How do I get started with my family tree?
Genealogy Lens with a variety of how-to articles or sites which offer a daily, weekly or monthly genealogy column (with old columns archived).
The question I get asked all the time is "How do I get started with my family tree?"
This site will give you the tools you need to get started and then move you forward to the advanced level of genealogy quickly.
Featured Book

The Book of Myself A Do-It-Yourself Autobiography In 201 Questions
More than 250,000 copies sold! An even easier to use, revised edition of the popular do-it-yourself memoir
Amazon Price: $10.85 (as of 07/26/2008)
Do-It-Yourself Genealogy Books
Finding Your Family History in the Attic
Instructional video on getting started finding your family history in your own home.
Amazon Price: (as of 07/26/2008)
The Book of Myself: A Do-It-Yourself Autobiography in 201 Questions
Amazon Price: (as of 07/26/2008)
500 Brickwall Solutions to Genealogy Problems
Amazon Price: $25.00 (as of 07/26/2008)
Links
- Rootdig.com
- Genealogical how-to articles by Michael John Neill.
- Dear Myrtle
- Genealogy news, reviews and how-to articles on the Internet or via email newsletter.
- Genealogy and Technology Articles by Mark Howells
- Articles on a variety of high-tech and Internet topics related to genealogy.
- All Info About Genealogy
- Weekly articles highlighting online and off-line resources including advice for beginners, facts about surnames, and user-submitted articles about research successes and reunions.
- Genealogy.com: How-To Articles
- The basics of genealogy research are covered in these hundreds of articles organized by topic.
- About Genealogy
- Genealogy how-to articles for beginners through advanced researchers covering a wide variety of topics and interests.
- My Cinnamon Toast
- A small collection of genealogy articles by several different authors.
- Heritage Quest Magazine Online
- This free, online sister publication to the print edition of Heritage Quest Magazine offers articles, tips, techniques and tools for family history enthusiasts each week. Past articles are archived.
- Family History Compass
- Juliana Smith provides family history tips and information in her weekly column.
- Twigs and Trees
- Genealogist Rhonda McClure answers questions and provides weekly genealogy tips, news and how-tos. Archive of past columns available.
- Prologue: Quarterly Journal of the National Archives
- Detailed articles relating to using the records of NARA, especially military records, for genealogical research.
- Multimedia Techniques for Family Histories
- Guide provides details on software and presentation options for creating a multi-media family history on CD-ROM.
- Computer Genealogy
- Free articles on climbing the family tree using Internet resources.
- Genealogy Articles, Tips & Research Guides
- Topics covered by Joe Beine include census, Native American, military, naturalization & passenger records.
- Tracing Lines
- Articles by Ruby Coleman explore a variety of research techniques, as well as genealogical computing.
Useful Articles
- Michael John Neill-Pick a Spouse
- Are your ancestors'
marriages causing you problems? Is your lack of knowledge of your ancestor's
marriages creating a brick wall? When family members have only one
relationship that produces - Where Do I Find It?
- The key to locating many genealogical records is location. The location where an event took place, the location where any events were recorded, and the current location of those records are all key factors in proving that an event took place.
Books about Genealogy
Genealogy 101: How to Trace Your Family's History and Heritage
Amazon Price: (as of 07/26/2008)
Genealogy Online for Dummies
Amazon Price: $24.99 (as of 07/26/2008)
RootsMagic Family Tree Genealogy Software
Amazon Price: $29.95 (as of 07/26/2008)
Articles from Genealogy Today
Fetching RSS feed... please stand by
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byA Library of Top Books on Genealogy
Easy Family Tree Organize and document your family history
Easy Family Tree allows you to easily enter family information, calculate relationships, and electronically preserve photos and documents. It makes researching your family tree and recording your findings simple and affordable.
Amazon Price: (as of 07/26/2008)
Family Gathering
Amazon Price: (as of 07/26/2008)
Family Tree Maker 2006 Collector's Edition
Amazon Price: (as of 07/26/2008)
Italian Genealogical Records: How to Use Italian Civil, Ecclesiastical & Other Records in Family History Research
Amazon Price: $23.07 (as of 07/26/2008)
Producing a Quality Family History
Amazon Price: $13.57 (as of 07/26/2008)
Trace Your Roots with DNA: Use Your DNA to Complete Your Family Tree
Amazon Price: $11.53 (as of 07/26/2008)
My Life
Amazon Price: (as of 07/26/2008)
Land & Property Research in the United States
Amazon Price: (as of 07/26/2008)
RootsMagic Family Tree Genealogy Software
Amazon Price: $29.95 (as of 07/26/2008)
DoroTree 2.0 - Revolutionary new program for Jewish genealogists!
Amazon Price: (as of 07/26/2008)
To Our Children's Children: Preserving Family Histories for Generations to Come
Amazon Price: $12.89 (as of 07/26/2008)
Multilingual Family Tree
Amazon Price: (as of 07/26/2008)
Genealogy: Stepping Stones Complete
Amazon Price: (as of 07/26/2008)
Courthouse Research for Family Historians: Your Guide to Genealogical Treasures
Amazon Price: $19.78 (as of 07/26/2008)
How to Do Everything with Your Genealogy
Amazon Price: $16.49 (as of 07/26/2008)
Digitizing Your Family History (Family Tree Books)
Amazon Price: $13.59 (as of 07/26/2008)
Top Yahoo Genealogy Links
Fetching RSS feed... please stand bySwedish Research Genealogy Links
- Swedish Emigrant Institute
- Situated on a picturesque lake in the heart of Växjö, the House of Emigrants comprises an archive, library, museum, and research center.
Genealogy Magazine Subscriptions
Family Chronicle
Contains articles of interest to individuals researching their roots
Amazon Price: $30.00 (as of 07/26/2008)
Evertons Genealogical Helper
An aid to help people in their research for their families. Companies advertising to help people in their research, root cellar, and missing persons.
Amazon Price: $29.00 (as of 07/26/2008)
Ancestry
Offers expert guidance to those interested in tracing their family history. Regular features include articles by experts in the genealogical field who discuss current topics in genealogy and offer useful tips, techniques, and little-known genealogical and
Amazon Price: $34.95 (as of 07/26/2008)
Family History Monthly
Aids family historians in the search to uncover their ancestry and local history with a list of helpful resources, an overview of social history, and other features such as letters, news, pictures, profiles, Q&A, and book reviews.
Amazon Price: $129.20 (as of 07/26/2008)
Family Tree Magazine
Amazon Price: $21.96 (as of 07/26/2008)
My mother has started calling cemeteries "Ancestor Farms
GENEALOGY POX
WARNING: Very contagious to adults.
SYMPTOMS: Continual complaint as to need for names, dates and places. Patient has blank expression and is sometimes deaf to spouse and children. Has no taste for work of any kind except feverishly looking for records at libraries and courthouses. Has compulsion to write letters. Swears at mail carrier when s/he does not leave mail.
Frequents strange places such as cemeteries, ruins and remote, desolate country areas. Makes secret calls at night. Hides phone bills.
TREATMENT: There is no known cure. Medication is useless. Disease is not fatal, but gets progressively worse. Patient should attend genealogy workshops, subscribe to genealogical magazines, and be given a quiet corner in the house where s/he can be alone with his/her computer.
REMARKS: The unusual nature of this disease is.....the sicker the patient gets, the more s/he enjoys it!
(by 13 people)




