Where to Start With Your Family History 3 Simple Ways to Begin
Maybe you’re like me and you want to explore where you came from. I think there is power in that.
You don’t just want names on a chart or dates carved in stone. You want people. You want to know their choices and all the details that shaped their lives.
If you’ve been feeling the pull to explore your family history but don’t know where to start, you are not alone! Most of us assume we need old records, subscriptions, or a perfectly organized system before we start.
But you don’t!
Here are three real wants to begin.
Start By Writing Down What You Already Know
This is so important and it’s the one step that is often skipped. Before you dig in the archives or open a genealogy website, sit down and write.
Write out the full name’s of your parents and grandparents. Write out where they lived, including all the locations you are aware of. Write out what you remember them talking about. Those little stories matter!
Even if it feel incomplete, still write it down. It’s ok to not be sure of dates because rough time ranges work well, too.
These writing become your map. They show you where to go based on what you know and help you figure out what you can uncover.
Writing it all out can help new details surface.
Talk to the Living Before You Chase the Dead
Listen, it’s so easy to get excited about census records and old newspapers. But your richest sources are often sitting at the kitchen table.
Talk to the oldest living people in your family. Talk to anyone in your family for that matter. Everyone retains information differently. Your aunt may remember a story about your dad that you totally forgot! Or maybe even he forgot!!
This doesn’t need to be formal. You don’t need a clipboard or recorder. Just ask open questions as they come to mind. Let the conversation flow naturally.
You can ask things like “what do you remember about your grandparents”, “where did you live before this”. People often feel they don’t know much but memories come out in conversation. One small detail can unlock a whole brand of research later.
Chose One Line and Follow It
Now listen, this can be difficult because everyone wants to take their tree back as far as they can. But that takes time! Starting out is overwhelming and ancestors multiple quickly. I mean you have four grandparents and eight great-grandparents!
You don’t need to research everyone at once. Pick one line and go with that. Start with your mother’s side. Maybe your last name line. Or pick a branch with the most mystery. Follow it one generation at a time.
Confirm one link in your chain first before moving on to the next. Family history is slow work. It teaches patience.
The goal isn’t to have the biggest tree. It’s about understanding the roots. Write down what you know, talk to the living, and follow one line at a time. I started with myself and then moved on to my parents when I first started researching. I think went on to my mother’s parents and then my father’s parents. You want to confirm the details of who you know before branching out to the remaining ancestors.
Going back as far as you can is fun, trust me! But you don’t have the ability to vet all the sources and then you find yourself going back and checking your work. You end up doing double the work which becomes overwhelming and confusing. It’s easier in the long run to uncover your legacy, one line at a time.
Thanks for taking the time to read this blog post!
I’m hopeful to create more blog post with tips, tricks, and helpful hints for completing family research. You can always email me, hello@legacylorepod.com, if you have questions or topics you think would make great blog posts.
