Beginner Genealogy -- Where do I start?

A common questions asked of genealogists is "where do I start?" My short answer is simple: start with what you know. Take out a sheet of paper and a pencil and jot down some family history notes.  Make a few phone calls or stop by to visit your aging relatives (if you're lucky enough to have some of those!) Don't be afraid to interview family members and write down everything.You never know when a scrap of information can present itself as a lead later on. Important pieces of information to include are: full names; names of spouses, children, and parents; dates of birth, marriage, and death; locations of birth, marriage, death, or residence;  After exhausting your own memory and those of your family members, look for written family sources. Do you have an old family bible? Photographs? Funeral cards or obituaries? Military papers? Other records? These family sources can be extremely helpful in getting started, even if they are not  properly sourced.

Good luck in getting started! This series of posts will continue with "Beginner Genealogy -- How to record basic info."

For more tips on getting started, visit the FamilySearch "Begin your genealogy quest" page. Are you more into vlogs or webinars? Try watching Ancestry.com's Back to the Basics: Genealogy 101 video on their YouTube channel.