Perhaps the best way to begin finding out more about your family is to talk to, well, your family of course! If you have some surviving elderly ancestors and their memory is still relatively good, interviewing them with prepared questions can help you cover years of family history in just a few hours-as well as give them a welcome chance to reminisce. Plus, watching old film reels on the dusty old film projector or perusing through family photo albums will be fun quality time spent together with your older family members. Here are a few sample family interview questions you might ask your elderly relatives:
* What do you know about our family surnames?
* Is there a family cemetery or burial plot(s)?
* Has anyone in our family compiled a family tree?
* Are there some old film reels or family photo albums we can look at?
* Do you have any old family letters, or journals, or diaries?
* How did your parents meet? How did their parents meet? How did you and (ex. grandpa) meet?
* Is there a family Bible or genealogy book?
There are more genealogy-related interview question ideas over at Geni’s Genealogy Knol that will give you some starting points in your genealogy research. Also, make sure you take detailed notes during the interview(s)-jotting down names, dates, places, and events as your elderly kin take you on a tour of your family’s past. If they will let you, it is ideal to record your family interviews so that you can refer back to them later and also save them for future generations. A video camera, a tape recorder or a smartphone with recording ability are electronic recording devices you could carry with you on your family interviews.
Researching Records
Records research is one of the best places to find information about your ancestors. There are a variety of records you might investigate to trace your family lineage. Vital records like birth, marriage and death notices are key genealogical resources to discover the names, dates and location information about your ancestors. Ships’ passenger lists, naturalization and immigration records can also help you discover your heritage from overseas. Here’s a brief outline of records that are likely to contain relevant information about your ancestors:
* Census Records
* Courthouse Records
* Civil
* Criminal
* Land, Deeds & Property
* Probates & Wills
* Birth
* Death
* Immigration & Naturalization
* Church Records
* Christening & Baptism
* Marriage
* Funeral
* Ships Passenger Lists
* Pension Lists & Military Records
* Cemetery & Burial Records
These records can be found in several places. Many government records can conveniently be found online through government websites like the National Archives & Records Administration, the Library of Congress and the National Technical Information Service (home of the Social Security Administration’s death master file).
Courthouses, town halls, and libraries are also excellent places to begin your records research. In fact, many libraries even have special local genealogy collections. The largest genealogy collections in the U.S. are housed by the LDS Family History Library and the Daughters of the American Revolution. These massive genealogical library collections are free to the public and well worth the trip for the serious ancestor sleuth.
Churches often keep records of baptisms and christenings, marriages, and funerals. Family bibles are excellent resources to find information about your ancestors. If you have one handy, the bible could potentially point you in the direction of a church that may have some of your family’s records on file. Otherwise, start your church records search near churches where your ancestors resided. Once you have located the church most likely to have your ancestors’ records, call or visit the church’s office to inquire if they have them and how you might access these private records.
Investigating Newspapers
One of the best resources for researching your ancestors is newspapers. Newspapers contain many of the records noted above, in addition to the news that was happening during the times that your ancestors lived. The historical context that newspapers provide can aid in recreating the story of your family’s past. Obituaries and death notices offer specific date and location information about your deceased relatives, as well as names and details about their immediate and extended families. Newspapers also provide news stories about your ancestors, info about family reunions, and other details that can help you fill in your family tree.
You can find old and discontinued newspapers in libraries, at educational institutions and online. These are usually available in microfilm and microfiche format, and can be accessed via special readers at the library or university. Some historical newspapers have been digitized and can be accessed online via sites like GenealogyBank. This genealogy website houses one of the largest digitized newspaper collections of United States newspapers for family history research.
Hiring a Genealogist
If you want to explore your family’s past but lack the time to do the legwork, you should hire a qualified genealogist to help you find your ancestors. You can locate genealogists for hire through professional genealogical organizations and societies. Start your search for a genealogist at the Board for Certification of Genealogists or the Association of Professional Genealogists.
From interviewing elderly relatives to digging into records research, these family research tips and genealogy resources should get your ancestry sleuthing off to a great start. Remember to carefully document your all your family findings and have fun finding your long lost ancestors!
