| Organizing Your Paper Files Using File Folders |
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Introduction
What You Are Looking For
Step 1. Gather supplies for your filing system.
Step 2. File your family pedigree charts.
Step 3. Print a copy of the Circled 5-Generation Pedigree Chart.
Step 4. Separate the lines of your 4 grandparents by color.
Step 5. Put 16 hanging files into your box.
Step 6. Label the colored hanging file folders with your family surnames.
Step 7. Put a highlighted copy of your 5-generation pedigree chart in each of the colored folders.
Step 8. Set up a file for each family on your 5-generation pedigree chart.
Step 9. File the manila folders.
Step 10. Put these items in each family folder.
Step 11. Set up other useful files.
Step 12. Expand to other boxes as needed.
Introduction
Successful genealogy research depends upon being able to find information again which you already have. To do so you need a simple system for organizing paper copies of family group records Don't think you have to do all the steps outlined below in one day. Pace yourself. Print off these instructions and check each step off as you do it. Discover for yourself the good feeling of knowing you have a system for keeping your genealogy records organized for yourself and your posterity.
For an additional explanation of this filing system, see Background.
These 12 steps will help you set up a basic filing system using file folders.
This system works best if you gather the following basic supplies:
For an explanation of why simple color coding makes it easier to keep your families sorted, see Tip 1.
For an explanation of how the file box is set up and what it looks like, see Tip 2.
Print or copy a complete set of all your pedigree charts, for all lines. Start with yourself. If your computer program allows you to also print an index Label the tab of a standard green hanging file folder Pedigree Charts. Put the copy or printout of all your pedigree charts in the folder, together with the index if you have it. Hang the folder in the front of the file box.
This complete set of your pedigree charts will act as a map for your family files.
Print a color copy of the Circled 5-Generation Pedigree Chart. If you do not have a color printer, print a black and white copy. Then note the colors of the various circles, and write or mark the colors of the circles on the chart.
The Circled 5-Generation Pedigree Chart is a crucial key to understanding how the color coding of family files works. On the chart you see that you are made up of the 4 colors of your 4 grandparents. Your father is made up of the 2 colors of his parents, and your mother is made up of the 2 colors of her parents.
Print a copy of your own 5-generation pedigree chart, starting with yourself as number 1. You are the first generation; your 16 great great grandparents are the 5th generation.
Using the sample Circled 5-Generation Pedigree Chart as a guide, draw colored circles around each family on your 5-generation pedigree chart. Color code the lines as follows:
Put 16 hanging file folders in the file box, 4 of each color. Group them by color. To see an example of how the file box looks, click here.
Label each hanging file folder with one of the 8 surnames of your great great grandfathers and the 8 maiden names of your great great grandmothers. There will be 4 surnames in each color. Follow the colored circles on your 5-generation pedigree chart to know which surname to put with which color.
If you don't know the last names of some of your 16 great great grandparents, label as many of the folders as you can, and leave the other folders in the file for future use.
Tip: Your great great grandparents are the people who are listed with the numbers 16 to 31 on your 5-generation pedigree chart. Eight of the surnames are the lines of your great great grandfathers, and the other 8 are the lines of your great great grandmothers.
Print 16 more copies of your 5-generation pedigree chart with you as number 1 on the chart.
On one of the pedigree charts, highlight the names of all persons with the same surname using the color assigned to that surname. File the highlighted pedigree chart in its surname hanging file folder.
Click here to see an example of a highlighted pedigree chart.
Repeat the process of highlighting a surname line and filing the pedigree chart in its hanging folder for each of the 16 surnames of your great great grandparents.
Use these charts as guides or maps for each surname. Highlighting the surname on the pedigree chart makes it quick and easy to see how that surname fits into your complete family pedigree.
For instructions on dealing with a pedigree line that goes back one or more generations beyond the first 5 generations, see Tip 3.
For instructions on what to do if you have two lines which merge and become the same line, see Tip 4.
Print a copy of the family group record of each of the families on your 5-generation pedigree chart. To find the parents of your great great grandmothers, see Tip 5.
Using your 5-generation pedigree chart as a guide, decide what color each of the families should be filed under. Write or mark the color on the top of the family group record.
Set up manila folders for each of the families by putting a colored label on the file folder tab. Match the label color to the color of each family group record. Be sure to use permanent adhesive labels.
Example:
Colored strip JONES, Paul b. 1841 m2 SMITH, Jane b. 1845 On the label, write:
The label only gives enough information to identify this family. Other information about them can be found on their family group record in the file folder.
Place the manila family folders in hanging folders, matching the color of the label on the manila family folder to the color of the hanging file folder. See Example.
