Getting Started

If you want to complete your own "Gift of Family History" book, see the A Simple Family History section.

If you are ready to sit down and learn how to do family research, Ancestry.com has a great set of step by step lessons that will guide you through just about everything you need to know to get started.

If, at the moment, however, you are a little intimidated by the computer or the thought of searching through endless records, you may want to start a little more simply, just one step at a time. If you are not a genealogist and have no intention of ever becoming one, you can still have fun learning about your ancestors.

Here is what we recommend:

Step One: Find a notebook to keep track of any good information or fun clues you find. Print a research log. Write down on your research log (which you will keep in your notebook) the next step you need to do. => which will be "find a notebook" if you don't already have one.

You're done! Congratulations. With just a little effort you have started on your adventure. The great thing about the notebook is that next time you get around to doing family history, which may not be for another two months (or two years), you can start right where you left off. So remember never to close your notebook for the day until you write down the next step, what you will work on the next time you have a moment again.

When you are ready, continue on to step two.