Your family background is as unique as your fingerprint. Different ethnicities, ports of entry, heritage and countries of origin all combine to identify your family's background makeup. If you're interested in doing some genealogical research to find out more about your family, or for medical reasons to determine what your genetics say about your health, start small with what you know. You'll gradually be able to connect the branches on your family tree to find out more about your background.
Step 1
Interview your family. Start with your oldest living relatives; ask more about their country of origin or their ancestors' country of origin. Ask more about religion, social standing and how they came to the United States to get a general idea of your ethnic background. Check with other family members who have done similar research to see how far back in the lineage they've gotten and what they have found.
Step 2
Gather documents that your family might have as keepsakes. These are often treasure troves of background information. Marriage documents and memory books may contain dates for births, marriages and deaths. A family Bible might have been used to record the names of all family members, offering a wealth of knowledge.
Step 3
Ask your doctor about family medical records, as recommended by BreastCancer.org. This is especially important if you are researching your family's background to determine your susceptibility to certain diseases. Your grandparents also might be able to provide medical records that can reveal more about the diseases and health problems members of your often suffered from.
Step 4
Research census records. According to genealogy and family history website Geneology.com, from the years 1790 to 1890, it was required that the ethnic origin of every individual be recorded as part of the census records. Websites such as FamilySearch.org can help find families by looking through old, scanned census records.
Step 5
Look for naturalization records to find information about when your family immigrated from another country. Naturalization records always have the country of origin as part of the documentation, so you can easily determine your family's background.
