Free Guide to Starting Your Family Tree Research

Understanding the Basics of Family Tree Research

Family tree research, also called genealogy, is the study of your family's history and ancestry. It involves gathering information about your relatives—both living and deceased—and organizing that information to show how family members connect to one another across generations. This type of research can help you understand where your family came from, what countries or regions they lived in, and how different family branches developed over time.

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Starting your family tree research doesn't require any special training or expensive materials. You'll be working with records that already exist—documents that were created when important life events happened, such as births, marriages, and deaths. These records are stored in various places, including government offices, libraries, churches, and online databases. Many of these records are public information that anyone can examine.

The basic process of family tree research follows a simple pattern. You begin with what you already know about your immediate family. Then you gather documents that prove those relationships. As you collect more documents, you move backward in time, learning about earlier generations of your family. You organize all this information in a way that shows how people are related to each other. Over time, you build a picture of your family's story.

Different researchers have different goals. Some people want to learn about one particular branch of their family. Others want to trace their lineage back as far as possible. Some are interested in specific family members or events. Your goal might be to preserve family history for younger generations, to understand your cultural heritage, or simply to satisfy your curiosity about where your ancestors lived and what they did. All of these are valid reasons to begin this type of research.

Practical Takeaway: Before you begin, think about what you want to learn. Are you interested in one specific family line? Do you want to go back several generations? Do you have a particular time period or location in mind? Knowing your goal will help you stay focused as you gather information.

Starting With Information You Already Have

The most important place to begin your family tree research is with the information and documents you already have at home. This is called primary research, and it's valuable because it comes directly from your own family. You likely have more information than you realize, and gathering it first will save you time later when you're searching for records elsewhere.

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Begin by talking to relatives who are still living. Older family members often remember details about ancestors, such as their full names, birth dates, where they lived, what they did for work, and important family events. They may also remember stories about why the family moved from one place to another, what languages ancestors spoke, or what religious traditions they followed. These conversations can provide context that helps you understand your family's journey. Write down everything they tell you, and ask if they know the specific dates or locations of major events.

Next, look for documents that are already in your home or in the homes of relatives. These might include birth certificates, marriage licenses, death certificates, divorce papers, and adoption records. Religious documents like baptism or confirmation certificates can be valuable. You might also find old photographs with names or dates written on the back. Family Bibles sometimes contain handwritten records of births, marriages, and deaths. Letters, journals, and diaries written by ancestors are excellent sources of information. Newspaper clippings about family members, old military discharge papers, and employment records all tell you something about your family's history.

Create a simple system for organizing these documents. You might use a folder on your computer or physical folders in a filing cabinet. As you collect more documents, keeping them organized from the start will make your work much easier. You might organize by surname, by generation, or by type of document—whatever system makes sense to you. Take photographs or scans of important documents so you have backup copies. Make notes about where each document came from and when you obtained it.

As you gather information, you'll probably notice gaps—things you don't know or documents you can't find. This is normal and expected. These gaps are actually helpful because they show you where you need to search next. By identifying what you already know, you create a foundation for your research and make your future searches more targeted and efficient.

Practical Takeaway: Set aside a few hours this week to talk with older relatives and gather documents from your home. Create a simple organizing system for what you find. This foundation will guide all your future research efforts.

Learning About Vital Records and Public Documents

Vital records are official government documents created when important life events occur. These records include birth certificates, marriage licenses, and death certificates. They are called "vital" because they document the vital events in a person's life. Understanding where these records are kept and how to obtain them is one of the most important skills in family tree research.

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Birth certificates record information about when and where a person was born, as well as the names of their parents. The amount of detail on birth certificates varies depending on when they were created and where they were issued. Modern birth certificates typically include the child's name, date and place of birth, parents' names and ages, and the occupations of the parents. Older birth certificates may have less information. Birth records are usually kept by the vital records office or health department in the county or state where the birth occurred.

Marriage licenses and certificates provide information about when two people were married and sometimes where they were married. These documents typically list the names of both people being married, their ages at the time of marriage, sometimes their occupations, and the names of witnesses or the person who performed the ceremony. In the United States, marriage records are usually kept at the county level, often in the clerk's office or courthouse. Different states have different rules about which records are public and how to obtain them.

Death certificates are created when someone dies and include the person's name, age, date and place of death, and cause of death. They often list the names of parents or spouses and sometimes include information about where the person was buried. Death certificates are typically kept at the vital records office in the state where the death occurred. These documents are particularly useful in family tree research because they provide specific dates and can confirm family relationships.

To obtain vital records, you'll need to contact the appropriate government office. Each state and county maintains its own vital records, so you'll need to know where a particular person was born, married, or died in order to request the correct records. The National Center for Health Statistics website provides information about how to request vital records from each state. Some requests can be made by mail, telephone, or email, while others require you to visit the office in person. There are usually fees for obtaining copies of these records, though the cost is generally modest—typically between $10 and $30 per document.

Genealogy websites and libraries sometimes have copies of vital records that they've collected or digitized. Checking these sources first might save you the cost of obtaining official copies, though official copies are sometimes needed for certain purposes. It's important to know that while these online copies can provide information, an official certified copy directly from the government office is the most reliable source.

Practical Takeaway: Identify the counties and states where your family was born, married, or died. Visit the National Center for Health Statistics website to learn the process for obtaining vital records from those specific locations. Start by requesting one or two key documents to see how the process works.

Using Online Databases and Record Collections

Online databases have revolutionized family tree research by making millions of historical records available from your home computer. These digital collections include census records, land records, military documents, naturalization papers, and many other types of historical documents. While some online databases charge subscription fees, many records are available through free public sources.

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The U.S. Census is one of the most valuable resources for family tree research. Beginning in 1790, the federal government conducted a census every ten years, counting the population and recording specific information. Census records list household members by name, age, occupation, place of birth, and sometimes relationships to the head of the household. These records provide snapshots of your family at different points in time. Census records from 1790 through 1940 are now public and available online through various sources, including FamilySearch.org, which offers free access to millions of digitized records. Ancestry.com and other subscription-based sites also have census records.

FamilySearch.org is operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and offers free access to one of the largest collections of genealogical records in the world. The site includes census records, birth and death records, marriage records, military records, land records, and immigration documents. You can create a free account and begin searching immediately. The records span multiple countries and time periods, making FamilySearch useful whether