How to Compile a Family Tree Record

There is a saying that you cannot know where you are going until you know where you have come from. Many people know who their siblings, parents and perhaps even grandparents, cousins and other first generation relatives are. But beyond that, how much do you really know about your family's history? Creating a family tree can be time consuming, but it can also be very rewarding to find out where you came from.

Things You'll Need

• Paper or Other Method Of Recording Data
• Birth and Death Records For Family Members (any available)
• Internet
• Phone Book
• Other Records (such as census information)

Instructions

Create Your Family Tree

1. It is easiest to begin by writing a list of all names before trying to assemble them into a branched outline. Write down the names of yourself, siblings, and parents. Include each person's date of birth and date of death (if applicable). If you are married, include your spouse and any children.

2. Starting with your father's side, write down the names of any known relatives. Include your father's parents, siblings, their spouses and children. Continue to add as many generations as you currently have information for. Once you have as many names on your father's side as you can come up with, do the same thing for your mother's side of the family. If you choose to include your spouse's family as well, repeat step two for his family.

3. Begin conducting additional research on your family's genealogy. Start by talking to any living relatives to find out what they may know about family members missing from your current data. Ask them for any family history or other documentation that may have been passed down over the years.

4. Once you have exhausted all relatives as resources, continue by searching census information. This data is kept at most libraries (though using the library nearest where your family is from might prove most helpful), or can be retrieved via the Internet.

5. Expand your search beyond the basic information provided in a census. Start browsing through old newspapers from your family's hometown. You may also find the Internet helpful in searching for other records kept such as obituaries. At this point, you should adapt to following any potential leads toward uncovering your family's lineage. For example, if you find your maternal grandmother's last name listed in an old newspaper, skim the articles for other names and contact those individuals if possible to see if they can provide additional information about your family.

6. Once you have acquired as much data on your family as possible, start assembling your tree. The easiest way to do this is to start with your name at the bottom center of the page and expand upward from there. Make sure the 'branches' or lines at the bottom of your tree are longer than necessary to avoid crowding as you add more and more names to the top. Leave empty spaces for any individuals who's names or birth/death dates you did not find. Continue to search for this information and record it on your tree as it becomes available.

Tips & Warnings

• The farther back in time you go, the more you will find your list of family members can grow exponentially. If you are ambitious, you can choose to include every individual you have ever been related to. However, it is often recommended that once you have completed immediate and first generation family members, you continue by only included the parents of each generation. For example, include your paternal great grandparents, but do not include their children.

References

• Ancestry: Learning Center
• Family Search: Research Helps
• My Heritage: About Genealogy
• Genealogy: Learning Center

Resources

• Ancestry: Family Tree Creator
• Genealogy: Family Tree