Getting Started on Your Family Tree
Starting your family tree can seem like a daunting task but it doesn’t need to be. You can break down the search for your ancestors into easy weekly or monthly tasks and if done right these tasks can actually be an enjoyable time that will bring you closer to your family. To get started you don’t need expensive software or subscription services though once you have a pretty good family tree built you’ll probably be excited about it and want to acquire better tools to really trace your ancestors.
Your parents or grandparents are an excellent source of family history. I used to sit and chat with my grandmother for hours. She would need little prompting and could recall great great grandparents, aunts uncles, weddings, births deaths and who lived where when. To start off keep a notebook and just take notes while you ask your parents or grandparents a few questions. You won’t have to work hard at this because they’ll be happy to talk to you for hours, I promise. Once they give you a broad overview then ask for more details. Example: ”Where did uncle Bob work after he graduated?” ”When did he get married to aunt Susie?” ”what was aunt Susies maiden name?”
Generally you’ll find that talking to your grandmother will yield information such as birthdates, weddings and deaths wile talking to your grandfather will yield where family members worked, what cars they drove and what houses they lived in. Write down all of this information. You won’t use alot of it to fill in your family tree at the beginning but as you get more involved over time you’ll be glad you saved this information.
If you just spend an hour or so with a grandparent every week, or whenever you have time,you’ll be amazed at how fast your family tree begins to fill in. Then print out a family tree chart and fill in the family members you now know and take it back to your grandparents and you’ll be surprised at how many more of your ancestors they’ll be able to fill in when they see your family tree and the holes in it. Good luck, the key is to just get started and you’ll be pleasantly surprised how enjoyable it is talking with your family and finding your ancestors and filling in your family tree.
