Researching your family history starts at home. How much do you know? The primary source for basic family history is your extended family: every relative you can find. Write down everything you can glean from your extended family regarding names, birth dates, places of birth, and siblings as well as their spouses. Go back as many generations as you can and don’t worry if you don’t have much data when you are done - this is just the starting point.
You might want to start by looking at some websites that offer instruction on how to research your family tree. There are many databases on the Internet dedicated to researching family history, however, some data has been written and rewritten so many times it might have errors that can lead your search astray. Check several sources and compare. A good place to start is the Social Security Death Index. It lists everyone that died after 1962 that had a social security card. If you find your ancestor on the list you can order a copy of their SS application. This will contain all of the information found on a birth certificate, including information on his or her parents. This will allow you to go back even further in your search.
Use your favorite search engine to locate databases such as the Ellis Island Record of Immigrants from 1892 through 1924. The Castle Garden database provides data on immigrants arriving in New York from 1830 to 1892. Search for Cyndi’s list for links on resources on adoption, probate court, wills and land records. There are many other sites you will find while doing your searches. Just remember to double check controversial data.
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