How do you Trace your Family Tree?

Musiclover89 · Post by **Musiclover89** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 12:48 pm

I was wondring if anybody could help me because i'm wanting to Trace my Family Tree and i have no idea where to begin i was thinking about going to the Council and asking about my Family Records but i dunno if that would work or not

Post by **Bryn Mawr** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 1:01 pm

Musiclover89;586735 wrote: I was wondring if anybody could help me because i'm wanting to Trace my Family Tree and i have no idea where to begin i was thinking about going to the Council and asking about my Family Records but i dunno if that would work or not

First place is family - talk to them all and write down their memories.

Then work from BMD certificates - marriage and death certificates should give you ages, maiden names and other details which help in getting the birth certificate and that gives you another generation back.

Once you get back to 1901 you can move onto the census records which tie families together.

Join your local family history society (and then the FHS for each region your research turns up). They'll provide a huge amount of help.

The Latter Day Saints have an open database that can be very useful.

Visit the churches mentioned in the BMD certs - gravestones tell a lot and the parish records give a lot more detail (the records might well have been moved to the County Records Office but the Vicar will tell you).

The CRO could well also have the probate records and details in the wills are more grist for the mill.

Then, once you've worked your way into the swing of it you can start the hard work on the more obscure sources

911 · Post by **911** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 1:30 pm

Bryn's right

Best of luck and it's lots of fun. My grandmother was always cutting out obits of family from the paper and any other articles of them.

Obits can give you relatives and pallbearers who are usually related in some way or close family friends. Once you get the death certificate or the date of death check the newspaper morgue for the obits.

Carl44 · Post by **Carl44** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 1:33 pm

the guy i'm working for has just by my surname only found my gt gt grandfather my mother my daughter her family i'll get the web page tomorrow

YZGI · Post by **YZGI** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 1:52 pm

I use a #2 lead pencil for all of my tracing needs.

Carl44 · Post by **Carl44** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 3:06 pm

Soberano;586792 wrote: That was the phone book Jimbo, they are still in it.:wah:

pesci nuisance :wah: :wah:

Sheryl · Post by **Sheryl** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 5:40 am

Some families keep information in bibles. Check with your family to see if anyone has an old family bible with information.

But Bryn had the best advice with talking to your family.

To keep your information in order check into getting a simple computer program, there are many different programs out there for doing family trees.

Marie5656 · Post by **Marie5656** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 6:28 am

My cousin did ours...from our fathers side of the family. Our dads were brothers. She did alot of searching hall of Records information...in Italy. Lots of letters exchanged..meaning getting translators. She started at Ellis Island and worked back. She got quite alot of information.

Plus, talking with family to get the birth, death and marriage info for the current members of the tree.

Uncle Fester · Post by **Uncle Fester** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 8:07 am

My brother is a Mormon bishop :-2 He uses their records to trace our family tree , apparently anyone can use their computer , you just have to ask , also the same with the Church of Scientology , they seem to know everything about every body.:sneaky:

When I next speak to him I will get more info and PM you

Musiclover89 · Post by **Musiclover89** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 8:17 am

Uncle Fester;586970 wrote: My brother is a Mormon bishop :-2 He uses their records to trace our family tree , apparently anyone can use their computer , you just have to ask , also the same with the Church of Scientology , they seem to know everything about every body.:sneaky:

When I next speak to him I will get more info and PM you

Thanks look forward to hearing from you

WonderWendy3 · Post by **WonderWendy3** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 8:20 am

We are fortunate enough to have had someone make a family Tree book for us, and my parents found out that they are "kissing cousins" About 5 generations apart...but they are related...so maybe that explains a lot about ME!! :wah: :wah:

libertine · Post by **libertine** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 9:21 pm

Actually, the 1930 census is available to the public and the 1940 will be public domain in 2010. So you have lots of resources.

The Internet is full of genealogy sites. Some are pay and some ar not. You have to decide how serious you are abou t finding your family.

The first place to start is with yourself...birth date, place, schools, etc, then your parents (same info) and siblings, then grandparents. Talk to everyone you can in the older generations, because they won't be here forever.

The suggestion to join a Genealogy Group is a good one, and the LDS church is also a good place to start. They will both have people who can help you get started.

Good luck. It is a very addicting habit!

K.Snyder · Post by **K.Snyder** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 9:58 pm

I haven't had very much luck with the latter day saints site...I believe it only goes as early as the 1910 census report...I know who my great grandparents are and to start with them is fine, but because they don't have social security numbers listed it turns into a guessing game...And having the last name Snyder, and/or McClure, those names are relatively common so the guessing game turns into all out frustration...

I have to tell you, it's going to take alot of dedication and time if you wish to seek out your relatives beyond memorable knowledge...