Family Search

There are some families that know their entire family tree, but many more have no idea where they came from.

Some have an idea of where they ancestors may have lived, but they may not even be sure about that.

This leads many to picking up genealogy so they can trace their family line back and figure out from where they really came.

It can be a very fun hobby, and is always full of surprises, but it can also be a little frustrating too. Your family search can take you in many directions and you can hit many walls, so build up your patience before you even begin.

Your family search should start with the information that you know.

You have your last name, and you probably know your mother's maiden name. That is enough to get you going. If your grandparents are alive, you should have a chat with them about their parents and their grandparents. You can get a lot of information for your family search just by talking with members of your family.

There are many sites out there dedicated to genealogy, and you can find much more there than you suspect. You are going to find some dead ends however, so be ready for that. You can also post on message boards dedicated to this hobby and someone else may be able to help you out.

There are plenty of free resources out there when you are doing your family search, but you may find more value in paying for the memberships some of the larger sites have. They charge because they have gathered mountains of information and they have put it online for anyone doing a family search.

This is stuff you are not going to find anywhere else, and maybe the only way you find some clues. When you hit many brick walls and can go no further, don't give up. Just set it aside for a few months and look again.

New information is added all of the time.