Note: This is a basic introduction to genealogy with the information that could be presented in a short 1 to 1.5 hour session. Links to additional information resources can be found at the end of this page following the bibliography that lists many resources to assist you in your research.

Genealogy is the recorded history of the descent of a person or family from an ancestor or ancestors; the science or study of family descent (relationships, names, dates, places).

"Who are the parents?" is THE genealogical question! Your goal is to identify and link each generation one to the other so that you know you are claiming the right ancestors.

Remember the times our ancestors lived in were not like our times; don't judge your ancestors by your standards.

Name collectors will just take genealogies from books and off the internet without worrying about sources or correctness of the information; genealogists research in original sources to prove links, until a link is proven use words like possibly, probably, etc.

Some of the many reasons to do genealogy are to:
1. learn more about your family and ancestors - are you really related to Quanah Parker or Sam Houston or whoever?
2. understand your place in history.
3. learn about your family health history.
4. join a lineage society such as SAR/DAR, DRT, Colonial Dames, etc.
5. or for a school project.

Ancestry Magazine, in February 2004, on page 6 says:

A few years ago there were:
- 113 million Americans withsome interest in genealogy,
- 19 million have a strong interest.

In 2003:
- 13 million people visited family history-related websites in January 2003,
- MyFamily.com websites had 10 million viewers per month in 2003,
- 29% of internet users have engaged in family research.

Genealogy is one of the fastest growing hobbies in America.

Genealogical research should be started with the information you can find at home. Write down as much as you know about each ancestor then interview other family members to add additional information. The pedigree charts and family group sheets discussed below are good forms to start with but you can start with a plain sheet of paper.
Write down the full name, birth date and place, marriage date and place, death date and place, burial date and place, and any other information about each ancestor such as religious or political affiliation, and interesting facts about that person. Allow blank spaces for information you don't know yet - those items will be your first research tasks.
Start with yourself or your children, then go to the previous generation, your parents or yourself. Then to grandparents, great-grandparents and so on. Some of the records you can find at home to help fill in the blanks are:
A. Vital records - birth, marriage, death, etc. certificates.
B. Military awards, business records, checkbooks, bank statements
C. Baby books, baptism and confirmation certificates, wedding albums, deeds, wills, estate papers
D. Recipes
E. School, employment, military, church records
F. Bible - family records
G. Diaries, journals, letters, scrapbooks, newspaper clipping, obituaries
H. Photographs (check for captions)
I. Records of other family members who have done previous genealogical research
J. Family members to interview (audio/video tape sessions)

After you gather all the information from home you will have to expand your research to include other repositories of information. Some of these and the records you can find there are:

A. Courthouses

- know what you are looking for before you go, find out about business hours, do not take children, be nice to the workers - some records available on microfilm via ILL or from FHL or RHRDs

1. Vital Records (often not kept until 20th century in the South so may have to search for Bible records or newspaper accounts - records usually also available at state level)
2. Will / Probate
3. Court Records - Jury lists and lawsuits / petitions / etc.
4. Land Deeds - land transfers after the initial patent/warrant from the state or federal entity
5. Tax Records

B. Cemeteries

1. Names, dates, etc. from headstones, check both sides of headstones as many have information carved into the back side
2. More from cemetery records in office or records repository (sometimes)
3. Nearby burials may be relatives

C. Churches

1. Birth, baptism, marriage, death, removals, etc. kept by SOME denominations but not all

D. Libraries and Archives

1. Manuscript collections (Local and business histories, diaries and journals of local citizens who lived at the same time as your ancestors)
2. Inter-Library Loan may become your best friend
3. FHL - millions of records on microfilm can be borrowed and viewed at local FHC
4. Census Records - US census every 10 years since 1790, cannot be accessed until 72 years old, remember county boundaries have changed over the years so records of ancestors can be found in several counties even if they never moved
5. Some state censuses also
6. Military Records
7. Land Patents and Deeds
8. Newspapers - birth, marriage, death notices; obituaries; and more

B. Charts - Tools for Saving Your Sanity

1. Pedigree or Ancestral Chart - Basic precept is to start with the known and work back to the unknown; contains vital life events. Free printable charts are available at Ancestry.com:


a. Start with yourself - print legibly or type
b. Use complete names and always use women's maiden names
c. Dates are written as 13 April 2004 - never 4/13/04 - estimated dates must be preceded with abt (about) or ca (circa)
d. Males are even; females are odd unless in #1 position - each column represents a generation
e. Continuation - for example, #8 on Chart 1 might become #1 on Chart 2
f. Complete and place in front of your notebook binder
g. Analyze to determine what information you need to find and where you might look for it -i.e. 1st child likely born near where couple married; marriages usually in the county of the bride so look there for her parents

