The Journey to Your Roots: 5 Steps to Start Your Family Tree

When the question arises, “Where did these traits, gestures, or my eye color come from?” it’s time to investigate your history.

But be aware, a family tree isn’t just a list of names connected by arrows; that’s merely the skeleton. Each of those people had a story that, in part, was passed down to you through upbringing or in your own DNA.

If you don’t know where to begin, here are 5 fundamental steps to unearth your family legacy:

1. Start with what you know (and what you have)

Don’t even look at historical archives yet. There’s probably more at home than you suspect. The first step is to write down everything you already know. For each person, try to note three basic pieces of information: full name, dates and locations of important events (birth, marriage, and death).

Look in drawers: old birth certificates, photos with notes on the back, or old passports. Even family books and Bibles can hold treasures, like a dedication that reads: “For Ale, from his grandmother Teresa who loves him so much.”

2. Interview the Elders: The Guardians of Memory

Your older relatives are the most valuable source of information and, by the natural order of things, the most fragile. Make the interview make them feel important—because they are—they are the custodians of your history!

• Ask open-ended questions: “What was the town where you grew up like?” or “What stories did your grandfather tell you?”

  
  

• Record the conversation: Details that seem insignificant today can be the key to finding an official record tomorrow.

Did you know…? Many immigrants were nicknamed after their birthplace. That fact could be your next big discovery.

3. Choose Your Organizational Tool

Trying to keep track of everything in your head is impossible. You need a place to visualize the connections:

• Software and Websites: There are paid programs with a single license and platforms like MyHeritage or FamilySearch (the latter is free). They allow you to search global databases automatically, but be careful: if your data is public, others could edit it, and the contributions aren't always accurate.

  
  

• Paper and Pencil: If you prefer the analog method, download a basic "Ancestry Chart" to draw the lines manually. There are excellent templates available online.

4. The Golden Rule: From Most Recent to Oldest

A common mistake is trying to jump straight to the 18th century. Genealogy is built step by step, working backward in time logically.

Pro Tip: To find your great-grandfather, you first need your grandfather's birth certificate. It will show the full name and place of origin of his parents. Without that link, you could end up tracing the wrong family.

5. Explore Public Records

Once you've exhausted your family history, it's time to turn to official sources: Civil Registries, Church Registers, censuses, and passenger lists. This part is the slowest, but the most rewarding. There's a moment of pure joy when you search for an ancestor's birth record and find their baptismal certificate listing their parents. Of course, the joy lasts only until your brain whispers, "What if we look into their marriage?"

That's genealogy for you: a fascinating quest that, thankfully, never truly ends.

Investigating your history is a captivating journey, but sometimes the trail fades or the archives become a labyrinth. If you feel stuck or simply prefer a professional to trace these connections for you with historical accuracy, we're here to help you reconstruct your legacy. Contact us so we can help you find your ancestors.