I've just taken delivery of a book from New Zealand. Its a history of one branch of my family going back to around the mid 1600's.
Cynthia the author, did as much of the research as she could from New Zealand, used researchers all over the world, some paid, some who she just met on the internet and were willing to research for her when going to offices to do their own. All those who wanted a copy have contributed to it financially in a small way, as well as research.
Not started reading it yet but on flicking through I discovered a photo of two uncles and their cousins and a great aunt.
If you get serious about this you could pool information in this way. And who knows where it will lead.
Make sure you back up your finding with facts, you want a family tree not a fantasy tree.
Your parents birth certs will probably be your starting points. It will give you their parent names if not already know, so you can get the marriage certs. And so on backwards
Irish research can be difficult esp Northern Ireland lots was destroyed in the uprising in the 1920's/ Dublin might be easier, but mine are Northern so no real knowledge of Eire. GRONI is the Irish website.
Be wary of trees that are online, not all are accurate. I've seen trees that have parents dying before their kids were born, kids dying before they was born and all sorts. And if you dare question the tree owner be prepared to be screamed at.
Name collectors are another thing to avoid if possible. When I first started mine I was SO thrilled to find some researching the same names, that I gladly let him see my tree. Only for him to lift it totally and add to his tree. His wife is very very distantly related to my OH grand father. He took the whole tree and I mean all of it not jsut the bits that were connected. He even has my ancestry on his tree. I always keep my living rellies hidden on my online tree, but on my private tree they are shown. But he just publishes his whole tree which of course includes living people. BUT he didnt copy my tree quite quick enough, and didnt get my kids DOB. They are all on my tree in married name but was given that name in 2002 when we reregistered their births. He has them ALL down as born in 2002!!!!
But the main thing is be prepared to spend hours trying to get over a brink wall.
It's a very addictive hobby
------------- Shelli
Campers do it in the mud!
Hubby says we can
I use Ancestry and have also used Find My Past, I also use FreeBdm and Family History websites. You may need to consider getting Family Tree software, I got mine free with Tesco Vouchers a couple of years ago and it's still ok.
As many have said try and find what you can from family to start and then type the name into google - you never know! Also you may find a few skeletons which maybe unearthed and like in my case a bit of a falling out about the truth! (I was in the right!)
I started doing mine when I watched Sue Johnston on Who Do You Think You Are.
I have a Charge of the Lightbrigade hero, a first Australian Labour Politician, and an Olympic competitor in my family!
I've seen trees that have parents dying before their kids were born, kids dying before they was born and all sorts. And if you dare question the tree owner be prepared to be screamed at.
I know someone who had a child born over two years after Dad/hubby died. Mum was covering up that she 'had a bit on the side' who was the real Dad and already married. All the adults in the family knew though it was a BIG secret.
It came to light when said child had a 100th birthday, someone decided to do a bit of a family tree for her, got her real birth certificate, and found out she was not 100 and Dad had a different name. She was very frail so had the 100th do anyway, and never told her.
I have been doing my family tree for about 20 years and have gone back to the 1600s with some. I have used Ancestry, Free BDM, LDS, Scottish people, History Societies, Genes Reunited. Census 1841 to 2011. Libraries and Registry Offices in Northumberland, Scotland and Ireland. Woodhorn Colliery in Northumberland has lots of records. I have visited places they lived, walked on the ground they did and even had a pint in pubs they used. I have found that information from old family members is very often wrong. People romance about ancestors who turn out to be only labourers. They cover up children born out of wedlock or villains. People put on census' they are married when they were not. On census' and marriage certs they lie about their ages and on death certs the info is only as good as the informant gives. You need a family tree program for your computer or you can use Ancestry.com to up input your tree. I think most other info has already been mentioned?
I started doing mine about 5 years ago. By "doing mine" I mean I picked up a piece of cheap software in a xmas sales and started filling it in. I just put in what I known and every so often I find out bits of information from relatives etc (my nephew is also doing something similiar but he is "more serious" about it than I. using on of the website i found a distance cousin (about 9th cousin 17 times removed !!! lol) who gave me more info. the older relative I have in my tree was born in 1733.
------------- It'll work out in the end!!!!
I didn't do it !! Nobody saw me do it !! You can't prove anything !!
The programme I use is 'Family Historian' by Calico pie.
It is a GEDCOM programme so it is easy to upload / download to other genealogists and sites like Ancestry.
Fred.
I keep mine on "family treemaker". Older versions very inexpensive on ebay. I have Ma's family back to about 1650 and Pa's back to about 1700. Several related branches also on there.
Apart from software I think I have only spent about £5 on information. Much of it comes from online parish chests.
In tracing the tree I have spoken to people in UK,US and NZ and met unknown relatives from US.
I found a link back to William Wallace of braveheart fame and an ancient king of Wales (if I believe info from someone else's tree - which I don't necessarily).
Recent link to First Black England Rugby player. Oh has a link to the first settlers in Jamestown. Ancestor, was a lord, and travelled over with the man who married Pochahontas.
Oh, this business really EATS time... I was lucky, someone from a different branch of the family did my paternal line back to someone called Athanasius who was married in 1737. Dad and I visited the hamlet where he lived, near Plymouth. I've done quite a bit of fishing around my maternal line as well, and done some research for a friend, but it's very easy to go barking up the wrong tree (har - I had to say it!) with all the information out there. I'd like to do more and go back further - but there are only so many hours in the day, and there are costs attached to acquiring certificates, searching parish records and so forth - I'm in Wirral and the stuff I'd need is in Devon/Cornwall, and a bit in Scotland
Good luck with the research, but it will need time!
------------- Always edited for sloppy typing - when I spot it!
i was told you should always do your maternal line as you always know who your mother is.
which is true as my grt grt grandfather's father's name is not on his birth certificate, but he is mentioned on my grt grt gf marriage certificate. I have been unable to find a marriage or a death for the name so I am really stuck!
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Topic: Genealogy
