User:Nolaneclark/sandbox 2

Starting Research in a Digitized Online Era
This is wonderful time to begin family history research. Every week, new resources are added to the available online resources.

For an introduction to online research, watch a 5 minute video: Find a Record in Five Minutes.

Now, go to familysearch.org and try to find an online record of one of your ancestors.

Gather Family Resources
Before you attempt further online research, gather the information that is closest to you. Your home and family are inportant sources of family history.

Start with your immediate family. Remember the basic principle: Work from the known to the unknown.

For tips for talking to relatives, watch the 5 minute video: Learn from Family.

Gather items that are sources of family history, such as:


 * Birth, marriage, and death certificates,
 * Family Bibles
 * Family records
 * Journals, diaries, and letters
 * Old photographs
 * Obituaries and newspaper clippings

In your quest for information, go beyond your immediate family. It is likely that your second cousin, great-aunt, or other relative already has some family information.

Organize Your Information
Now that you have started gathering information, organize that information. For an introduction, watch the 5 minute video: Record What You Know. For an introductory overview, to through the lesson on Getting Starting in Family History Research.

Review one of the FamilySearch:Research Wiki articles for a written introduction to family group records and pedigree charts. For additional guidance in preparing family group records, see Family group record: roadmap for researchers.

Information can be organized most effectively by using computer genealogy software. See Organize the New Records. For free Windows genealogy software, see Windows Genealogy Software. For free Mac genealogy software, see Mac Genealogy Software.

Search Existing Genealogy Collections
To avoid duplication of effort, find out what compiled records already exist in genealogy collections. Be cautious in using compiled records, particularly records that do not cite sources.

Search United States Census Records
Every individual exists within a family. The best records containing information about entire families are the census records. The federal census began in 1790. Beginning in 1850, the cenusus records show all individuals living in a household. Census records are publicly available through the 1930 census, with the 1940 census records scheduled to be available in 2012.

For guidance in the use of United States census records see United States Census and United States, How to Use Census Records. For a good introductory film on the use of census records, see Ancesters Season 2:Census Records.

The starting point for searching census records are the United States Census Indexes. At FamilySearch.org, one can obtain free access to indexed census records for the 1850 census, the 1860 census, the 1870 census, the 1880 census, the 1900 census, the 1910 census, the 1920 census and the 1930 census. For access to census records before 1850, see the FamilySearch:Research Wiki article: United States Census Indexes.