Start by writing down what you already know:

Names

Dates

Places

Talk to your living relatives, find out the following:

Full names

Full dates-day, month, year

births

deaths

marriages

Places of residence

Religion

Social customs

Occupations

Education

Find out all work already done on your families

Decide if work is valid

Check for sources

Record all information

Record information on pedigree charts and family group sheets

Write down where you get your information

Write down all sources that DON’T help so that you don’t waste time and check them again!

Study all areas that your ancestors lived in

Histories

Social Customs

Record all information about anyone in the same area with the same surname. Even if you feel there is no connection. Check all spellings of the surname.

Spellings change

Mistakes are often made

Check these sources:

County histories

Atlases

Maps

City directories

Newspapers

Birth records

Marriage records

Death records

Census records

Bible Records

Cemetery records

Wills and probate

Church records

Military records