How Would I Start Tracing My Family History?

Posted by kim john on May 15th, 2017

Either while going through old photos or listening amusing tales from elders, occasionally, you must have thought of tracing your family history, isn’t it? But, is it that easy to know about those people who are linked to you but you don’t know anything about them? Of course, not. So, here is how you can trace your family history.

Tracing family history solely depends on the period you are trying to assess. In some or the other way, you are surely going to face various hindrances. Some of them because of the dearth of information and some because of the unwillingness of other people.

But, don’t worry. All you have to do is gather the information, and you can easily cherish it by using free family tree maker online.  So, if you are all set to trace your family history and preserve it like a treasure, here is how you can do it.

• Explore the Attic:

To begin with, collect everything that you possess at one single place. Be it photos, documents, papers, or family heirlooms, gather whatever you can grab. If you think that you don’t have enough information, explore the hidden attics and cupboards. There might be other mysterious places in your house to look at as well. Take every clue that you can.

• Interrogate Your Relatives:

While collecting records of your family history, try to ask some helpful questions from your relatives. To start with, you can ask your parents, then move on to their parents, so on and so forth. Don’t just concentrate on names and dates, but try to indulge in stories. As cliché as it may sound, this information can help you to a great extent.

• Create A Family Tree:

Once you have collected every information, build a family tree to preserve the data. If you don’t know how to create one, you can seek some help from online portals. On the internet, you can easily find a step-to-step guide to creating a family tree. One of the most useful web portals is Tribal Pages. Here, you can even invite other family members to add in the information.

• Concentrate on What Interests You More:

When you start to trace your family history, you are sure to come across various people with different backgrounds and surnames. Indeed, it is quite difficult to know about the entire clan all at once. So, start from the side that interests you more. Whom do you want to learn about first? Is it your paternal side or maternal? Select a nuclear family and start researching on them. You can even search Bible for birth and death records.

• Census Records:

If you want to dig more, try to gain knowledge from Census records. In the States, you can easily find records from and before 1940. These records are public and easy to gain. Through these records, you can find out family groups, ages, birth location, jobs, and other information.

Follow these steps and create free family trees online. These steps will help you trace your family in a good and clear manner. So, start your voyage today.