At one time or another, everyone has wondered why they have certain traits and where those traits came from. Asking family members questions about relatives is one way to investigate the source, but sometimes that’s not enough. For a more detailed way to find out and get back to your roots, consider starting a family tree. There are countless resources available that offer convenience and can be done right from the privacy of your own home.
1. Ask your relatives
One of the easiest ways to get started is to gather as much information as possible from parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, or anyone in your family that is older. Word of mouth is an important tool in the quest for knowledge about deceased relatives. The next decision is whether or not you want to write out the family tree in a traditional form by hand or if you’d rather utilize a computer. Even if a person chooses to handwrite his or her tree, using the internet has huge advantages.
2. Use the Internet
The Internet is a fountain of information right at your fingertips, but many people don’t know where to start when tackling a project as important as their family history. Websites such as Ancestry.com, Familytreesearcher.com, Familysearch.com, and Findyourfamilytree.com can help anyone search back several generations. While these websites charge a fee, for many it’s worth it to be able to locate ancestors they might never have known existed.
3. Do a computer generated family tree
Once all information is gathered, if a person chooses to do a computer generated family tree, it can be saved onto that computer. Some of the advantages of using this method include: easily filling in information and correcting any mistakes when creating the family tree, the ability to email the finished document to other family members without having to use postage to send it, being able to print the document whenever a copy is requested, and knowing all your hard work can be saved safely for future generations to enjoy.
Creating a family tree can be an important step in paying homage to those relatives who came before you.
Finding out ancestors’ names, what they did for a living, or how they contributed to your family and society can be an educational as well as an enjoyable experience. Discovering how these people helped to build your family and realizing without them you wouldn’t exist, can be an eye-opening journey to take.
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