Genealogy Tips

Talk to your parents,

Find out where they grew up, (town, county, state)

Birth & death dates of both their mother and father

Your parents marriage date and location of marriage  

Ask them about where their parents or grandparents are buried  

Ask if there are any of your Aunt, Uncles or other relatives have previously done any genealogy research.

Find out who is their oldest living relatives . Ask questions about what they know about the family

(a) Ask where relatives are buried

(b) Ask if they know any dates for birth, death, marriage

(c) Ask if they know any stories about the family

(d) Ask if they know any other living relatives (visit them and do the same thing with them)

Search the internet for the surnames that you have found (mothers maiden name, grandmothers maiden name, etc) This will possibly find others doing research on the same lines of genealogy you are wanting.

Your local library should be able to point you in the right direction to research areas that you have found from your interviews and census records.

Government records center have all census records .These can be searched for grandparents and great grandparents.  Also several local libraries have these microfilms.

Find if any of your relatives were in any wars, a lot of information is available at the Federal Government level (National Archives) to send for their records for a small charge.

Visit cemeteries that your relatives are buried, some good information is sometimes on the gravestones (birth, death)

Send for copies of Birth, death, and marriage records for those relatives you know or find .They usually have names of mother and father, etc

Gather pictures of older relatives while making your visits.

Visit your local LDS church, most have a library that you can send to Salt Lake and have microfilm sent back to the church for you to view. These records are extensive and probably the best available.

Take a course in searching your relatives from your local library or historical society  

Join your local Genealogy or Historical Society, they can be a lot of help in your research.

Visit the internet Gen-Web Project for your area. You can search the internet for their web sites, usually have good hints for searching in that area.

Visit Used books stores looking for genealogical books, you will be surprised to find some great older books that have information in them.

You need to dedicate yourself to doing this. That means spend the time do all the steps and you will start gathering information.

Save the information in an orderly way as to preserve the information you have gathered . Save more then one copy , just in case something happens to your files .

Search the internet phone directories and email directories, drop these folk a note asking about your family with direct, not general questions. You will be surprised by what you will find out .

Take a camera with you and take pictures of those pictures that others won't let you have. Even if you just want to run down the street to have a copy made most people will NOT let you leave with their original pictures. Do not get upset about this , would you let yours pictures out of yours sight . Also if you have a laptop with an printer with a scanner , you could scan them right there .

Let the other members of your family know that you are doing genealogy research on your family and ask for any old pictures that you might have or  have a copy of them .

Check out other Genealogy websites for information , you will never know what you will find . But asks for permission before you take it .

Be considerate of others and their privacy, record and views. You are asking for help treat them with all the respect that you would also want. You will find some have information, but are unwilling to share it with you. Do not get upset or mad at them for this .Try to find out why there is this feeling and do your best to set their minds at rest .

I hope that these  tips are some help to you !