Fall is a time when people gather, and for many people it is a time when you think about family. Whether you are excited to see people at the holidays, missing people who have passed on, or never had quite the family experience you wanted, digging into family history can be rewarding and absorbing.
Draw a Family Tree
Not everyone’s family tree is straightforward. Sometimes it is more like a hive, or a garden, or a grove. Take a minute to lay out who you think is included and where you want to start. Talk to relatives and family friends about connections that are fuzzy to you and explore the stories you hear.
Want help getting started? Check out Ancestry’s charts and forms page for fillable forms to help organize your information and identify gaps you want to fill.
Read a Book About Family History
Everyone's family is different, but you might be surprised at what ideas for research open up when you dive into how different people understand and tell their stories. Find a good memoir or biography and fall into history.
Do you want to research your family tree but don't know where to begin?
Genealogy Connect is a great place to start. Listen to great speakers talk about a variety of family history topics and connect with other researchers.
If you are more interested in online resources, check out this list of ideas for how to get started virtually.
Hone Your Technique
We also have lots of books in our collection to help you understand and organize the information you find about your family. Take a look at some of these options.
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