Watch the video below to learn how to create a Patent of Nativity document.

How to Begin Genealogical Research

Start With Yourself

You are the beginning "twig" on your vast family tree.  Start with yourself, the known, and work toward the unknown.  Find out all the vital information you can about your parents and write it down. Then find out about your grandparents, great-grandparents, etc.

Look for Names, Dates, Places, and Relationships

You will be concerned with pulling four key items from the many and varied documents of recorded history: names, dates, places, and relationships.  These are the tools of the family searcher.  People can be identified in records by their names, the dates of events in their lives (birth, marriage, death), the places they lived, and by relationships to others, either stated or implied, in the records. However, keep in mind that for the Patent of Nativity document, you just need to collect the names, birth and death dates of your forefather's only.

Begin at Home

The place to begin is at home.  Here you can find much information in family bibles, newspaper clippings, military certificates, birth and death certificates, marriage licenses, naturalization certificates, diaries, letters, scrapbooks, photographs, backs of photographs, baby books, and many other documents.

Relatives as Sources

Visit, telephone, or write those in your family who may have information, particularly older relatives.  More often than not, others before you have gathered data about the families in which you are interested.  Write a letter, make a personal visit, or perform a telephone survey to find out about such persons and what information has already been collected. In addition to possessing vital information, family members may also know family stories that can be collected and preserved for future generations and may assist in your continuing research. 

Federal Records

The National Archives and Records Administration maintains records that are of great use to genealogical researchers.  The U.S. federal census which was taken every ten years since 1790 is a very important source and, thanks to partnerships between NARA and other organizations, all censuses taken more than 72 years ago have been made available to the public on-line.  The National Archives and Records Administration also holds records documenting military service, passenger arrival, naturalization, taxation, court actions, land ownership, and much more. 

State Records

Every state also has their own Archives. State archives hold records of great value to genealogists. Some of these records include state censuses, military records, bounty land records, court records, prison records, and much more.

County Records

There are many records held by the individual counties in each state. Some of these include deed records, probate records, criminal and civil court records, tax records, and voting records. All of these records have the potential for being good sources of genealogical data.  Such records are normally in the county courthouses although some original documents have been filmed by different organizations and can be viewed elsewhere. Often, the earliest county records or copies of them are available in state archives.

Birth, Marriage, and Death Records

Some states began to keep records of births and deaths earlier, but for most of the United States, birth and death registration became a requirement between 1890 and 1915.  Before that time, these events will generally be found recorded only in church records and family bibles.  Most marriages will be found recorded in county records which sometimes date to the establishment of the county. Don’t overlook funeral home records, obituaries, cemetery records, and gravestone inscriptions.

Church Records

Investigate the possibility of finding genealogical data in the records of the church to which your ancestor belonged. A few churches have records of important events in the lives of members and provide valuable information for family historians.

Libraries, Societies, and Archives

Visit the state, regional, and local institutions in your area.  Libraries, family history centers, historical and genealogical societies and non-government archival repositories are all good sources for genealogical and family history data and may hold things such as newspapers, private papers of individuals, and records of private organizations.

The Library of Congress has one of the world's premier collections of U.S. and foreign genealogical and local historical publications, numbering more than 50,000 compiled family histories and over 100,000 U.S. local histories. The Library's genealogy collection began as early as 1815 with the purchase of Thomas Jefferson's library.

What You Need to Know About Genealogy and Family Tree Building Tools 

If you’re one of the millions of people who’ve caught the genealogy bug and are itching to learn more about your family’s ancestry, you’ll want some resources to help you out in your genealogy research. After all, the ancestry journey to "find my ancestors" requires navigating the multi-generational web of births, marriages, migrations, and milestones that have made you uniquely you.

Luckily, growing interest in genealogy and DNA testing has made it easy for amateur genealogists to uncover deep insights about where they came from and their ancestors. With genealogy and family tree building tools, you can sleuth out your long-ago origins and discover more about who you are and where you came from and find your ancestors, all from the comfort of your computer. 

Why do I need genealogy and family tree building tools?

Interviewing a grandparent can only take you so far. To truly learn about your family history and ancestors or build a family tree, you’ll have to go back hundreds of years or more.

Before family tree building tools, genealogy research typically included hours spent digging through government records, archival materials, newspaper clippings, and other resources that are likely hard to track down—or may even be in a different language.

This is where genealogy research and family building tools come in. Using vast historical databases and interactive tools, they do all the hard work for you by automatically retrieving even the oldest or most obscure pieces of information that can shed new light on your family’s history to build the most extensive family tree that looking for a free ancestry search or looking at free ancestry records couldn't provide. 

