By now you should have gathered information from around your house, interviewed family members, and entered your data onto pedigree charts and family group sheets. You’re now ready to start filling in the blanks. This missing information will become your goal.
Before you begin exploring online databases or rush out to the archives, there are a few things you should do first:
- The first stage in your investigation is to choose which branch of the family to start with. Typically, the best place to begin is with one of your grandparents – your maternal grandmother, maternal grandfather, paternal grandmother, and paternal grandfather. Of course, you are not confined to these four branches. If you have enough information, you can choose a family group or branch even further back in your tree; the objective is to identify a specific segment of the family so that you have a defined aim when you begin your investigation.
- Nothing is more disheartening than mindlessly scouring the Internet for information on ALL of your surnames at the same time. Bits and pieces of information begin to swirl around in your thoughts, making it very easy to overlook potential clues. There will be times when it makes sense to explore more than one branch at a time, such as a trip to an archive, but for the most part, start with a single surname or family group and stick with it for a while.
- Once you’ve decided on a family group or surname to explore, the next step is to learn about the geography and history of the place where they resided. Understanding the political and historical events that occurred during the time period in which your ancestors lived may help you determine where to look for records. Geographic and political boundaries, as well as place names, have changed over time. You don’t have to be an expert, but having a passing knowledge of the place and time period in which your ancestors lived will make your search less frustrating and more fascinating.
- Set a research goal – look at the spaces in your family’s information and determine what you want to discover. Some people limit themselves to merely names, dates, and places, preferring to gather as many ancestors as possible. (Genealogy) Others, prefer to look beyond the names and dates and to look for information that will give a more complete understanding of their ancestors’ lives. (Family History) This includes finding information about their employment, education, where they lived, military service, and much more.