Explore Your Family Tree

Find your reason

Many people start researching their family tree on a whim, but then feel drawn to going deeper.

“It can just make us feel complete,” says France Moore, a retired teacher from Piscataway, N.J. She started working on her family history in 2010 and now leads a genealogy group.

Carolyn Tolman, lead project manager at the research service Legacy Tree, agrees. “We all have ancestors, and their traits, culture, experiences, and history have had a significant impact on us,” she says. “With that information, we better understand ourselves and feel connected to the people who have gone before us.”

Where to begin

Consider your goal—What type of information are you seeking? Do you want only names and dates or are you seeking other historical or anecdotal information? “Take your time,” advises David Allen Lambert, chief genealogist at the nonprofit organization American Ancestors. “This is something you should enjoy and do accurately. … Pause and reflect about it.”

Gather what you have—Collect and sort information that is readily available, such as photos, heirlooms, and any prior family research.

Interview relatives—“Have questions, but let them talk,” advises Lisa Elzey, a family historian at the genealogy site Ancestry.com. “I have found some of the most interesting and useful information when I didn’t expect it, and people were just talking about family and family history.”

Dig deeper—Some websites offer links to census data or military records. Valuable information can also come from courthouses, church records, ship logs, or cemeteries.

Tolman and Lambert both recommend FamilySearch.org, a free platform that can help you research historical records, ancestors, family relationships, and more.

Take the spit test—Several do-it-yourself genealogy websites, such as Ancestry.com, offer DNA testing. You can mail in a saliva sample and get a detailed report about your places of origin going back hundreds or thousands of years. You can also use the results to search for unknown or missing relatives who use the same website.

But do your research and manage your expectations. There are scams out there, and some companies have experienced data breaches. Also keep in mind that DNA research sometimes uncovers sensitive information, and not all long-lost family members want to be found.

Pass it on—Many genealogy websites allow you to share your work digitally or to make print copies of your family tree for others. The work is most valuable when shared, so others can add to it and save it for future generations.