Season for Family

A community of women finding time for family connections.

step 5: learn about where your ancestors live

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If you missed step 4, find it HERE

https://youtu.be/XWjWbK_Td-U

Before you dive into researching, it is important to know about the area that your ancestor lived. The FamilySearch Wiki is a great resource. You can learn about the history of the area they lived, about what records are available, and about what historical events they may have been a part of. Knowing what records are available for a certain time period is vital to your success in researching and will help you not waste time searching for something that doesn’t exist.

MEGAN HILLYER

IG: @moderngenealogy

Step 3: Look for Your Ancestor in Census Records

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If you missed Step 2, find it HERE

Census records are a great resource for getting an overall picture of your ancestor’s life. Start with what you know, and work your way forward or back through federal and state census records. If you know your ancestor’s spouse, look for them as a couple in the next census available after they were married. Keep looking for them until you can’t find them, and this may have been because they died or moved. If you know their parents, you can work your way back from when they were married, looking for them as a single person, or living with their parents. Keep going back until their birth. Attach these records to your ancestor in FamilySearch.

Be sure to watch the video to learn what census records are available for the U.S. and Canada, and how to attach them.

For more tips about census records this week, be sure to follow @moderngenealogy where I will be sharing more. There is so much to learn from census records!

MEGAN HILLYER

IG: @moderngenealogy

Step 2: Look at What is Known About Your Ancestor

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If you missed Step 1, find it HERE.

Now that you have chosen an ancestor to research, look at their person page on FamilySearch and see what is already known about them. What sources are attached? What information is given in the sources? Is there any useful information in their memories tab? Is there adequate proof that their parents, spouse, or children are correct? Take a look and see where there are gaps and information that is not sourced adequately. Take note of where they lived. Did they move around? Where did their parents live? Just get to know your ancestor!

I will be sharing more on instagram.com/moderngenealogy this week about merging duplicates, attaching record hints, and analyzing sources, so be sure to head over there if you want to learn more!

MEGAN HILLYER

IG: @moderngenealogy