When I first started my family tree, I quickly learned that genealogy is as much about organization and patience as it is about discovery. If I were starting over today, I’d follow the same basic steps but I’d do a few important things differently along the way.
Start with Yourself
This is the golden rule of genealogy: start with yourself and work backward. Most beginner genealogy guides emphasize beginning with what you know for certain before moving into the unknown, as this helps reduce errors and unsupported assumptions.¹ ²
Record your full name, birth date, and birthplace. From there, add your parents, siblings, spouse, and children, including key details such as dates and places of birth, marriage, death, and burial.
Once your immediate family is documented, continue with your grandparents, then their parents, and so on. Working from the known to the unknown helps keep your research grounded in evidence rather than speculation.¹
Gather Personal Sources First
Before diving into online records, start with information you may already have at home. Family papers and personal documents often contain valuable clues that can guide later research and help confirm what you find in historical records.¹
- Birth, marriage, and death certificates
- Family Bibles, diaries, and letters
- Photographs (always label your photos!) and newspaper clippings
- Military service or naturalization records
These sources can contain names, dates, locations, and relationships that may not appear online or may help verify records you discover later.
Ask a Relative
Family members are some of the most valuable resources when building a family tree, especially older relatives. Oral history can provide context, stories, and leads that aren’t recorded anywhere else.¹
When reaching out, plan ahead. Think about what you want to ask and prepare specific questions so you don’t have to schedule multiple follow-ups. Document everything they tell you, but remember to take oral history with a grain of salt. Memories fade, details blur, and stories evolve. Whenever possible, fact-check family stories against original records.
Organize your Findings Early
Whether you use paper charts, spreadsheets, or online family tree software, consistency is key. Choose a standard date format (for example, 25 Dec 1928) and always record women under their maiden names.
Maiden names are particularly important in genealogy, as they allow researchers to locate earlier records such as birth registrations, school records, and census entries that may not reflect married surnames.³
Good organization from the start will save you countless hours later and make your research easier for others to understand.
Access Records and Verify Information
Once you’ve exhausted family sources, move on to historical records. Online databases, local archives, libraries, and courthouses can provide official documentation to support or challenge what you’ve already collected.¹ ²
Always verify information with original or reliable records before adding it to your tree. Secondary sources can be helpful clues, but original records remain the backbone of solid genealogy research.
What I would do Differently
Looking back, there are a few lessons I learned the hard way.
Don’t Copy Other People’s Online Trees
Other people’s family trees can be useful starting points, but they should never be treated as fact. I would now treat them strictly as clues and verify every detail with original source documents before adding information to my own tree. Unverified information can quickly lead research down the wrong path.
Cite Your Sources for Every Fact
Every name, date, and relationship should be backed by a source. Whether it’s a census record, a civil registration, or a relative’s interview, documenting where information came from allows you or future researchers to retrace the research and confirm accuracy.¹
Avoid Tunnel Vision
It’s tempting to focus on a famous ancestor or a single “brick wall” in your direct line. I’ve learned that building out entire families—siblings, spouses, and extended relatives—often provides the clues needed to move forward.
Stay Organized from Day One
I would establish a clear system for naming and storing both digital and physical files right away. A well-organized research system makes your work more manageable and ensures it can be understood by others in the future.
Be Mindful of Name and Place Variations
Names may be spelled differently across records, nicknames are common, and place names and boundaries often change over time. Staying flexible in your searches can make the difference between a dead end and a breakthrough.¹ ² ³
Sources
- National Archives. How to Begin Genealogical Research.
https://www.archives.gov/riverside/how-to-begin-genealogical-research - Family Tree Magazine. 10 Steps to Start Your Family Tree.
https://familytreemagazine.com/general-genealogy/10-steps-to-start/ - Findmypast. What Are Mothers’ Maiden Names in Family History Research?
https://www.findmypast.com/guides/what-are-mothers-maiden-names-in-family-history-research
