Using Genealogy To Discover Your Past And History by Mike Selvon
Genealogy satisfies the curiosity of those interested in knowing more about their past and history. Compiling a family tree that depicts much of one's lineage and ancestors' personal information, such as birth dates, marriages, children, and all sorts of other types of data can be a wonderful hobby to take on, and it is very popular as a pastime.
In order to obtain the information for a family history record, you will need to do extensive research. How extensive your research will be depends on the purpose of your genealogy project. If you are simply interested in a family tree that covers a few generations, much of your research can be done within your immediate family.
Interview older members of your family to discover the names and important dates connected with their parents and siblings. Also, check family Bibles and other heirlooms for information.
If you want to create a more extensive picture of your family history, you will eventually need to search through genealogy records. Sources that you may use include military records, land records, census records and the social security death index. Each of these types of records can provide information on your ancestors.
Think of a family tree as a mystery waiting to be solved. You will take on the role of a detective, gathering evidence and interviewing those who might be able to provide clues in your quest. Each bit of information that you gather will lead you to new sources and new questions.
Although it is not necessary, genealogy software can assist you in compiling your genealogy. The good ones will often include checklists of hints, tips and tricks that can prove invaluable. Such software may also be linked to research websites that can search a long list of records with a simple click. Some type of automatic family tree maker is usually included as part of the package.
A wide variety of genealogy resources are available online. There are many websites devoted to family history, such as Ancestry.co.uk, and these can be valuable for clues and information for tracing your ancestors back in time.
You'll also discover community forums, tools, different types of genealogy software, and other types of resources, as well as make friends with many other people devoted to genealogy. What used to be a long process of sifting through old papers in file rooms has become a fast and easy project with most of the information you need available with the click of a mouse.
Genealogy can be an exciting hobby involving playing detective and learning about your family's past. You'll discover many other people related to you whose existence you were not aware of or you'll find new friends who share your passion.
Many people who begin a family tree for fun soon discover that the interest becomes a lifelong passion.
Quick Tips for Finding Your English Ancestors by Chris Simeral
Did your ancestors come from Europe - in particular England or Wales? It's quite possible to find their records. You may even be lucky enough to find records online, because as more and more people become intrigued with their origins, more are being made available.
Most genealogical resources group England and Wales together, because they were administered together. Where you go to find records depends on how far back you want to go. If you're looking for birth records after 1920, you'll probably find them at the national government level. If you want a birth record from the 18th century, you would need to look at the parish records, and those records are now held at the county level. Therefore, the more you know about where your ancestors came from, the more you will be able to focus your research.
Start your search at the Family Records Centre in London (http://www.familyrecords.gov.uk/frc/), which holds indices to births, marriages and deaths registered in England and Wales since July 1, 1837. You can order copies of the certificates online. The site is well laid out, and explains that if you need a document earlier than 1837, you need to search parish registers, which are very variable: http://www.familyrecords.gov.uk/topics/religious-2.htm.
Parishes once managed all local affairs -- they kept records of marriages, baptisms and burials, looked after the poor, and maintained the local roads. The parish records are now held at the various County Records Offices throughout England and Wales. Some have their own Web sites, and even provide online access to catalogs and records. Genuki at http://www.genuki.org.uk/ will help you to find the County Records Office for the county you're interested in.
Census Documents in England and Wales
Censuses were conducted in England and Wales every 10 years starting in 1801, but the early censuses, up to 1841, were purely statistical, and did not contain names. Census records are released after 100 years, and the 1901 census is online at http://www.1901census.nationalarchives.gov.uk.
This huge database contains information on 32 million individuals, along with original census pages. Access is free, but you're charged for viewing transcribed data, at 50p (around 90 cents U.S.) per individual, and then 50p for all the other people in that person's household.
The index links to digitized images of the actual returns, so if you have a large-format printer which prints A3-sized paper (which is standard in Europe), you can print them out.
