How to find out the family tree

It is advisable to start researching your pedigree with the purchase of stationery. You will not be able to keep in memory all the facts and events. Stock up on envelopes and folders, where copies of documents, photographs, certificates from the archives will subsequently be sent. Even if you decide to use a computer and a scanner in your work, a paper archive will help eliminate the risk of data loss in case of equipment failure.

The next step is to organize and sort the family archive. Select documents that contain genealogical information: birth certificates, marriage and divorce certificates, death certificates, work books, certificates, certificates and other documents. Pay special attention to dates, names, places of residence and family ties. For each person, take a separate envelope. Whenever you receive new information, put it in the appropriate repository.

In the future, you need to set a goal to access the family archives of the next of kin and copy documents related to the genealogy.

Passport details can be a valuable source of the information you need. Passports themselves may not always be available at home, but sometimes it is enough to have passport numbers written out in a notebook in order to later refer to the relevant archives.

Number and sign the envelopes with documents, make an inventory of all collected papers. Ordinary albums are not suitable for collecting old photographs; it is better to place them in envelopes. If you need to make an explanatory inscription to the photo (who, when and where is shown), use the reverse side of the picture and a pencil. Documents must be stored unfolded so that their folds do not fray

Now you can proceed to the survey of relatives. Most of them may not want to waste time talking about their ancestors. But that shouldn’t stop you. Get a notebook and start systematically asking your loved ones about everything that they remember. A voice recorder can be a very good help in this matter. If relatives live in another city, use letters, telephone, e-mail to interview.

Communication should be conducted in a friendly manner, in a pleasant environment. The main thing is that the respondent is not in a hurry to be distracted by other things. It is good to use family holidays, weddings, birthdays to collect genealogical information.

Prepare a list of questions, and they should be written in such a way that they cannot be answered in monosyllables. Having taught all the same one-word answer, try to clarify the information. It’s easiest to start with the usual questions about time and place of birth. Encourage storytelling and anecdotes. Ask to see a family photo album. Be a good listener. The duration of an effective conversation does not exceed two hours.

Later, put the records in order, organize them. Be sure to mark confidential information as non-disclosure.

Gradually, you form the outlines of a rough picture of your family tree, suitable for further research. To start searching through the archives, you need to know the person’s last name, first name and patronymic — year, place of birth and death, place of residence (baptism), occupation (estate). Please note that in most archives genealogical search is a paid service. Therefore, it is highly desirable to include as accurate information as possible in the request.

Genealogy is conveniently depicted as a tree. In it, the ascending trunk denotes the person from whom the genealogy is built, the branching will be his parents, the small branches — grandparents. At the base of the tree there will be an ancestor, and in the crown — descendants.