The Importance of Genealogy

By Bill Turnbull

ou may think you know what genealogy is, but many individuals confuse it with the closely related term "family history." Genealogy is the study of ancestry and descendants. The study of genealogy pertains only to who is a member of a specific family and who these family members are related to.

Family history, though, is the actual narrative of your ancestors' lives. It is also the act of tracking the dates of your ancestors' births and deaths, the jobs they held, as well as any other important factors in their lives.

As you make your family's genealogy chart, it'll be difficult to separate the two. After all, in order to learn who came from where, you'll have to learn a little more about their history as well.

Who, what, when, where and how of your family tree is often conveniently labeled genealogy. Keep in mind, however, that an occasional relative who likes to take words literally may correct you when you talk about genealogy in such broad terms.

Why does genealogy matter any way?

Perhaps today it doesn't matter as much as it once did. Especially in this country where - according to legend and tradition - every person at birth gets to start fresh in America. He stands or falls on his own merits, without regard to his family status.

Historically speaking, genealogy was an essential study. After all, it was the method of determining inheritance - especially with the nobility. Imagine the need to discover the next heir in line to a throne if the king had no direct son or daughter to pass his rule down to. The compilation of detailed and accurate genealogical records was of the essence to ensure the proper individuals received the throne.

As you can expect, even with the utmost care, many times in history more than one genealogical record would suddenly appear....throwing the process of crowning the next heir into bedlam.

Genealogy even pops up in the Bible. In the New Testament book of Matthew, he spends pages on what many Sunday school students try to quickly gloss over, "the begats." "Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob" and so it went until you get to - some forty-two generations later - "And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary of whom was born Jesus..."

Genealogy plays an important role in the lives of many families today, even when no royalty is involved. The study of this timeless pursuit can help play a decisive role in bringing families torn apart by circumstances beyond their control back together. In the decades immediately following World War II, families found genealogy instrumental in tracing members displaced by the many tragic facets of the war.

There are other reasons families get separated, as well. Consider famines, where some members must flee the country in order to survive. A mother may move away with her children in order to keep them alive. Or perhaps, as in the events leading up to World War II (and beyond), members of families leave in order to save children or the elderly from undue social persecution...or assured death.

In these cases, genealogy plays a major role in making fractured families whole again...even if the current family members didn't know that they had members missing. Thirty some years ago, a novel based on a stunningly simple idea of genealogy gave many African-Americans a new common ancestor, Kunte Kinte, the main character of Alex Haley's book Roots.

Bill Turnbull is a genealogy expert. For more great information on Genealogy visit Researching Family Tree

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Genealogy Supplies - Items That Make Building a Family Tree Easy and Fun

By Julia Hanson

Genealogy supplies cover the two ends of the spectrum: some can get pretty high tech, some are as low tech as they come. Either way, if you are trying to build your family tree, there are lots of tools that can help you make sure all your information is appropriately categorized, labeled, and secured away in one place, to be passed on to future generations. Here is what you'll want to include in your shopping list.

You can start with genealogy charts and forms. They are a great way to methodically preserve and organize information regarding family relationships and connections. Some forms are free, some need to be purchased, so look around until you find something that'll fit your budget and needs.

And don't forget the humble notebooks and three ring binders, available at your local stationery store. You should make it a point to always jot down any and all information relating to dates and places, not just the names you come across. Remember that information doesn't come to you in chronological order: that's where three ring binders become useful in keeping everything organized.

Some genealogists like to use video and audio recording equipment in conducting their interviews. For example, it is a fine idea to have a family reunion or get-together, to which you can invite all your family members irrespective of their age. Film them telling stories; conduct interviews and record them in an audio format. Not only will you be getting invaluable research material, you will also be creating records for the future generations of your family to cherish.

Historical maps are often an indispensable part of your arsenal of genealogy supplies. It may be quite likely that you'll find a portion of your family tree in another land, sometimes a country which no longer even exists on modern maps. Boundaries shifted, countries changed names. Having a historically accurate map can help you uncover a part of family history or a family branch that your family never even knew about.

You'll need to know how to and have the supplies you need to preserve the physical sources of your data as well. For instance, most of the time you will be required to return items such as photographs or old documents to their original owners. So make sure you have paper clips, rubber bands, and pieces of scrap paper handy, so you can keep these items together and properly labeled with the owners' names.

