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Step 1
Get together with as many close family members as possible. If your grandparents or great grandparents are still alive, they may be able to better help you research your family tree.
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Step 2
Research your maternal side and paternal side separately. If you are looking into your mother's side, it is best to find out as much as you can from that side of the family. Then you may do the same with your paternal family members.
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Step 3
Ask the eldest family members for any diaries that they may have from their mothers or fathers. Historic documents and primary sources often can give you the most insight to your family's history.
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Step 4
Take a trip to your local library to search for any old newspapers that may include information about your family's history. Librarians are a wonderful resource when trying to locate written documents concerning your genealogy. You can even use the Library of Congress as a resource by visiting it in person or accessing it online.
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Step 5
Browse online to research your family tree. With so many sites offering genealogy information, you are sure to find something more about yourself. Sites such as MySpace or Facebook can often help younger relations connect or reconnect. By typing in your last name into these sites, you could find people who are your distant cousins. If you do find distant cousins, these online sites can still help you learn even more about your family tree (see Resources below).
