Starting Your Family Tree
New to Genealogy? I am here to help you break researching family history into small easy steps, showing you exactly where to begin, which records to use and how to avoid common beginner mistakes.
We’re here to offer help, support, and guidance throughout your family tree journey. Whether you’re just starting your first family tree or looking to overcome a challenging research problem, our aim is to make genealogy easier to understand and more enjoyable to explore.
How to begin
Starting your family history research doesn’t have to be complicated. Begin with what you already know—your own name, birth details, and immediate family members. Talk to relatives, collect family stories, photographs, certificates, and documents, and record as much information as possible.
Where to search
Genealogy websites such as Ancestry, Findmypast, and FamilySearch contain billions of records, but knowing where to look and how to interpret the results can be challenging for beginners, we’re here to help you.
Staying organised
Next, organize your findings in a family tree and verify information using historical records such as census returns, birth, marriage, and death records. As you build your tree, work backward one generation at a time, documenting sources for every fact you discover.
A Beginner’s Guide to Genealogy
Step 1 –
Gather what you already know
Step 2 –
Interview relatives
Step 3 –
Organise your research
Step 4 –
Search historical records
Step 5 –
Verify everything
Step 6 –
Consider DNA testing
Become part of a new amazing genealogy Facebook group where you can learn, share and discover.
- Lots of help available
- Great place to ask questions
- Join others new to genealogy
- Find new hints and tips
- Keep up to date with all the latest finds
- Run by ‘The Geordie Genealogist‘
Small Steps Blog
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When Might You Need a Professional Genealogist?
While many family history discoveries can be made on your own, there are times when the expertise of a professional genealogist can save you time, money, and frustration.
The Geordie Genealogist
You may benefit from hiring a genealogist if:
- You’ve hit a “brick wall” and can’t trace an ancestor any further.
- Records are difficult to locate, interpret, or access.
- Your ancestors emigrated or immigrated between countries.
- You need assistance researching military, probate, land, or parish records.
- Family stories need verifying with documentary evidence.
- You require a professionally researched family tree for personal, legal, or heritage purposes.
- You don’t have the time to conduct detailed research yourself.
- DNA results have revealed unexpected connections that need investigating.
- Handwriting, old documents, or foreign-language records are difficult to understand.
- You want confidence that your family history has been researched accurately and thoroughly.
A professional genealogist brings experience, specialist knowledge, and access to resources that can uncover information often missed by inexperienced researchers, helping you discover the story behind your ancestors with greater accuracy and depth.
“Sometimes the missing piece of your family puzzle is just one expert search away.”
