How to Find My Ancestors
Many people have often wished they had a guide “How to find my ancestors,” before starting on their quest to trace back their ancestry.
The question of “how to find my ancestors?” will differ according to the specific individual and family involved. Probably one of the most convenient methods is to search online, although some web resources charge fees for their services.
Here are some steps that you can take to trace back your genealogy:
1. Ask your parents and your relatives first for any available information that they have so that you can create an outline of what needs to be done next. Of course, in some cases there may be few if any relatives left to obtain such preliminary information. If you do have living relatives, get them to list all the ancestors and relatives that they know, and when possible get birth dates, birth location and as much life history as possible. If the relative is now deceased, get information on date and location of death. Also, get similar information on spouses of relatives.
2. Compile as much documentation or copies of documentation as possible. This will start with your own birth certificate or other birth and childhood documents. Get birth and death records, marriage certificates, military records, and anything else still in the possession of the family.
3. Once you have collected all available information and documentation within the family, you can now begin to contact other sources. If you don’t mind paying a fee, you can subscribe to very helpful online resources like ancestry.com. Sometimes your public or university library may have a subscription to these sites that you can use for free. Some websites like that of the U.S. Census Bureau are available for free. Persons born before or on 1930 in the United States are listed in census records.
4. Another great resource is the Family History Center run by the Church of the Latter Day Saints (Mormons). These centers are open to the public and are generally free to use. They have copies of birth and other records collected from all over the world from people of all religions. They also have subscriptions to many other informational services. The center has offices that are located near Mormon churches in many parts of the globe. The Family History Center also maintains a free website: familysearch.org.
5. In some cases, you may have to visit or otherwise contact actual sites for more information. For example, if you know that an ancestor served in the armed forces, then you can contact the relevant branch of the armed forces to obtain copies of military records. Fortunately, the amount of information available online is constantly growing, so you may be able to find what you are looking for on the web.
6. Once you have found the sources of records, you simply need to start tracing back your ancestors one by one. Usually each birth record will include the parents of the new born child. If you come to a point where the information trail seems to end, you can often get help from genealogical experts who can assist you in finding information through non-conventional sources.
These tips are meant to provide an easy to follow “how to find my ancestors” guide. Good luck with your search!
