Research Tips

Basic Genealogy

  • Genealogy is the search for our ancestors. Family history is the study of the lives they led. Using information from both disciplines provides a more complete picture of a family's history.
  • Remember that each generation doubles the number of ancestors. Focus on one or two family lines at first. The remaining family lines can be explored later. A generation typically spans about 20–30 years, although it varies from family to family.
  • Focus equally on male and female lines.
  • Document all sources. Undocumented genealogy is mythology!

Census

  • A census is an official count of the population living in a country on a designated day. Most censuses were conducted at regular, established intervals. A census places an ancestor in a specific place at a specific time.
  • Prepare a census timeline before beginning research. Work backward from the most recent census, keeping track of the information found in each one. Copy the information exactly as it appears—don't "correct" spelling, ages, or other details.
  • The first U.S. federal census was taken in 1790. 1850 was the first census to give names for everyone in the household, not just the head. Most of the 1890 census was destroyed by fire. Portions of the surviving schedules are available through several genealogy websites such as Ancestry. A good resource is William Dollarhide’s The Census Book: A Genealogist’s Guide to Federal Census Facts, Schedules and Indexes.
  • Don’t assume that all children listed in the census belong to the wife listed. This may be a second wife. Vital records and wills can help sort out who belongs to whom.
  • The United States also conducted special censuses: Slave, Industry & Manufacturing, Agriculture, Mortality, Social Statistics, Union Veterans and Widows, and Defective, Dependent and Delinquent. Some states also took a census midway between the federal enumerations. State Census Records by Ann S. Lainhart is a good resource for locating these.
  • Enumerators often visited households days or even weeks after the official census date. Information should be interpreted as applying to the official census date. For example, a person who died after the official census date should still be listed, while a baby born after the official census date should not.
  • When the head of the household is no longer listed, don't assume that person has died. They may be living with a child, another relative, or someone else, or they may simply have been away when the census was taken.
  • Soundex is a system for indexing names by how they sound rather than how they are spelled. Many genealogy websites, including FamilySearch and Ancestry, automatically use Soundex or similar phonetic searching.

Charts and Forms

  • A pedigree chart shows an individual's direct ancestors. Record women by their birth (maiden) surnames whenever known.
  • Family group sheets identify a couple and their children along with their vital information.
  • Creating a timeline places an ancestor's life in historical context. Begin with the person's birth and add both historical events and significant life events to the timeline.
  • A research log documents the sources for each piece of information and is invaluable when sharing or publishing genealogical research. Be very specific, giving author, title, publication date, page(s), repositories, and their locations.
  • A correspondence log records the name and address of each person or institution contacted, what was requested, the date, and the outcome. Follow up after a month if no response has been received.

NOTE: Many genealogy websites, libraries, and societies provide these forms as free downloads.

Church Records & Cemeteries

  • Church records may include births, baptisms, christenings, marriages, deaths, and burials. Identify the correct religious denomination whenever possible. If the denomination is unknown, search churches near where the ancestors lived. Religious artifacts can also give clues. Some denominations have extensive archives which can often be found online. Historical societies often have old church records too.
  • Check with the church for cemetery records. The sexton’s office usually keeps this information. Larger municipal cemeteries have offices with detailed burial books for locating graves. Sites such as Find a Grave can also be helpful. Some families had private family plots which may be hard to locate. Check with the local historical society.

Evidence

  • Direct evidence answers a research question. For example, a birth certificate stating a person's date and place of birth provides direct evidence of those facts.
  • Indirect evidence does not answer a research question by itself but, when combined with information from other records, can help establish a conclusion.
  • Original sources are records created at or near the time of an event, such as birth certificates, marriage records, census records, or wills.
  • Derivative sources are copies, transcripts, abstracts, indexes, or compilations made from original records. Whenever possible, compare a derivative source with the original record to verify the information.
  • No single record is guaranteed to be completely accurate. Compare information from multiple sources before reaching a conclusion.

NOTE: Elizabeth Shown Mills' books on genealogical evidence are excellent resources for learning how to evaluate and document evidence.

Hometown Records

  • City directories provide names and occupations of town residents as well as local business information for a particular city. This source also helps locate an ancestor in a place and time. Many public libraries and historical societies have collections of directories.
  • Newspapers are great for locating obituaries, wedding and birth announcements, pre-nuptial events, anniversaries, and general information about your ancestor.
  • Indexes can often be found at the newspaper, local library, genealogy society, or historical society.
  • Town and county histories can be invaluable to providing historical context for ancestors' lives. Local libraries can obtain copies of these through interlibrary loan. Public libraries can often assist with interlibrary loan requests.

Interviewing and Letter Writing

  • Relatives can be valuable sources of family information and should be interviewed whenever possible. Prepare a list of questions and use a recording device whenever possible. Local libraries often have books for the genealogist on interviewing.
  • When writing for information, whether to an individual or institution, it is best to limit the number of items requested. Shorter letters get answered faster. When contacting archives, libraries, or historical societies, follow their stated request procedures and fee schedules. Many institutions now accept requests by email or through online forms.

Online Research