When the surname changes every generation, as it does for some Scandinavian
In a family folder, put:
Add the following items to a family folder, as you need them:
Include all documents from the time of a couple's marriage. Documents which pertain to events prior to their marriage should be filed in the folders of their parents, such as birth certificates and baptism certificates.
1. Set up Holding Files to store items temporarily.
Set up Holding Files for storing additional information which pertains to a surname and needs to be analyzed and used. Include:
Place the Holding File right behind the surname hanging file with the pedigree charts and before the family files. Do this for any surname where you have many documents and see the need.
When you have a large number of documents for a surname, it helps to create 2 Holding Files. Set up a:
The temporary Holding File gives you a place to store items which pertain to that surname until you can sort, use, and file them in the files you want to store them in permanently. The permanent Holding File is for records which have information about several generations of your family, such as the parish registers Be sure to go back and use the documents stored in Holding Files.
Tip: Photographs should be stored in archival quality holders for long-term preservation.
2. Set up Locality Files for places where you are researching.
Set up Locality Files for documents that contain information about more than one family in a given place. Locality Files store information for countries, states or provinces
For more information on Locality Files, see Tip 7.
3. Set up Tools Files, as needed, for tools such as language aids Group Tools Files together in the front of the Locality box.
When one of your color sections gets too big for your box, move all files of that color into another box.
As you find more information, you will eventually end up with a box for each color and sometimes several boxes for a color. See this Example. The colored arrows on the right edge of the Example show that other boxes will hold files for more families that belong within that color.
BOX #1 TO
BLUE BOX GREEN BOX RED BOX YELLOW BOX
For instructions on how to keep this basic file folder system updated and useful, see Tip 8.
Copyright 2000, by Mary E. Hill, AG, MLS (also known as Mary E.V. Hill, AG, MLS). All rights reserved. No part of this work may be translated or reproduced in any medium now known or hereinafter developed without the express written permission of the copyright holder. Printed in the U.S.A.
, pedigree charts, documents, notes, and research helps. The steps given below for setting up a filing system were developed and refined over several years. While this system is not the only way to organize family history information, it is inexpensive, simple to use, easy to set up, and has proven helpful to many people who have used it.
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What You Are Looking For
, notes, and research tools that you have already gathered.
.
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Steps
Step 1. Gather supplies for your filing system.
2 file boxes with lids. The boxes need to be strong, preferably plastic, with horizontal inner ridges or grooves for letter-size hanging files. See Example.
Colored hanging file folders. You will need letter-size hanging file folders in blue, green, red, and yellow. They come in 1/3 and 1/5 cut slots, which has to do with the size of the plastic tab. The 1/5 cut works best with this system. Hanging file folders keep the manila folders from slipping down in the file box. See Example.
Standard green hanging file folders. You should get standard green letter-size hanging file folders with the 1/5 cut slot. See Example.
Manila folders. These need to have 1/3 cut tabs assorted and reinforced tops to last through heavy use. See Example.
Pens. You should use a pen with an ultra fine point, felt tip, and black permanent ink.
Highlighters. Buy highlighters in light blue, light green, yellow, and pink (don't use red because it is too dark). Colored pencils also work.
Labels for file folders. These labels should have blue, green, red and yellow strips along the top and permanent adhesive on the back. See Example.
Dots. Get blue, green, red, and yellow dots with permanent adhesive on the back.
Lined paper. Acid free paper will extend the life of your notes. Good quality photocopy paper is almost acid free.
Additional boxes. Use these to expand your files, as needed.
Carrying case. Buy a letter-size carrying case with a handle to take with you when researching.
Large wall-size pedigree chart. A large pedigree chart helps you to see clearly your family lines (optional). These are available from commercial genealogy suppliers. The circle chart works well with color coding.
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Step 2. File your family pedigree charts.
of your pedigree names, include the index in the file folder with the pedigree charts.
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Step 3. Print a copy of the Circled 5-Generation Pedigree Chart.
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Step 4. Separate the lines of your 4 grandparents by color.
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Step 5. Put 16 hanging files into your box.
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Step 6. Label the colored hanging file folders with your family surnames.
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Step 7. Put a highlighted copy of your 5-generation pedigree chart in each of the colored folders.
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Step 8. Set up a file for each family on your 5-generation pedigree chart.
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Step 9. File the manila folders.
, Asian, American Indian, and Polynesian families, file the families by location or by birth date.
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Step 10. Put these items in each family folder.
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Step 11. Set up other useful files.
of a church where your ancestors lived for 200 years. Since the records of more than one family are in the document, you don't want to file the document in the family file of just one family. Either you could photocopy the document multiple times, or store it in a permanent Holding File for that family surname.
, counties, cities, parishes, or towns.
, religion, or handwriting.
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Step 12. Expand to other boxes as needed.
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[FamilySearchTM: Research Guidance
Version of Data: 11/17/2003]
