Studying your family history can be a rewarding process that allows you to see where you came from. From a basic family history search you can dig deep into the past of your heritage. Your search may lead you to exciting finds, such as relatives who were famous or even royalty. To begin your search, all you need is an Internet connection and some free time.
Step 1
Gather together any personal information you already have. Much of your family history can be traced simply by putting together the information you already know about your family. Information such as birth or death dates of parents, siblings, grandparents and great-grandparents can give you a head start on your Internet search. Talk to other members of your family to see what information they may have that you don't to help you start filling in your family tree.
Step 2
Try a general family and history database. Once you have put together the information you already have, write down the relationship gaps you are missing. Next, visit a general family and history database, such as Family Search, a service provided by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This service is free to the public, and has one of the largest and most accurate databases of family records.
Step 3
Search records for your ancestors. Once you have accessed the Family Search website, input any information you have of the ancestor you are trying to locate information on. Family Search is designed to pull up records with as little information as a last name, although the more information you input, the better results you will get.
Step 4
Try an advanced search. Once you have gotten the hang of the website, click on the advanced search option. Under this option you will be able to search for information from census files, ancestral files, the Social Security Death Index and vital records indexes.
Step 5
Realize the limitations of the Internet. Most Internet searches will only take you back to 1837. This is because limited certificates of birth and death records were kept before that point. To dig deeper into your history, visit your local genealogy center or join a genealogical society. These resources will give you the information you need to continue your search past what is available on the Internet.
Tips and Warnings
- To better learn how to take advantage of the many features of the Family Search website, access the "Research Helps" section of the website. There you will find helpful articles and tutorials on the many aspects of the site, as well as general family history help guides.
