Genealogy is a Journey

Click to open PDF created by the Sno-Isle Genealogical Society

A pedigree chart is a visual family tree that starts with you, expands out to your parents, and then on to your grandparents and great-grandparents. Click here to download a four generation pedigree chart. Begin by adding your name, birth date and place, and if applicable, marriage date and place, and death date and place. Then add as much information as you can for everyone else on your chart. For women, always use her last name at birth - her "maiden" name. Don't worry if there are lots of empty lines on the Chart! Filling in those empty spaces is going to be lots of fun!

Although you may initially focus on your direct line of ancestors, i.e. parents, grandparents, etc., as you begin your research, be sure to take note of any sibling information that you come across. When you struggle with finding results in your direct line, researching siblings can often yield the breakthrough you need. A Family Group Sheet is designed to record a set of parents and all their children. If an individual has more than one spouse, a separate Family Group Sheet should be made for each family unit, filed under the husband’s name. Free family history forms are widely available to download, including a Family Group Sheet in our forms section. If you use genealogy software, it can likely create one using the data you've have entered.

Be sure to check out the youth section below for a printable family tree form to include your children your family's genealogical journey!

As tempting as it may be to copy a family tree online, don't!
It is very likely that any tree you find online is not 100% accurate, or worse, follows an entirely wrong branch. Mistakes are perpetuated when family trees with errors are copied over and over again. Some errors are obvious... I once saw a family tree with a parent that was born after the child! Some errors are mismatched individuals that then create more errors downstream. As you work on your family, check that sources work together to provide proof that individuals and their families are correct.

First check for sources that may be in your own home. In addition to vital records like birth, marriage and death certificates - Bible records, old letters, photo albums, etc., can all be sources of information. Second, you will want to talk to relatives who might have the information you need. Even our oldest relatives can share stories that lead to new information. Next, start exploring your local resources. If your ancestors lived in south Snohomish County, the Sno-Isle Genealogical Society's Humble House library has old newspapers, marriage and obituary clippings and books that could provide a wealth of information as you build your family tree!

One way to describe the reliability of a source record is primary versus secondary.

Primary records are created at the time of the event, so information directly related to the event is the most accurate. Some examples include vital documents such as birth, death, and marriage certificates, deeds, military records, and naturalization forms. These are usually completed by someone who is required to keep accurate records, collecting information from people involved in the event or eyewitnesses.

Secondary records are documents or any pieces of information that are recorded at a time other than the event. Some examples are a delayed birth certificate (usually issued many years after the birth), books, interviews, transcriptions or translations, indexes, and tombstones.

Keep in mind that a single source may have both primary and secondary information. For example, in a death record, the name and residence of the deceased, date and place of death, cause of death, sex, marital status, and name of the surviving spouse are generally considered primary sources. The date and place of their birth, along with the names and places of birth for their parents, should be regarded as secondary since the accuracy depends upon the memory of the informant. This is especially true of the ages listed on a census! Unless this information is being verified from another primary source before being recorded, it may be incorrect.

Information passed down by family, both written and spoken, may contain errors or even deliberate changes. My grandfather was born on Halloween but that was considered unlucky so on some documents his birth date is November 1st, even on his official military documents.

As mentioned above, be very wary of online family trees, family group sheets or any information put together by others. If you find a family tree online, don't copy it, look for the sources that prove the individuals and their relationships are correct. Once enough data combines to prove an individual and their relationships, then add it to your family tree.
The same is true for "suggestions" from online genealogy platforms. Those systems are depending upon its users to evaluate the connections between people and documents to ensure they are correct. They really are just suggestions, so evaluate them carefully!

Along with filling in family trees, ancestor charts and family group sheets, as you begin your research, you will want to keep track of where you found the information you add to your family tree. This will help you if you ever need to revisit a source and also future generations of researchers.

At a minimum, for each piece of information in your research, you should document as many of the following as you can:

• the title of the source
• the author(s), editor(s), or compiler(s)
• the publisher including date and place of publication
• the page number
• the film number
• the series title
• the record group name and number
• the URL for any online source
• the date found, and
• the repository where the source was located.

Click here to open a list of links for formatting specific types of information.

If you can PROVE a name, date or place, enter it on the chart in INK. If the information is hearsay, or if you are not sure, use PENCIL. Odds are, you'll need to change the information as you continue your journey!

Digital options include fillable pedigree charts, genealogy software, websites and more.

