov/genealogy/immigration/passenger-arrival.html

For native American ancestry, try:
http://www.tribalpages.com/
http://www.cherokee-nc.com/geneology.php...
http://www.archives.gov/genealogy/herita...

Netherlanders: http://www.genlias.nl

For a fee, try a DNA test:
When you really want to know where your ancestors came from, try such sites as: www.familytreedna.com, dnatribes.com, dnaancestryproject.com, and, of course, the National Geographics Genotype program, https://www3.nationalgeographic.com/geno...
For Jewish ancestry, try:
www.israelgenealogy.com

For people from India, try:
http://www.fibis.org/

Have a look at these sites these are South African ones,
http://genealogy.about.com/od/south_afri...
http://www.rupert.net/~lkool/page2.html....
http://www.jewishgen.org/safrica/website...
http://southafricanfamilyhistory.wordpre...

Meaning of names:
http://www.winslowtree.com/surname-meani...

http://www.familysearch.org/eng/search/f...

Here are some general sites with lists of African names:
http://www.swagga.com/fname.htm
http://www.behindthename.com/nmc/afr.php
http://www.familiesonlinemagazine.com/ba...

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/...

Military:
www.military.com
http://www.familymilitaryrecords.com/

http://www.archives.gov/veterans/militar...

http://websearch.about.com/od/peoplesear...

http://genealogy.about.com/b/2007/05/24/...

http://userdb.rootsweb.com/ww1/draft/sea...

Finding live people:
Two good places I use are www.zabasearch.com and www.peoplefinder.com

Don't forget, use your local library. Ours (a small one, yet) has www.ancestry.com and www.heritagequest.com, as well as periodicals, books and guidance from an experienced genealogist.

Keep good notes on where you find what: sources are very important.

Answer 2

Good place to start would be your dad's birth certificate. Should give his father's full name. Maybe someone you know has it, if not you can get it from your state's vital records office. Take your grandfathers name and see if you can find some online census records for where he lived when your father was born. Some years the census just shows head of household and number of other family members. Other years will show each family member, thier relation to the head of house, and thier age at the time of the census. Depending on the place, these records might already be available free online somewhere complete with photocopies of the original census record.

Answer 3

Looking into my family history was something I always wanted to do but never got round to. I was the object of someone else's research tho. One day two years ago I got a phone call one evening from a lady who told me that my Dad was her stepsister's Dad. I was gobsmacked but I took her stepsisters fone number and rang her. Guess what I had a half sister I knew nothing about. It seems Dad had a relationship in 1941 and a baby girl was born. They lost contact when women and children were evacuated because of the Japanese threat and that was the last they saw of each other. In 1947 Mum and Dad married and had 5 children of their own. The other child was never mentioned. I only found out about her the night of the phone call. I don't know if my Mum knew about her or not. My 4 brothers want nothing to do with her but I have met her and she is lovely. My only regret is that I didn't know her sooner. My brothers are still missing out, they wont even call her sister but I do. I think they are ashamed because she has Aboriginal blood but I don't give a darn. It looks like we are going to have to put another branch on the family tree.

Answer 4

I would suggest looking in the U.S.Census for information on your family. You can access this information for free at your public library.

I found the following regarding your Grandfather in the US Census:

Herschel Parris b. Abt. 1905 in North Carolina
Father's name Isaac D. Parris born about 1856 in N.C.
Mather's name Sarah born about 1868 in North Carolina
Other Children: Andrew J. Parris, born about 1908

Isaac D. Parris' parents were: Andrew J. Parris b. 1831 NC
and Margaret born about 1833 NC

Answer 5

my favorite
www.cyndislist.com (look for the beginner section).
Sorry about dad.. keep in mind that research is normally about the ancestry, usually the dead ones. You need to identify his parents/ grandparents. Info about living persons is restricted, but once you get past that, historical records open up.
One tip- trace persons, not surnames. Your heritage is where the person comes from, which you establish by finding reliable records.
It would be nice to think (especially this time of year) that you have worthwhile relatives in your dad's family. It is part of your heritage, and may provide some healing.
Best of luck..

Answer 6

Check out your local library. Free, and there are people there who know whats up. Sometimes they offer free classes for searching. Also check with adult or community ed programs with local schools to see if they offer classes.
Start with your grandpa. Find out all you can about him. Check with the library, people he may have known, old newspapers (microfilm at the library, they will show you how to work it.) The next step is hall of records.
Good luck!

Answer 7

Hey sis I just finished a book report on family geneology, but if you really want to know bad, you may need to spend some money, like on Ancestary.com, it tracks all the way back to like the 1700s or earlier, my oldest was from 1457, my great great great great great grandfather. See ya sis

Answer 8

Try Ancestors.com or Family tree, They both charge but unless you pay for ther service, you'll have to do do all your own legwork.

Answer 9

well if you were looking for family trees you could go to family tree.com

Answer 10

here, these are all free and helpful...ive messed around with zabba sometimes...