This wikiHow will give basic steps on how to coordinate initial gathering of family related information and advanced tips on the Internet resources and software available to those wishing to research and document their Family History.
1Interview family members: Talk to as many family members as you can, especially older members of the family, such as grandparents, who would be happy to give you any information or family history that they know of.
2Consult a family bible for births, deaths and baptisms: If your family keeps such a record, it would be useful to construct a family tree from this information. You can also contact family members through these records to get more information.
3Look through family albums or old family photos: This is very useful if the pictures have descriptions behind it, if not, you would want to find an older family member to go through the pictures with you. If you have constructed a general family tree already, this would be a good way to put a face on those people. Pictures can also be very good clues about the personalities and occupations of your relatives.
4Find written documentation from relatives: This would include christmas cards, holiday greetings and letters. If you are researching beyond your grandparents, any kept letters from their time should provide a little insight into the generation older than them.
5Use e-resources: There are websites online dedicated to tracking down family history and ancestry, such as Cyndi's List - www.cyndislist.com and LDS - www.FamilySearch.org
6Keep a Journal: Set aside a book or journal to write down all information you found, its sources and when you obtained it. This will help you keep track of all data so it can be organized better. It would also ensure that you don't forget anything, and that you know where to go to get verification.
7Enter all collected information into a database: Once you have all your data and a good enough collection to finalize it, put it together in a professional data base. Examples of free and commercial databases are: Brother's Keeper (Windows, Free Trial once downloaded), RootsMagic Essentials (Windows, free), Gramps (Linux, Free open source), Family Tree Maker (Windows, fee-based) and MyHeritage Family Tree Builder (Windows, Free).
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- Do not publish information about living persons on the internet. Identity thieves may take advantage of the information.
- Be aware of the source of the data you may find. Some data may not be entirely correct, either deliberately or accidently. Someone may lie about his or her birth date to seem younger, for example.