You will need to keep copies of any photos you come across for yourself, so make use of scanners and photocopiers. Scanners, if you can afford to splurge, are often among the most useful genealogy supplies you can get.

In the course of your research, you will locate many hard to categorize items that are a part of your family heritage and that will also need to be preserved: an old pocket watch of your great grandfather's, the family Bible, war medals. Memorabilia are invaluable in evoking the past of the family and providing a tangible connection with it. Get boxes, archival paper, and lots of labels to help preserve those items.

Your budget for genealogy supplies should also include the fees for various on line databases or research tools that are made available either by governments or private genealogist. They have collected huge amounts of data about people living today and those of the past. These resources will prove invaluable in locating your ancestors and constructing your family tree. Some are free, some are fee based, so do your research and find where you can get the best value.

Don't forget to include CDs and DVDs on your list of genealogy supplies. You should make sure that all the research, resources and information about your family tree that you have collected are in an organized form, so you can retrieve them later as needed. For this, you should periodically back up your data and preserve the online archives on CDs or DVDs so that they can be passed on easily and so that the memories are preserved forever.

Julia Hanson is a genealogy enthusiast and an author. For more great information on genealogy supplies and how to research and build a family tree, visit http://www.Build-Family-Tree.com

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Your Family Tree Genealogy - Choosing the Correct Family Tree Charts For Your Family Search

By Melanie Walters

How do you determine which type of family tree you want before you begin researching? Everyone putting together their family history is faced with certain choices. Who to include in the research? Where do I begin to research? These are all important questions that will determine the type of chart you decide to build.

When you are researching your family tree, you may just start out by finding out about grandparents and great grandparents but to find out who they really were and to find out those little, but important facts, you might want to consider broadening your research. There are several ways that you can do that, and below you'll find out about all the different charts that you can follow.

What is a family tree chart?
A family tree by definition is a diagram of someone's ancestry. So in essence it's a map or chart showing the members of a family, their relationship to one another and even the dates of birth, marriage and death. But a family tree is so much more than that. Or it can be. Depending on the type of tree you choose to create, it could include all the relatives, spouses and even friends and neighbors of a family.

The types of Family Tree Charts
Mapping out your ancestry is a time consuming activity that involves close attention to detail and a desire to find the answers to those burning questions of who am I? And where did I come from? Before you begin, you need to know that not all charts are made the same.

Pedigree, Direct Lineage or Ascendant Family Tree Chart
The Pedigree Family Tree Chart is sometimes called a Direct Lineage or Ascendant Family Tree. This is perhaps the most common type and the one most people think of when referring to family trees. The pedigree chart begins with you (or a parent, or grandparent) and then follows a single bloodline or family name back through the generations as far back as you can go.

If you are researching your pedigree with both your mother's and your father's bloodline, your pedigree chart would start with you, then your parents would be listed, then both sets of grand parents would come next, then all four sets of great grand parents and so on.

If you are researching your father's surname and bloodline, the pedigree chart starts with you, then next on the chart would be your parents, then your father's parents, then your grandfather's parents and so on. In any case, the pedigree chart is the most common and is an excellent starting point for budding genealogists and for anyone interested in tracing their history and their direct bloodline.

Descendant Family Tree Chart
A Descendant Family Tree Chart is the opposite of the Pedigree Chart. This type of chart starts with an ancestral couple pretty far back in the family history and then lists the descendants of that ancestral couple generation by generation until the present. Usually the Descendant Chart is created after the Pedigree Chart is complete as a way to illustrate all known descendants of all lines of the family. The Descendant Chart can then become the outline for writing the family history.

Family Lineage Family Tree Chart
The family lineage family tree chart is similar to the pedigree chart but for one difference. In a family lineage chart, you would include the siblings of your direct lineage or pedigree. So you would include your aunts and uncles, great aunts and uncles and so on. This gives a more complete picture of the family rather than just focusing on your direct bloodline.

Family lineage charts are very helpful in identifying your family members and helps to keep all your ancestors organized. It also is an excellent way to find out about relationships between members of your pedigree and their siblings which can lead to you finding out more interesting facts about your family.

