How to research family tree?

HeyerFan

I found it was a good idea to set up a family tree on Ancestry (your tree can be public or private). Even if you don’t have a subscription Ancestry has 2-3 free weekends a year. Having as much information as possible (obtain from free sites such as FreeBMD, FreeCEN, FamilySearch and Library Ancestry/Find My Past) on your tree will give you hints which you can look up on these free days (usually these take place on long bank holiday weekends or around Armistice Day - If you are a member but not a subscriber you will get an email about these offers). Also having a tree will mean that you can attach records (ie. sources) to ancestors. Please note that any records you may want to revisit/look at again should be downloaded externally of Ancestry or FMP, as once your free period or subscription ends you will no longer be able to view the record(s).

FreeBMD is a very good website and you can check the box to search names phonetically and use wildcards - See https://www.freebmd.org.uk/search-help.shtml
For a common surname you can restrict the number of entries that are returned by specifying a county or registration district.

Once you can get back to Census records (which will give you relationships between the household members) you will find your research much easier. Whilst mother’s maiden name does not appear on the birth indices before 1911 you can now look at the General Register Office’s Historic Index online (for free) and identify the mother of a child back to when registration began in 1837. This is very useful in identifying the correct marriage and means you don’t have to pay out for birth certificates unless you wish to. This same index will give you death age (also back to 1837] useful with common surnames and members of family when a Christian name was used for father and son.

klew356

this is def something i want to start exploring so following this post for information

Grumpelstiltskin

Family history can be addictive, but it isn't always easy.

I honestly say don't jump in all guns blazing spending money on a subscription. if you are not experienced that's why I say start with free library access.

First of all though start with yourself and work backwards, don't accept what family have told you, sometimes it is correct, sometimes there can be some truth and other times it is totally wrong.


Always check everything yourself and what ever you do jump on a family tree on Ancestry, they are not checked and often one person makes a mistake and others just copy it.

Mojisola

https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php is a very good free site with lots of helpful people willing to advise beginners.

Carol3148

Just one word of warning, do make sure you order any certificates through the GRO link given above - don't be tempted to order through Ancestry or Find My Past - it may seem like an easy option, but they will charge you way over the price that GRO charges. Good luck.

newwiseman

My local library was extremely helpful with advice and provides free use of their computer terminals to access various sites that may provide the information you need. It will involve quite a few hours trawling through documents on different sites so if you have the time, go for it. It is rather like being a detective looking for clues leading to further leads, and being prepared for the frustration of dead ends. I have only just started and found you need a great deal of time and patience.

DigForVictory

I'm sorry you're bereaved, but you have found one of the most addictive hobbies to help full the gap. Potentially heartbreaking, but riveting stuff.

Any remaining breathing relatives should be plied with tea & cake and interrogated (Gently!). If you haven't had a funeral yet, it is a solid gold opportunity to get family together & jot down their version as they recall if of the family tree.

If you have, then were there any vintage folk who couldn't make it on health grounds? Visit them? Just to hear stories of Dad that are new to you & for them to run an eye over what you have & say "oh yes & she had another boy but he died young, or ran away & joined the army or emigrated to New Zealand" - the possibilities are endless & hair raising.

I'd agree don't buy even a single years membership until you can put together a basic tree but then use that not paying status to get free weekends and add people.

Incidentally, it's been a godsend at the hospital where only 3 visitors are allowed at once - I sit using the free wifi & chase ancestors while my mother in law recovers & dotes on her son & sundry grandsons.

harrys_nan

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/cs/offers/freetrial/

To start a tree off,
Put your own name in first, then your dad and your mum, ( use the female maiden name if you know then ) add any grandparents that you know the name. You will find that Ancestry comes up with hints for people, just make sure they are the people from your family. My family, both sides seem to use a very small selection of names so it can be hard making sure I have the right people
I have just had my (my daughters) DNA done and have been in contact with a few relations I knew nothing about.
It will get addictive no question about it
Have fun

trailingspouse

My cousin sent me a link to ancestry.co.uk and I started to research my family tree over coffee. 12 years later, and with 11,000 people in the tree, I'm still at it!!! You have been warned...


Start with what you know - father's name and dob and place of birth (you don't need a birth certificate), mother's ditto. Do you know the names of your grandparents? Any snippet of info is useful - occupation, what they did in the war, names of siblings, where did they get married. And a rough date of birth ('she was born between the wars') is better than nothing. Agree with a previous poster, family stories often turn out not to be true - but equally there's often a grain of truth in them.

If your relatives have popular/common names, it's a bit more difficult - but having date and place of birth will allow you to narrow things down a bit. You need to be methodical, and every bit of information you find will allow you to find another bit. For example, finding someone's birth record will provide (for more recent births) the mother's maiden name. With the full names of both parents you can find their marriage, and you can also find the names of other children born to the same parents. If you have the names of both parents, you can find their birth records, and so on. Once you get back to 1911 (the latest census to be available - not long now until 1921 comes out!!) things get a bit easier. There was also a sort of census conducted in 1939 which is now available (it's been redacted to remove anyone who is still alive now, but useful nevertheless).
Please feel free to PM me if you've hit a roadblock and I'll see if I can help.

Ageing_hippy

Depending on where you live you may have a local family history group. The one I belong to meets once a month and has talks on family history related subjects. There is also bound to be someone there who will be happy to show you the ropes, and more importantly how to avoid the pitfalls. I love doing other people’s history as it is a new canvas and I am at the stage with my own where I have done almost as much as I can do. Each county has a local records office. If you are close to one of them they also have free access to Ancestry. They keep the records for that county. I started my family history before there was so much on line so you had to visit records offices to get the information. I have an Ancestry subscription which although it is expensive, it is my main hobby. When you initially join you probably only need the basic membership unless you know you have relatives abroad. You can upgrade later and they often have weekends when you can access foreign and military records for free. As someone else has said, it can be very addictive. Good luck and enjoy.