Genealogy Chat

this is the 1st time of me trying to trace my family tree but i need advice were to start as i havent got a clue if you can help me that would be great i have a birth certificate with information but thats it. please help many thanks amanda.

Have a look on the left of the screen, just under that annoying flashing advert. There's an option 'New To GR' with lots of good advice for getting started. But be warned that you will find yourself becoming a family history junkie fo rwhich there is no cure :-)) Good hunting Judith

Give up now !! it's not tooooo late, once you start there is NO return. John.

The thing is to get yourself a notebook and then speak to every member of the family as they will all know something. They will start by saying they cant remember but they will have photos in a box somewhere along with letters and certificates all which can be of great use. When I started and was brick walling I was speaking to my 80 year old aunt who had said she had no more info when she suddenly remarked, "Well of course his brother Jonas was a sailor who ended up in Greenwich Naval Hospital." From that little nugget I was able to find a line of Jonas' (unusual names are a brilliant help) in my particular surname which led back to the family right the way to 1735 (so far). So keep digging! One thing I would recommend, is stick to the blood line when you start, it is too complicated to get drawn into including all the married-in families and you could end up spending months on them alone.

As Judith said, please look at the 'New To GR' - then please feel free to ask questions, that's how we all learn. Start with yourself, and if known, your parents and their parents, working your way backwards. There is a best websites list on this board too which is very useful. Happy hunting! Joy

PS it is entitled "BEST WEBSITES LIST 21/10/04" on this board. Joy

Read all the message boards and get an idea of how things are searched. You will notice that people are very helpful and on one of the boards there is a long list of searchable websites worth looking at. If you ask for a lookup or help in any way always give everybit of information you have as that makes it easier for the person doing the search. On the record boards people offer their help or request help, so its worth a good look. I have only been doing my family tree for 4 months and without the help of the great people on this site I would be nowhere near to what I am now. Study how things are done on this site and you will learn and be off in no time. Good luck Mary

John You know you love it. What would you do otherwise..HE.HE...

Amanda, You will need to get as much information from family members and also send off for certificates (for proof of parentage) to take you back to an ancestor who was alive in 1901 census. From there on you can go back in 10 year leaps to the previous censuses to find your ancestors and their households. Whose birth certificate do you have and what information does it give you - i.e., date of birth, place of birth, parents' names?? Kathy

OK Mary i do enjoy it!! it's good when you find something new or manage to help someone. John.

Hi Amanda. We all started somewhere. For me it was 30 plus years ago. My father had already passed away when i was a lad, so i never new him, and i never met my grandad or grandmother, as they also had died a few years before i was born. I wanted to research my grandads family tree? Where do i start? My Aunt was still alive, so i asked where my grandad was born. U'mmmm, she said. ERKS COLN, USEX i think, or something with an EX in it, somewhere in England. Being an Ozzie, and not knowing anything about England Counties or Parish's back then,except that the Beatles came from Liverpool!!! ( I failed in Geography badly at school.) I knew my Grandad had died in 1947, so i sent away for his death certificate, and on it was his age at Death 67 and the name of his birth place ESSEX.England, and his parents names, Benjamin and Elizabeth Hull ( formely Williamson ) So now i had a start. 1947 minus 67 = 1880 birth, in ESSEX. I was told that we had a local L.D.S centre, and they would help me, if i could give them some info. So i trotted off to the L.D.S centre and told them i was looking for a William Hull born 1880 in Essex, England. They laughed at me. What Village in Essex!!! and do you know what Parish,they said.? I dont know? Does it matter?? i replied. Yes We'll, they sat me down at a Micro Fiche reader, and handed me the 1881 Census of Essex. O'k i thought, this is going to be easy. WRONG.. There were over 50 plus,William Hull's born in Essex, between 1880 and 1890. Which one??? A'h but i have the name of his parents, from the death certificate. Anyway, i sifted through the 1881 and eventually came across a William Hull in Earls Colne,Essex aged 6 with the parents Benjamin and Elizabeth Hull. ( ERKS COLN.) EARLS COLNE. Anyway, to cut a long story short, listed with my grandad on the census aged 6 was 9 other siblings, and his parents, and living right next door was his Grandparents John and Mary Hull, with all there appox ages. So now i have not only my Grandad, but his whole family, and his grandparents as well. There was one Church in Earls Colne, called St.Andrews,so now i sent away for the Micro Fiche on births, and Marriages, at St.Andrews. That was 1,670 Ancestors ago. My bible is the Census. It can be wrong in some cases, but its a good guide to who, what, and where, and will lead you onto new adventures. Go to your local LDS and they will help. Never take anything for granted, write down everything, and always look for variations in Phonics ( Different sounding's and spelling variations in any surname.) Somewhere out there, someone is searching your family as well, or at least has a connection to you family members or Ancestors. My HULL surname has been found in Essex, as HULL,HALL,HILL,HAWLES,HULE,HUTT,HUM, ect,ect. from 1560 - 1890. If you cant find a particular Ancestor, always try for a spelling variation. If your census man was Scottish or Irish numerating a census in England in 1851, you can imagine what a surname might sound like!! This is why sometimes, we find a particular person on a census in 1871, but cant find them on an 1881 or 1901 but we know there still alive. Once you find your first lot of Ancestors, the blood will start pumping, and you will be HOOKED. ( like the rest of us.) Good luck. Tony.

Tony what a fantastic account of the beginning of your research ( a mamouth of a brickwall you overcame ) .........it's just that type of thing that keeps us going, that turns us into blood hounds and dectives. Amanda be prepared also for our older generation of rellies to steer you up the garden path. Be prepared for some skeletons in cupboards too. Start with yor grandparents and work backwards purchasing Births Marriage and death certs ( BMD'S) once you get to 1901 you'll be able to find whole groups of families living together etc. Sometimes it will be easy and other times not so - for all various kinds of reasons. Many many people have lots of resources to help you climb your tree - you only need to ask and those that can will help you . All the best..............one last bit of advice: take out a second mortgage you'll need it lol Much happiness Debi

Amanda I agree with all the above - except, NOBODY else is researching MY family! Except for one kind lady who encourages me, cos I think she feels sorry for me, belonging to such an unwanted family. Id just add, be methodical right from the start, get a folder and keep EVERYTHING in it, dont do what the rest of us do, which is to have piles of bits of paper, you wont be able to find something six months later when you realise a connection. Also, carefully write down full references of where you have searched and exactly what for, will save you duplicating work. And finally, certificate everything, will save you going for miles up a blind alley only to find that your three x Grandad didnt have the father he said he had! Good luck - you know you are mad, dont you? Marjorie

Hi amanda, I have been doing family history on and off ( mainly for sanity to return) for 17 years, its addictive, and not a cheap "hobby" as I've been reminded by other half. But once you are hooked there is no hope for you. Good luck in your research and follow all the advice already given, but be warned - my husband says if he sticks bmd certificates all over himself will I take notice of him! judy