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Step 1.
Remember Your Ancestors.
Begin by remembering information about each member in your
family that will identify that person. Each person can be
identified by personal information, such as the following:
- Name
- Other members of the family
- Dates and places of important events such as birth,
marriage, and death
- Ancestral village
- Occupation
Get forms or computer programs you can use to record your
family information. They make the task of recording and organizing
easier. You can get basic ones for free on this site.
- If you prefer writing information on paper, download or
print these two forms:
- Pedigree Chart—A pedigree chart lets you list
your pedigree (your parents, grandparents, great
grandparents, and so on).
- Family Group Record—A family group record lets
you list an entire family and their information. You will
need several copies.
- If you prefer using a computer, download the free program Personal
Ancestral File, or install a family history program of
your choice.
Record the information you remember about your family on the
forms or in a family history program.
- First fill out a form for your own family, and then work
back to your parents and grandparents. You can quickly see
what you know and what information is missing or incomplete.
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Step 2. Use
Sources in Your Home.
Look for sources in your home that might contain the missing or
incomplete family information.
- Useful sources include birth, marriage, and death
certificates; family bibles; funeral programs; obituaries;
wedding announcements; family registers; and ancestral
tablets.
Add this information to your pedigree charts and family group
records.
Record the sources of the information (use the Notes or Sources
section on the forms or in your family history program). This
helps you and others know where the information came from.
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Step 3. Ask Relatives for
Information.
Make a list of other relatives and the family information they
may have.
Contact the relatives—visit, call, write, or e-mail them.
- Be sure to ask specifically for the information you would
like. (For example, "Do you know when Aunt Jane was
born?")
Add the information to your pedigree charts and family group
records.
Record the names of the relatives who gave you the information
in Notes or Sources.
Congratulations - You have filled out family
group records and pedigree charts with the information your family
has. Now you are ready to look for information in other records.
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Step 4. Choose
a Family or Ancestor You Want to Learn More About.
Look for missing or incomplete information on your pedigree
chart and family records.
Select a family or ancestor with missing or incomplete
information.
- Start with the generations closest to you, and work your way
back. Usually, it is easier to find information for a family
member or ancestor born in a recent period.
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Step 5. See if
Someone Else Has Already Found the Information.
Warning: A common mistake is to gather every
reference to the surname even if the person is not clearly a
relative.
Look for the names in Search for Ancestor. This will
search the databases that are a part of FamilySearch
Internet. The databases include family histories submitted by
others.
Look for a published family history.
- Look for the names in the Family History Library Catalog,
Surname Search.
- The search will list family histories in the Library's
collection that contain the surname.
- You can arrange to see many of the histories at your
local family history center.
- Look for published family histories on other Web Sites
or at public archives and libraries.
If the family histories do not contain information about the
family you want, search for records from the locality where your
ancestor lived.
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Step 6.
Search Records for Information about Your Ancestor.
Use Research Guidance. Research Guidance helps you find
copies of original records, such as censuses and birth records,
based on where the person lived and the time of his or her birth,
marriage, or death. You select the place and time, and Research
Guidance provides a list of recommended things to do and records
to search in priority order.
Download and print forms and guides to help you. Many forms and
guides are available in Research Helps to download for
free. These forms will help you plan, record, and analyze your
research.
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Resources
Select the link to go directly to the resources on
FamilySearch.org.
Go to a
printable list with instructions for how to navigate to the
resources in this guide.
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