Find Your Lineage
Author: AmandaInterview Your Family Members
Perhaps the best resource for finding out more about your family is, well, your family. If your great grandparents or other elderly ancestors are still around and their memory is still good, asking them questions about the family can help you cover years of history in a few short hours—as well as give them a chance to reminisce. Besides, getting great grandpa to dig out the old family photo albums can be a great quality time spent together. Here are a few sample interview questions you might ask to learn more about your genealogy:
- Where did our family surname originate?
- Do we have a family cemetery or burial plot(s)?
- Has anyone in the family compiled a family tree?
- Do you have some old family photo albums?
- Do you have any old family letters, or journals, or diaries?
- How did your parents meet? How did you and grandma meet?
- Is there a family Bible or genealogy book?
You can find more family interview questions to ask your relatives at About.com's Fifty Questions for Family History Interviews. Also, make sure you take good notes while you interview—jotting down all dates, names and places as your relatives provide you with the details of your family's history. Also try recording your interviews with your relatives so that you can refer back to them later and save them for future generations. Some recording devices you may carry with you on your interviews with family members include a video camera, a smartphone, or a tape recorder.
Investigate Genealogy Records
A lot of helpful family history information can be discovered doing investigative records research. There are a variety of records to dig into, all which can provide relevant genealogical information that can help you trace your family tree. From vital records like birth, marriage and death records to immigration records, you can discover the names, dates and places of your ancestors and get clues to help you uncover your family's history. Below is a brief outline of records to investigate for family info:
- State & Federal Census Records
- Courthouse Records
- Social Security Records
- Land Records, Property Records & Deeds
- Wills & Probates
- Vital Records
- Immigration & Naturalization Records
- Criminal Records
- Civil Records
- Church Records
- Baptism Records
- Marriage Records
- Funeral Records
- Ships' Passenger Lists
- Military & Pension Records
- Cemetery & Burial Records
You can obtain these records in many places. Several of these records can be easily accessed online for free via government websites like The National Archives & Records Administration. Many niche genealogy websites like Ancestry.com and GenealogyBank.com also contain billions of records to help you conduct thorough family history research.
Government institutions such as courthouses, town halls, and libraries are also excellent places to begin your records research. In fact, many libraries even have special collections of genealogical material that are often maintained with the aid of historical or genealogical societies.
Churches often keep records relevant to your family history such as baptisms and christenings, marriages, and funerals. If you have a family Bible, that may help you locate a specific church to begin your records search. Otherwise, start your family records search at parishes close to where your ancestors resided. Once you have located the parish most likely to have your family's records, contact their office and inquire whether they have any of your family's records and how you might access them.
Research Newspaper Articles
One of the prime resources for family history research is historical newspapers. Old newspapers provide many of the records previously noted, as well as the news that was happening during the times that your ancestors lived. The historical context that newspapers capture can help you recreate the story of your ancestors' lives. Obituaries and death records offer very specific genealogical information about deceased relatives, as well as the names and details of their immediate and extended family members. Newspapers also contain news articles about your ancestors, information about family reunions, and interesting facts and stories that can help you fill in the details on your family tree.
You can access old and discontinued newspapers in libraries, at educational institutions and in online archives. GenealogyBank has one of the largest digitised online newspaper archives in the U.S. for family history research.
Hire a Professional Genealogist
If you want to explore your family's history but find you simply can't make the time investment, you can always hire a professional genealogist to help you trace your ancestry. You can find genealogists for hire through professional organizations and societies in your locality. Try starting your search for a genealogist on the web at The Association of Professional Genealogists and The Board for Certification of Genealogists.
From family interviews to investigative records research, these family sleuthing tips and genealogical resources should get your family history exploration started. Have fun discovering your ancestry and good luck!