Get Started Making Your Family Tree

Have you ever wondered where your family came from?  Have you thought about how you would like to know if you have an famous people in your lineage?  Genealogy is a perhaps one of the most addictive hobbies I have ever had.  Even after 20+ years of researching my family history, I still learn new things all the time.  I will confess, I don't think you can every "finish" your family tree.  It is one of those things that you will continually build upon.  Stuff that you will always uncover - even when you think you have all that you need.

But where do you start?  It can all be confusing when you have never done it before.  You're in luck because today's post are something of the tips I have for getting started.

First, start with you!!!  That's right - start with you - your parents, your grandparents, your great-grandparents.  Focus first on the stuff that you do know.

Start writing what you know down.  Once you have started with the information you do know, join a website like ancestry.com.  By joining a genealogy site, you will be able to uncover loads of information that you never thought possible!  I personally like Ancestry because it's the largest, most comprehensive database of information and it is super-user friendly.  Ancestry.com even offers smartphone apps that will help you when on the go.  You can work on your family tree virtually anywhere and you can create your tree online and don't have tor worry about purchasing a software program.

You might be asking - what kinds of information do I need in order to get started?  That's simple - you need YOUR information.  Fill in the blanks to the following questions:

• Full Name
• Date of Birth
• Location of Birth
• Parents' Names
• Parents' Dates of Birth
• Location of Parents' Birth
• Siblings Names
• Siblings Dates of Birth
• Siblings Location of Birth
• Mother's Parents Names, Dates of Birth (and death), Locations of Birth (and death)
• Father's Parents Names, Dates of Birth (and death), Locations of Birth (and death)

This is just the basic list of information to get you started.  Once you have this information jotted down and saved you and have the start of your family tree.  You will want to get whatever source information that you can - social security numbers, baptismal records, birth (and death) certificates, military records.  Whatever important documents that you can obtain.  You may even wish to get copies of any deeds for property that may be available.  For deceased relatives, make sure to keep record of their burial records - what cemetary, section and plot numbers.  While it may not seem like this information is important now, it will be invaluable down the road.  

In addition to this very basic information (that you should already know because it's all about you!), you will want to gather any family photos, news clippings, and other documents that may have been saved either by you or other family members.  Let your family know what you are doing!!!  You will be surprised at how much some of your family members will want to help - and they are all a wealth of information. 

I have been researching my family heritage since I was 16.  I became interested in Genealogy when my dad showed me the family tree that he and my uncle had been working on.  I have become the unofficial family historian - and I am the go-to person when my sister and cousins have questions about family members, illnesses, dates, etc.  

Set aside time to start "interviewing" family members.  If your parents are still alive, start with them.  If you have older siblings, be sure to sit down with them and ask them questions.  

Here is a list of questions that you will want to ask yourself and other family members:

1. What is your full name?
2. Why did your parents select this name for you?
3. Did/Do you have a nickname?
4. When and where were you born?
5. How did your family come to live there?
6. Were there other family members in the area?
7. Who?
8. What was the house, apartment, farm, etc like?
9. How many rooms?
10. How many bedrooms?
11. Did it have electricity?
12. Did it have indoor plumbing?
13. Telephones?
14. Were there any special items in the house that you remember?
15. What is your earliest childhood memory?
16. Describe the personalities of your family members. 
17. What kind of games did you play growing up?
18. What was your favorite toy and why?
19. What was your favorite thing to do for fun?
20. Did you have family chores?
21. What were they? 
22. Which was your least favorite?
23. Did you receive an allowance?
24. How much?
25. Did you save your money or spend it?
26. What was school like for you as a child?
27. What were your best and worst subjects?
28. Where did you attend grade/elementary school?  Middle School/Jr. High?  High School?  College? Military?
29. What school activities and sports did you participate in?
30. Do you remember any fads from your youth?
31. Popular hairstyles?
32. Clothes?
33. Who were your childhood heroes?
34. What were your favorite songs/music?
35. Did you have any pets?
36. What kind and what were their names?
37. What was your religion growing up?
38. What church did you attend?
39. Were you ever mentioned in the newspaper?
40. Who were your friends growing up?
41. What world events had the most impact on you while you were growing up? 
42. Did it personally effect your family?  How?
43. Describe a typical family dinner. 
44. Did you all eat together as a family?
45. Who did the cooking?
46. What were your favorite foods?
47. How were holidays, birthdays, special events celebrated in your family?
48. Did your family have special traditions?
49. How is the world different today than what it was when you were a child?
50. Who was the oldest relative you remember as a child?  What do you remember about them?

I could go on and on with the questions to ask - but since I have listed 50 - I will stop there for now.  I know that it seems extremely overwhelming thinking about all the stuff you want to ask and the informaiton you want to gather.  There really is no rhyme or reason.  Just ask the things you want to know!!!  Keep checking back for more lists of questions and more genealogy tips!