Posted by FamilyHistoryFour on Wednesday, December 05, 2018 in Getting Started
Source: Surrey Family History Centre
First, however old you are, the very best way to start your research is by writing down your own essential details, which are:
- Date and place of birth
- Your education, occupations and where you have lived
- Religious denomination
- Date and place of marriage, and to whom (if applicable)
- Date and place of children’s births and marriages (if applicable)
Next, the oral tradition of asking around the family what they know, you may encounter relatives claiming to know your family history. Never believe what they tell you without checking it out and don’t be surprised if what they tell you is wrong. This is not to say that you should ignore other peoples’ efforts, but you should always check their advice whenever feasible.
Then there’s the power of paper, these come in so many forms: letters, school reports, memorial cards, passports, vaccination and ration cards, not forgetting the queen of all family papers, the family bible, and collect as many family photographs especially family reunions because they contain so much valuable information.
PRELIMINARY RESEARCH
· Make notes on what you know
· Constantly update your notes
· Ask immediate family
· Network with remoter family
BASIC RESEARCH
· General Registration: Births, Marriages, Deaths (from 1837)
· Censuses (from 1841 – 1911)
· Wills and administrations (from 1858)
· The 1939 Registration
WORDS OF WARNING and top tips!
- Always get birth, marriage and death certificates from the General Register Office (GRO) where they are cheaper than buying them from a website like Ancestry or Find My Past. Also, there are PDF download facilities at the GRO for birth & death certificates, which are even cheaper.
- Don’t automatically believe that what people tell you or what you read on the internet is true – you must validate all data for yourself; there can be errors.
- Census information is incredibly useful but may take some deciphering! Start with the 1911 Census and work backwards. Be aware that the data included on earlier census was collected orally and completed by an enumerator; this can easily lead to mis-spelling and other misunderstandings.
