Genealogy Tips

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How do I get started with genealogical research about my own family history?

Begin with yourself and your immediate family by recording information you already know. Look for important documents such as birth certificates, marriage licenses, and death certificates. When you have written down all the names, dates, places, and relationships you know, then ask your parents, grandparents, other relatives, and family friends for information. Gather as much information from living sources as possible. Then begin to search for records that other people may have compiled about your family (such as published family histories, county histories, and genealogical databases). When you have examined these sources of information, begin your search for records from the time and place your ancestors lived (look for census data and vital records such as birth, marriage, or death certificates).

LDS Genealogy Connection

In the 20th century, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) engaged in a large-scale program of copying all available records of genealogical value onto microfilm. The Church also sought to compile an index of the submissions of its members. The two projects have since resulted in two major databases, the International Genealogical Index, or IGI, representing transcriptions of filmed civil and eccliesiastic records from various cooperating locales worldwide, and the Ancestral File, or AF, representing the contributions of Church members. The IGI contains data taken from various birth or marriage records that Church members have microfilmed; in all, the IGI contains hundreds of millions of records of individuals who lived between 1500 and 1900, primarily in the United States, Canada and Europe. The IGI also contains numerous duplications of AF records. Resources include the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, which houses the original microfilms and microfiches, its 4,000+ branches (called Family History Centers, where films and fiches can be rented for on-site research, and FamilySearch, an interactive internet site, provides free access to research guides and numerous databases, including the Ancestral File, International Genealogical Index, 1880 U.S. Federal Census, and Social Security Death Index.