Where do I begin?

Nice — you want a clear, actionable path. Below is a concise step-by-step plan you can follow right away, plus a tiny “first-day” checklist so you actually start.

1) Set a tiny first goal

Pick one specific, small goal for your first session (15–60 minutes). Example: “Collect birth/marriage/death info for my parents and both sets of grandparents.” Small goals keep you moving.

2) Write down what you already know

You can start with yourself and move forwards. For each person record:

• Full name (include nicknames/maiden names)
• Date/place of birth, marriage, death (even approximate)
• Parents’ names if you know them
• Any occupations, military service, religion, migration notes

Use a single sheet or a simple online tree—whatever gets it out of your head and into a document.
Click here for an example for 6 Generation Chart

3) Do a 15–30 minute family interview (phone or in person)

Ask one relative this script:

• “What is your full name and birth date/place?”
• “What were your parents’ full names? Any nicknames?”
• “Where were grandparents born? Do you know why/when they moved?”
• “Do you remember family stories, cities, churches, cemeteries, occupations?”
• “Do you have photos/documents (birth, marriage, naturalization, military) or a family Bible?”
  Ask permission to record or take notes. Always ask for contact details of other relatives.

Click here for an example for Family Interview Form

4) Collect and scan documents & photos

Look for: birth/marriage/death certificates, passports, naturalization papers, military records, obituaries, family Bibles, wills, deeds, school records, newspaper clippings, old letters & photos.

• Scan at 300 dpi (or photograph with steady lighting).
• Filename suggestion: Last_First_DocType_Year.pdf (e.g., Hoesli_Markus_Birth_1980.pdf).
• Keep originals safe; back up scans to cloud + external drive.
  
  

5) Create a basic family tree and a research log

• Put people into a simple pedigree or family group sheet (paper or a free site).
• Create a research log with columns: Date, Goal, Source searched, Result, Next step. Update it every time you look for something.
  
  

6) Search records — one generation at a time

Work backwards from what you know. Typical record priority:

1. Civil vital records (birth/marriage/death)
2. Census records (household snapshots)
3. Church/baptism records (especially pre-civil reg.)
4. Immigration/naturalization & passenger lists
5. Military, land, probate/wills, newspapers
   Search for one person until you either confirm or exhaust likely records, then move to the previous generation.
   
   

7) Cite your sources

Record where each fact came from (title, repository, URL or filename, date accessed). Example short format:

• 1900 U.S. Census, [County], [State]; image saved as Hoesli_1900Census.jpg; accessed 2025-09-12.
  Citations let you retrace steps and prove claims later.
  
  

8) Evaluate conflicting information

If records disagree:

• Prefer original & contemporaneous records (e.g., birth certificate over later-life statement).
• Note confidence level and keep all contradicting records with explanations.
• Don’t delete alternative possibilities—record them.
  
  

9) Stay organized

Folder structure example:

/Genealogy/

       /Surname_FirstName/

           /Docs/

           /Photos/

           /Scans/

  ResearchLog.xlsx

  Tree.ged

Back up to at least two places (cloud + external drive). Use clear filenames.

10) Protect privacy

Keep living people’s details private if you publish an online tree. Ask relatives before posting photos or sensitive documents.

11) Next levels & collaboration

• Join a local genealogical society or online forums for tips.
• Consider DNA testing if you want genetic leads — understand privacy and consent first.
• Contact local archives, libraries, or churches when records aren’t online.
  
  

12) Preserve & share

Make a short report or photo slideshow to share with relatives. Save copies to family members and consider donating copies of old records/photos to a local historical society or archive.