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United States Basic Search Strategies (view source)
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Your genealogical research should begin with family and home sources. Look for names, dates, and places in certificates, family Bibles, obituaries, diaries, and similar sources. Ask your relatives for any additional information they have. It's very likely that your second cousin, great-aunt, or other relative has already gathered some family information. Record and organize the information you find on pedigree charts, and family group record forms. | Your genealogical research should begin with family and home sources. Look for names, dates, and places in certificates, family Bibles, obituaries, diaries, and similar sources. Ask your relatives for any additional information they have. It's very likely that your second cousin, great-aunt, or other relative has already gathered some family information. Record and organize the information you find on pedigree charts, and family group record forms. | ||
== <br> Step 2. Decide What You Want to Learn == | == <br>Step 2. Decide What You Want to Learn == | ||
Select an ancestor or relative you would like to know more about. It's usually best to begin with an individual for whom you know at least a name, a place where he lived, and an approximate date when he lived there. Then decide what you want to learn about him, such as where and when he was married or the names of his parents. You may want to ask an experienced researcher or a librarian to help you select a goal that you can successfully achieve. | Select an ancestor or relative you would like to know more about. It's usually best to begin with an individual for whom you know at least a name, a place where he lived, and an approximate date when he lived there. | ||
If you do not know much about an ancestor, you may need to do additional research on his or her children first. For instance: | |||
*If you do not know when your ancestor was married, find the birth date or approximate birth date of the first child. The first child often came about 1 year after the marriage. This will give you the approximate date needed to search for the marriage records. | |||
*If you do not know where your ancestor lived, find out where his or her children were born. Searching for the children's birth, marriage, and death records is one of the best ways to find new information about their parents. | |||
Then decide what you want to learn about him, such as where and when he was married or the names of his parents. You may want to ask an experienced researcher or a librarian to help you select a goal that you can successfully achieve. | |||
== Step 3. Select a Record to Search == | == Step 3. Select a Record to Search == | ||