Where to Start?
If you are just starting your genealogy search you might consider developing a Pedigree Chart before you get too deep into your research. One problem that novice genealogists encounter is they get excited about the research and end up losing track of who and what they are researching. Although the research always turns up interesting facts and stories, you might get frustrated that you wasted time or didn't get to the ancestors you had hoped to find in the time you allotted for research. If you keep track of names, dates and places of your direct family line on a Pedigree Chart, you are less likely to get confused and go off on searches you don't need to do.

Free Printable Family Tree Charts
Get started right away by downloading a free printable family tree chart. Then begin by filling in all the information you already know like your name, your parent's names, your grandparent's names and so on. Now you have the beginning of an excellent Pedigree Family Tree Chart and a guide for your research. Your first research step after filling out the chart as much as you can, is to interview your parents and grandparents if possible and don't forget that aunts, uncles, cousins and siblings are a good source of information too. Good luck and have fun!

Melanie Walters recommends that you visit ObituariesHelp.org to download Free Printable Blank Family Trees, free genealogy resources, guides to building a family tree, sample letters of sympathy and condolence, written examples of eulogies as well as help with all aspects of funeral planning.

Melanie Walters is a writer and editor for http://www.obituarieshelp.org/ the complete online resource for obituaries, genealogy, sympathy and funeral help. Find newspaper obituaries listings; research your ancestry, genealogy and family tree. Plan funerals and write sympathy and condolence messages using free samples and guides.

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Understanding Family History With the Help of Online Genealogical Research

By Bill Turnbull

Looking into our past is how we humans gain insight into our present and our future. It is how we learn our lessons and prepare for the things that are yet to appear over the horizon. The same wisdom holds true not just to understanding why or how things happen, but also to understanding ourselves - who we are, how we came to be, the things that define us, limit us or by the same token, free us, can be grasped by tracing our lineage and ancestry through the intricate web woven by our family and the varied connections and interconnections our relations have made throughout the years.

Human nature dictates the necessity of relationships. No man, after all, is an island. It is this natural need that has allowed groups of people to build and strengthen bonds and ties - ones that are lasting and captured by genealogy.

In the past, it wasn't easy to find your relatives. Records weren't updated and documents were easily destroyed. Most genealogists found then that the best way to find information on your family tree was through microfilm. The most comprehensive bank of genealogical data, however, belonged to the Mormons. The members of the Church of Jesus Christ and the Latter Day Saints believed in keeping detailed records of their family trees as part of their religion, and as such, many people back in the day sought their help in building their family trees.

Other sources for genealogy researchers include newspapers, funeral cards, and personal interviews. Newspapers, are understandably, easy to gain access to and are reliable sources of information. However, back then, search isn't automated and there were no computers to assist you in going through thousands of volumes of newspaper editions that could possibly hold the information you need. Funeral cards, although more exact to the data you need, are only good sources if your relatives were able to keep them, and if they did, if you're able to find them.

Personal interviews are good data mines. Interviewing living relatives often yield information that is of a personal level and holds more detail than newspaper articles or funeral cards contain, as it is more often than not a first-hand account whose reliability depends on the memory and honesty of the interviewee.

All these methods, though effective when combined, can be exhausting, time-consuming and expensive. They require significant investment in time, money and effort and can be a daunting task to a beginning genealogist, something that can easily discourage or beat neophytes off the track.

In today's world, however, technology has made the search for our family's lineage an easier task. Online genealogy systems are up and running, collecting records and files from primary documents to newspapers including obituaries and funeral cards, which are constantly kept updated, allowing researchers easier access to the data that they need in order to build their family trees.

Free genealogy search engines assist in helping people locate correct data by inputting names and known locations of relatives. These search engines also have forums where people who have signed up can post messages with their queries or comments, allowing other genealogists to help them where the automation cannot. Often, other genealogists who are working on the same name may come up and help, thus, easing the burden of the search by pooling common resources.

In this day and age, the way information is freely and easily exchanged has helped along the cause of genealogists. Through the constantly advancing technology of the internet as well as database collection and management, people have improved chances of finding their family and consequently in knowing more about themselves.

Indeed, the road to self-discovery may very well begin with that PC sitting on your desk, or that laptop you're taking everywhere with you. You don't need to start with a lot. Just a core of information and an internet connection, and you're off on a journey to the past.

