Where do I start?

**ScottEPooh** · 19th July 07, 01:29 PM

I have been thinking for some time about looking into my family's geneology. Part to see what tartans may arise, but mostly because I am curious to know where all I came from. It looks like many folks here have done a lot of research into this, so where's a good place for a geneology newbie to start looking?

**CactusJack** · 19th July 07, 01:45 PM

I started with Ancestry.com, but be careful in can become an addiction.
The best part for me was that I found a cousin that I didn't know I had

and we have been sharing information with each other and have found that there are at least 3 clans that our ancestors are from or were septs of.
I wish you alot of luck with your search

**Nick** · 19th July 07, 02:14 PM

I've only recently done research into my family, and haven't gotten as far back as I'd like, but this is where I started:

Talk to living family members. Typically ones older than yourself, or ones that have studied your family geneology.

Find documents currently in your family's possession. I found a big box full of photos and documents that really shed some light on my family. For instance, I always thought I didn't have any ancestors in the USA until after the Civil War, but I've found out that my great-great-great grandpa moved from Canada to the US and took part in Sherman's March to the Sea. Also, his name was Hollingshead, the same as Raphael Hollingshead (or Holinshed, depending on the source), who wrote the Chronicle of England, Scotland, and Wales, which was one of Shakespeare's main sources for his history plays. So now I'm trying to figure out how my family made it from England to Canada, and from there whether or not I'm related in some distant way to Rapael H.

**Sean_the_Kilted** · 19th July 07, 02:27 PM

Ask older relatives for a much info as possible about what family history they know. Then start looking for census records and other records to go back further. Like was mentioned before. Ancestry.com is a good place to start. There are also a bunch of surname message boards. www.rootsweb.com has a lot. Finally, try google. Especially if you have an ancestor with an odd name (ie Ephraim Henthorn). Alot of people put their family tree's on the web and if you have a common ancestor with them, google is an easy way to find out alot with minimal research, though like anything else, don't take everything on the web as definite fact without checking it out. Let me know if you need more ideas or direction.

**JRB** · 19th July 07, 02:37 PM

I'll put in another vote for older relatives. It's amazing how much you can find out about your family that you didn't know just by asking kith and kin.

**CactusJack** · 19th July 07, 02:40 PM

Originally Posted by JRB

I'll put in another vote for older relatives. It's amazing how much you can find out about your family that you didn't know just by asking kith and kin.

That's very true, in my case it's only me and my 2 sisters so I had no choice and it's times like know when I wish my Grandmother was still around.

**gilmore** · 21st July 07, 09:34 PM

Originally Posted by CactusJack

That's very true, in my case it's only me and my 2 sisters so I had no choice and it's times like know when I wish my Grandmother was still around.

There are many online tutorials and FAQ's for doing genealogy. You might take a look at your local library for books on getting started. There are also software programs like Family Tree Maker that provide guidance.

Many people, after talking to their oldest relatives, start with the US federal census records, which are taken every 10 years. The most recent census available to the public is 1930's. The 1940 census will be available in 3 years, in 2010. It will tell you the state of birth of your ancestor listed there, so you will know where to search next. The records are available for inspection for free at federal archives. If there is not one near you, you can access them at www.ancestry.com, but it will cost a monthly subscription fee. It also has several other databases online.

**CactusJack** · 22nd July 07, 07:56 AM

Originally Posted by gilmore

There are many online tutorials and FAQ's for doing genealogy. You might take a look at your local library for books on getting started. There are also software programs like Family Tree Maker that provide guidance.

Many people, after talking to their oldest relatives, start with the US federal census records, which are taken every 10 years. The most recent census available to the public is 1930's. The 1940 census will be available in 3 years, in 2010. It will tell you the state of birth of your ancestor listed there, so you will know where to search next. The records are available for inspection for free at federal archives. If there is not one near you, you can access them at www.ancestry.com, but it will cost a monthly subscription fee. It also has several other databases online.

As I said before that's where I started and because of starting with Ancestry.com I have been connected to a cousin I never knew I had.
We have been sharing notes and info for weeks now, She satrted doing this about 20 years ago and between the two of us we have been able to trace our scottish ancestor to at least two clans, Campbelll's, Blair's and we also have many Allen's in the family as well.
It really has been a joy for me to finally find some relatives because growing up my parents and my grandmother never said much about the family.

**Shawnesse** · 22nd July 07, 08:13 AM

One of the other places you might try is the local geneological society.

I help my late mother do some of the research.

**solstice** · 22nd July 07, 09:28 AM

You could be lucky like me and find a book someone wrote about your family. It was published before I was born, but it has my father and every one of my relatives since the ship landed on these shores.