And with state-of-the-art matching technology, they can even automatically match your family tree with others who share similar ancestors, connecting you to others who have important pieces of the puzzle—and perhaps even share your DNA. 

What should I look for in a genealogy and family tree building tool?

Every family tree building tool is a little different. But hey—every family is a little different too. So finding the right one means making sure its features meet your personal needs and ancestral origins. Here are a few key things to keep in mind when shopping for a good genealogy tool for family tree and ancestry searches.

A large database of historical records

Having access to a large database of historical records is the best way to ensure a successful genealogical search. Most genealogical tools will give you access to some sort of database, but they may differ in size and scope. Some of the larger companies, such as Genes Reunited and OneGreatFamily, give you access to millions of documents, records, and archived information that can instantly and infinitely propel your search forward and give you much more than free ancestry records. 

A relevant geographic focus

It’s important to make sure that the tool you choose can serve your ancestors’ geographic location. FindMyPast, for example, is a treasure trove for those with British and Irish ancestry, though it may not be ideal for those whose branches extend into, say, Russia or Asia. Some family tree building tools will have a general focus and draw from databases all around the world, while others are specific to certain countries or continents. It’s important to consider your background and make sure the tool you choose can access the right historical records.

DNA test or compatibility

This isn’t vital, though it may be important if you’ve taken or plan on taking a DNA test. Some companies offer tests and family tree building tools in one. Others may only offer the family tree software, so if you choose one of those and are interested in DNA tests, you may want to check whether you can upload the results from that DNA test company into the site. 

Community forums

Genealogy searches are an exciting, invigorating, but sometimes frustrating experience. There’s no doubt that when you’re tracking family clues across centuries and continents you’re likely to run into some false-starts or dead-ends. This is why genealogy forums tend to be so active—discussing common obstacles and solutions with other, more experienced genealogists is a great way to improve your family tree. Many sites offer community chats and forums, and it may be worth it to find one with an active community and other helpful resources.

Get Building 

The number of tools available for building a family tree and learning about your ancestry is rapidly growing. That’s good news. If you’re interested in finding out more about your family’s history and researching the best genealogy sites, you have many options to choose from. The tips above can help you narrow down your search and find the best one for nourishing the branches rather than stunting their growth. Then you’ll be well on your way to the exciting discoveries and connections that come from building your own family tree. 

 

Make sure it supports your heritage (i.e. some are better for British/Welsh heritage, some focus on this or that place, etc)

Access to historical records - cross-referencing with other databases 

Chat rooms and community to help you navigate common roadblocks 

Matches your family tree with others who have similar branches

Interactive family tree builder

DNA test included? Can it accommodate results from other test companies?

Resources

$ = Paid Services

Best "Big" Genealogy Websites

Ancestry $
FamilySearch
Findmypast $
MyHeritage $

Best Family Tree and Sharing Websites

Geni
TribalPages
WeRelate
WikiTree

Best US and Canadian Genealogy Websites

AmericanAncestors.org $
Congregational Library & Archives *
Ellis Island Passenger Search
Genealogy Trails
Library of Congress
National Archives and Records Administration
The New York Public Library Digital Collections
NYC Historical Vital Records Project *
Programme de Recherche en Démographie Historique $
USGenWeb
Western States Marriage Record Index

Best Genealogy News Websites and Blogs

The Family Curator *
Genealogical.com $
Genealogy Gems
Genealogy Guys
The Legal Genealogist
The Photo Detective *
RootsTech
Virtual Genealogical Association *$

Best Genealogy Tech Tools

AncientFaces
ArchiveGrid *
Artifcts *
Cyndi’s List
DeadFred
Internet Archive
One-Step Webpages
Reclaim the Records
RootsPoint $
WorldCat

Best Genetic Genealogy Websites

23andMe $
DNAeXplained
DNA Painter *
Family Tree DNA  $
GEDmatch
International Society of Genetic Genealogy Wiki
Your DNA Guide

Best Cemetery Websites

BillionGraves
Find a Grave
Interment.net

Best Geography and Historical Map Websites

Atlas of Historical County Boundaries
Bureau of Land Management General Land Office Records
David Rumsey Map Collection
Gazetteer of British Place Names
Historic Map Works
HistoryGeo *$
Meyers Gazetteer
U.S. Geological Survey

Best Military Records Websites

American Battle Monuments Commission
Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System
Daughters of the American Revolution
Fold3 $
Mexican War Soldiers & Sailors Database
Nationwide Gravesite Locator

Best Historical Newspaper Websites

British Newspaper Archive $
Chronicling America
Fulton History *
GenealogyBank $
NewspaperArchive * $
Newspapers.com $

 

Hire a Professional Genealogist

Click on the link below to find a professional genealogist.