Bill Turnbull has been studying genealogy for 15 years and in that time has discovered the secrets to building family trees effortlessly online. For more great information on Genealogy visit Build Family Tree Online

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Genealogy Search Free - Preserving Memories

By J N Hanson

Beginners of family tree building wish there was a way for them to get a genealogy search free, however, most software demos are really just small bites of the real thing. Of course, no family tree tracing company would want to give out their services for free. You can actually only enjoy a genealogy search free online and offline if you do most of the legwork yourself. Even this can be time and energy consuming if you don't know what to do. You can spend endless time and effort just going over the same steps repeatedly without even realizing it.

Dodging mistakes

It's ridiculous to enroll in genealogy courses just to make your family tree building project possible. Thankfully, there's an ebook that can help you do most of the legwork yourself even if you don't enroll in a specialized class. The Kitchen Table Genealogist: How to Research and Build your Own Family Tree can help you avoid the most common mistakes that most beginner researchers commit while they're doing this project. The ebook lets you traverse the world of genealogy with confidence, as if you've been doing it all your life.

Softwares aren't everything

While family tree building software programs may seem like easy solutions to your genealogy problems, they're only part of the process. The truth is that these software programs can only do so much. They can only explore records which are made available through the internet, and while we would like to believe that everything is encoded on cyberspace, this isn't true.

There are still a lot of old documents offline which can help speed up your efforts if you know where to find them and how to use them. This ebook lets you learn the ropes of decoding these offline documents like a pro. Who knows, once you've successfully finished the project, you can even offer your services for a lower price and gain leverage over expensive genealogy services in the market.

No wasted time on shipping

Since all the information you'll ever need is already on a soft copy, you won't waste money and time on shipping anymore. You can reap the benefits of this ebook even if you're halfway across the globe as long as you own an internationally recognized credit card. There's also no risk of you buying a useless ebook even if it's just a small amount of money. The author give you the privilege of having your money back within 8 weeks for your purchase if you're unhappy with the contents of the book.

Instant downloading program

If you're worried that your email will just bounce back the ebook, we can assure you that the compression of the book allows for easy uploads and downloads. Of course, the contents of the ebook are under copyright. You can learn from your purchase, but you shouldn't try to promulgate copies without the author's permission.

Easy file to keep

If you're researching from the library, you also won't need to worry about lugging around a heavy manual about genealogy. All the information on this ebook can be stored in your laptop. Everything is also highly comprehensive and easy to read. You'll surely be able to understand how to use search engines when you read this book even if you're entirely new with the information highway.

Ready to learn about the best place for find information on Genealogy Searching Visit http://build-family-tree.com today and discover everything you need to know!

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Discovering Free Genealogy Databases to Help Build Your Family Tree

By Ruby Bells

If you look for genealogy databases that don't cost anything online you will find an amazing number of websites. Many of the sites I looked at give you the chance to look for the names of relatives. After providing you with a small amount of results, they require you to join their website in order to obtain any additional information. It would probably be a good investment for you if you were seriously interested in searching for your family tree.

Additional free genealogy databases have extra information and actually allow you to download some of the details they discover for you. Other family members who are linked to the relative you have searched for will sometimes suggested in your search. If you have recently started researching your ancestors, this can be quite beneficial.

The databases for genealogy can be an excellent source for details if you know your relatives names and just need the days they were born and died. These will pop up on nearly all of the genealogy databases that are free without you doing anything else. The majority of the time, the search results will offer an address for the person as well.

There are a lot of kinds of genealogy databases out there. Research can be done via ancestry, birth or death records, marriage records or military service. Those who migrated from that region, Canadian ancestry databases have gathered quite a bit of information. Ancestors that fought in the Civil War can even be found. Information on criminals who were incarcerated during that time period is also available in their databases.

Your entire family tree can be found within a few of these genealogy databases.

If you join as a member you could actually include information that you might not previously have on the database. There was one particular free genealogy database on the Internet that actually provided the Bible records of a family. In order to have gotten the information in the first place, a highly committed individual had to enter data from their own family tree.

Getting you on track in your search for your family history, free genealogy databases can be very helpful in getting you started. This is one of the best methods out there of discovering your family's history. It's possible you'll discover your family tree has someone well known in it. There is, however, always a possibility that you will find some one infamous. You won't realize what you will find that you don't know about your relatives. The start of researching your own family can begin here and be a fun experience.

Ruby is a genealogy expert that helps others build their family Tree online. For more great information on genealogy databases and building family trees visit http://www.familytreesecrets.com.

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