2. Family Group Record - Basic precept is to complete the entire family picture. Free printable charts are available at Ancestry.com:


a. Use pencil for undocumented information; black ink when proven
b. Write name "first - middle - last" as it will appear in documents; avoid nicknames unless shown in quotation marks or parenthesis; avoid abbreviations in names but can use in county, states and dates
c. Location, location, location - most records found at county level
d. List place as it was at time ancestor lived there; county borders change i.e. Talbotton, Muscogee (now Talbot), Georgia, USA
e. List children in birth order; put an "*" by the number of your direct ancestor - take care in listing the sex; put "Unk" if unsure
f. If given name is unknown, list as "daughter Price" or "child Price"
g. List only child's first spouse; other marriages appear when child is shown as a husband or wife on his own Family Group Sheet
h. Can provide Pedigree Chart number as cross-reference in last column
i. Prepare a Family Group Record for each marriage; be sure that children are entered under correct father and/or mother; gaps of four years or more may signal new wife

3. Ahnentafel Chart - German for Ancestor Table - same information as Pedigree Chart but different format

4. Narrative Reports - Allows inclusion of more information and prose format makes for easier reading - can include notes and sources

C. Basic Research Techniques - Basic precept is to identify the source of each piece of information entered on your charts; document so that others could locate and verify that same information.

1. Research Calendar - Do leave a paper trail so that you won't duplicate your efforts later. Free printable charts are available at Ancestry.com.


a. Write down nonproductive searches, i.e. books with no information; denials on requests for vital records; family correspondence
b. For books provide title, author, publication date, publisher, page numbers (can photocopy title page); library location with call number
c. For vital records, land records, probate records - note Vol. & page nos. and/or certificate numbers, dates and jurisdiction of record
d. For personal knowledge information, provide name of interviewee or correspondent, date information acquired; title page of Bibles

2. Timeline - Chronological list of life events makes excellent research tool

a. Can place ancestor in context of world events such as war, migrations, epidemics, economic upheavals, etc.
b. Can assist in finding possible discrepancies, i.e. child born when parent was too young/old
c. Analyze to determine what information needs further documentation, what information is missing, what type of document might contain that information and record availability

3. Generations must be linked with documentation; do not attempt to skip a generation or you may be out on a limb of the wrong family tree!

4. Focus on one ancestor or surname at a time

5. Identify all possible spellings for a name - try writing the name phonetically which is exactly what the early census takers often did Some old deeds may have a surname spelled two or three ways on same page i.e., Wear/Ware/Weer/Weir/Whare/Weare, Wier/& Others

6. Learn how to read and interpret the curiosities of old-style handwriting

a. Double "s" was written as if it were "fs" or a sprawling "ps"
b. The capital "S" and "L" are very similar and the "T" and "J" and "I" are similar as well
c. Common name abbreviations: Jos or Jos. - Joseph, Joshua, Josiah; Jno or Jno - John, Jonathan; Jas or Jas - Jason, James; Thos - Thomas (See Sperry in Biblio.
d. Most deeds, wills and other records from County Clerks are in the hand- writing of the current clerk, not your ancestor.

7. Use common sense and common courtesy in correspondence and queries

a. Don't ask a person to send you "everything you have on..."
b. Limit queries to one or two events; send relatives or correspondents a copy of a Family Group Sheet with known information completed and invite them to add, change, correct or comment and return form to you; include SASE
c. Include full name, specific location if possible and date range with queries i.e., "I'm searching for the parents of John Smith who was born about 1812 possibly in Alabama. He married Joan Jones in 1839 in Nacogdoches, TX"
d. Offer to pay for copy costs and/or expenses incurred
e. Log your correspondence. Free printable charts are available at Ancestry.com.


8. Avoid two major pitfalls

a. " I found it online...I can trace my family back to Adam!!!" - the sad fact is that many online, and printed, genealogies and family histories contain grossly erroneous statements because the compiler has accepted undocumented previously published material and did not go to the original source. Any information online, or printed, is only as good as the researcher who put it there. There is no sanctity to the printed word; use this information as clues to conduct your own search.
b. "Same name - Same man" - Maybe not! It is not uncommon to find two men of the same name in the same county in the same period of time. Research both to find evidence to confirm which one is "your" man.