If you're just starting your research, the first place to start is with yourself.
Write down your full name, date of birth and place, marriage date and place, divorce date and place, medical history, baptism date and place, occupation, education information, immigration or emigration date and place, reason you were given your name, nationality, address, military service; spouse's full name, date of birth and place; children's full names, dates of births and places; parents' full names, dates of births and places, marriage date and place; if any are deceased, the date of death and place, burial or cremation, date of funeral and place, obituary record ... collect as many vital records as you can. Source your information and always keep verifying for accuracy. No family tree is completely accurate. Even vital records are not always accurate.
Heard a story about an ancestor of yours that has been passed down? Document it but don't assume it's fact.
Not all information is online. Libraries, courthouses, and historical societies are great places to look for information.
Don't assume the origin of your last name is where your ancestors were from. While there may be some truth to it, last names are a relatively new concept.
DNA tests are not always accurate. Alright, it may prove whether daddy is or isn't daddy, but as far as determining what location(s) your ancestors came from is a little harder to pinpoint, especially the countries that have seen numerous wars and migrations.
Collect as many pictures of your family as you can. Pictures of ancestors brings the ultimate joy to a genealogist.
Share your information... but remember, anything you post online will be "borrowed" and you likely won't receive credit for your hard work. On the other hand, you'll likely come across a distant cousin who appreciates your hard work and hands you information you don't have.
Number of Ancestors
Self 0
Parents 2
Grandparents 4
Great-grandparents 8
2g grandparents 16
3g grandparents 32
4g grandparents 64
5g grandparents 128
6g grandparents 256
7g grandparents 512
8g grandparents 1,024
9g grandparents 2,048
10g grandparents 4,096
Cousinship
First cousins share the same set of grandparents.
Websites
Ancestry.com
FamilySearch.org
MyHeritage.com
Archives.gov/genealogy
FindAGrave.com
Newspapers.com
Legacy.com
Write down your full name, date of birth and place, marriage date and place, divorce date and place, medical history, baptism date and place, occupation, education information, immigration or emigration date and place, reason you were given your name, nationality, address, military service; spouse's full name, date of birth and place; children's full names, dates of births and places; parents' full names, dates of births and places, marriage date and place; if any are deceased, the date of death and place, burial or cremation, date of funeral and place, obituary record ... collect as many vital records as you can. Source your information and always keep verifying for accuracy. No family tree is completely accurate. Even vital records are not always accurate.
Heard a story about an ancestor of yours that has been passed down? Document it but don't assume it's fact.
Not all information is online. Libraries, courthouses, and historical societies are great places to look for information.
Don't assume the origin of your last name is where your ancestors were from. While there may be some truth to it, last names are a relatively new concept.
DNA tests are not always accurate. Alright, it may prove whether daddy is or isn't daddy, but as far as determining what location(s) your ancestors came from is a little harder to pinpoint, especially the countries that have seen numerous wars and migrations.
Collect as many pictures of your family as you can. Pictures of ancestors brings the ultimate joy to a genealogist.
Share your information... but remember, anything you post online will be "borrowed" and you likely won't receive credit for your hard work. On the other hand, you'll likely come across a distant cousin who appreciates your hard work and hands you information you don't have.
Number of Ancestors
Self 0
Parents 2
Grandparents 4
Great-grandparents 8
2g grandparents 16
3g grandparents 32
4g grandparents 64
5g grandparents 128
6g grandparents 256
7g grandparents 512
8g grandparents 1,024
9g grandparents 2,048
10g grandparents 4,096
Cousinship
First cousins share the same set of grandparents.
You --> Parents --> GrandparentsSecond cousins share the same set of great-grandparents.
1st Cousin --> Parents --> Grandparents
You --> Parents --> Grandparents --> Great-grandparentsFirst Cousin once removed is when your cousin's grandparents are your great-grandparents (or vise versa). The once removed means there is an extra generation gap between the two of you.
2nd Cousin --> Parents --> Grandparents --> Great-grandparents
You --> Parents --> Grandparents --> Great-grandparentsFirst Cousin twice removed is when there are two generation gaps between the two of you.
1C 1R --> Parents --> Grandparents (same as the greats above)
You --> Parents --> Grandparents (same as 2nd greats below)The person with the shortest distance to the shared grandparents determines if you're first, second, third, etc. cousins. The person with the extra steps determines how many times removed you are.
1C 2R --> Parents --> Grandparents --> Great-grandparents --> Great-great-grandparents
Websites
Ancestry.com
FamilySearch.org
MyHeritage.com
Archives.gov/genealogy
FindAGrave.com
Newspapers.com
Legacy.com
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