Genealogy Beginners Manual

A companion to the PBS television series: Ancestors, a ten-part series celebrating the significance of family history.

A guide to conducting genealogical research, focusing on the role of electronic databases, computer programs, and Internet resources in revolutionizing the process of tracing family histories. Includes charts, forms, exercises, Web site addresses, and bibliographies.

Presents easy-to-understand strategies for researching family roots online. Featuring detailed explanations, each chapter teaches you how to navigate popular genealogy websites, decipher census data and other online records, and connect with other family members to share your findings. The book also includes tips on using free databases and genealogy apps.

A step-by-step guide to researching your family tree. Interested in doing your family tree but don’t know how? Genealogy for Beginners covers everything you need to get started researching your family history or continue a project you’ve already started. You’ll get practical suggestions from an experienced genealogist, and detailed, step-by-step instructions for carrying out a quality family history research. Topics covered include: Getting started with a family history research project Discovering which subscription services are worth the price Using Ancestry.com effectively Finding obituaries Interviewing family members Preserving and organizing paper and digital files, plus photographs Getting the most out of DNA testing for genealogy Conducting cemetery research Finding and interpreting non-US records Doing cultural and ethnic heritage research Finding professional researchers and translators Keeping up with the genealogy news With this book in hand, you’re sure to succeed.

Starts with the ''how'' and ''why'' of genealogy, helping readers define their goals and uncover facts about the people behind the names and dates.

Embarking on a quest to uncover your ancestry? Finding Your Family Tree is the perfect genealogy guide to have at your side, with special research techniques for underrepresented groups. Genealogy offers you the opportunity to understand who you are through your family history. With this knowledge, you can embrace your identity, understand your own health and wellness, reconnect with your roots and family origins, and find an overall sense of wholeness. Finding Your Family Tree: A Beginner’s Guide to Researching Your Family Tree is an ideal starting point for your own journey of self-discovery. Your are eager to learn your ancestry, but in these disconnected times it can be hard to figure out on your own. With author and expert genealogist Sharon L Morgan as your guide, you can explore even the thorniest family tree. Sharon shows you how to embrace the world of genealogical research and provides guidance for underrepresented groups, such as African Americans and Native Americans, and anyone else who is interested in connecting with their family background. In this engaging, accessible guide on how to do family research, you’ll find: Tips and tricks for using major online and offline research sources—without falling for false leads. Techniques for overcoming common research obstacles. Special attention to the challenges of genealogical research for groups that are underrepresented in the historical record. Sample research documents and useful visuals on how to interpret old records. Beyond exploring the practical challenges of researching your family history, this book will show you what’s most exciting about this research—the unique family stories and histories you’ll discover, but also the essential truths that bind and connect us all.