Why Genealogy?
What you can expect when researching genealogy.
GENEALOGY
- Genealogy is the 3rd largest hobby in the U.S..
- Each family has a story of triumphs, joys, determination, and tragedy. You will explore the path of your ancestors and the interaction with American and World History. You are the only person that can tell the story.
Reasons to Research your Family
- Determine their country of origin
- Know the boat and its route to U.S.
- Discover why they left the mother land
- Guard your health and that of your family members by finding medical weaknesses
- Give the greatest gift in the world to your children and later generations
- Treasure all the family stories that are never written down
- Experience the connection when you stand in front of an ancestor's grave you never met
- Feel the thrill of finding your parents in the U.S. Census listed as a minor
- Find the exploits of your parents when they were teenagers
- Watch fashion and automobiles change over the centuries
- Study the culture of your ethnic group
- Wonder how character traits are passed from generation to generation
Where Do I Start?
- Write down your family members and whatever information you have
- Interview family members about their memories - names, places, approximate dates
- Determine if anyone else in your family is researching and share information
- Select software or paper forms for collecting data
- Decide what you want to learn and record where you looked
- Utilize first person sources and record your source
- Visit your local library and the Internet
- Email other people researching your surname and share information
- Post your surnames of interest on Internet forums such as genforum
- Join societies and learn from fellow genealogists