Locations should be entered as town, county, state and country. County names and boundaries may change over time, so it is important to note old names as well as current names if known. Genealogical software may only recognize current place names, but originally name can be clarified in notes. You can explore more about locations via our location links
If you are interested in finding out what documents might be available for a specific location, check out FamilySearch's Wiki page

Online age or date calculators can be used to calculate a date of birth from articles or documents that provide an age and a census date or date of death.
Age Calculator Date Calculator

Software for your computer and online applications bring genealogy into the 21st century. There is a number of software programs to choose from for recording genealogical data digitally. While they all basically record the same information, the ease of entering the data and how that information is displayed differs between programs. If you can talk to people that have used the various programs, you may be able to get an idea on which might work best for you. Then keep an eye out for great sales on Black Friday or during the annual RootsWeb conference.

The term ancestors refers to the people who came before you in your family. Ancestors can be direct, such as your mother and father, grandparents, great-grandparents, and so on, or indirect (also known as collateral), such as cousins, aunts, uncles, and so on.

A common problem among genealogy newcomers is understanding the relationships between family members. It’s easy to understand aunts, uncles and siblings, but is Cousin Mary a first cousin once removed or a second cousin? Visit FamilySearch for the Cousin Chart—How to Calculate Family Relationships which explains how to define the relationship between any two people in a family, and includes a relationship chart.

So what is a "kissing cousin"? Informally, it is a distant relative you know well enough to give a peck on the cheek, like a second or third cousin you see at family gatherings!

Have questions about other genealogy terms? The language used in genealogy can be confusing. FamilySearch's genealogical dictionary is a great resource for understanding genealogy terms.

How close is close enough? You've found a record with the right first and last name and the right month and year for the birth date. How do you know if it is your ancestor's record? Records with more pieces of information that can also be corroborated by other documents combine to create a "genealogical proof" for individuals and their relationships. Birth records that list names of parents can be combined with marriage records and obituaries that lists parents. Marriage records can be supported by death certificates and obituaries that lists spouses. Census records and obituaries that list parents and siblings, can solidify family relationships.

Think of DNA testing as the ultimate genealogical record. While paper records (census, birth certificates) tell you what happened, DNA you inherited from both of your parents helps you confirm who you are related to, connecting you with living cousins and breaking through 'brick walls' where records no longer exist. By taking a simple autosomal DNA test, you can receive a breakdown of your ethnic origins and through online groups, potentially a list of biological matches. These matches help you identify ancestors, find new branches, and confirm your paper trail. Think of it as mapping your family tree's DNA. Reach out to the Sno-Isle Genealogical Society to connect with others that understand how to use DNA research in building a family tree.

Learn more at the International Society of Genetic Genealogy (ISOGG).

In genealogy we’ve been taught to work from the known to unknown, linking one generation to the next older one. But occasionally it’s helpful to turn the apple cart upside down and work from older to younger, or use what’s called Reverse Genealogy. While most of these articles talk about finding the living, I’ve also found that it works to trace down from distant relatives you didn’t know existed (like my 2nd great uncle’s son) until you find them on some random source.

FAN Research, also known as cluster or collateral research, has you looks at your ancestors’ Family, Associates, and Neighbors. Studying the community of people surrounding your relatives can be valuable in helping you sort through situations where you can’t seem to find anything, or where you find too much. It’s also useful when trying to separate individuals with similar names, ages and residences.

Did you inherit a packet (box, suitcase, trunk, dumpster full) of old photos? Such a discovery can be a delightful surprise or a or daunting proposition. This article is aimed at helping you understand the research value they can provide, identify the type and time period of the photo’s you may have and organize, preserve and protect them for the future.

By the mid 1800’s most major cities had directories, and many smaller towns were included in those of larger locales. Directories are an often overlooked source of genealogical gold. They typically include the names, addresses and occupations of the individuals listed, as well as marital status and names. Additional information may be available in specialty sections that list names of those in political positions, local societies, businesses, and advertisements.

• Criss-Cross or Reverse Directories are organized by address rather than by names. Older City Directories may include a Street directory at the back that is organized by address that can be helpful in finding relatives, friends, relatives, and neighbors.
• Social Registers are lists of prominent, community members, typically those well connected, and socially elite Blue Books are almanacs, buyer’s guides or other compilations of statistics and information.
• Professional Directories list members in specific occupations such as medicine, law, agriculture, and education, often including individual biographical details.
• Specialized Directories, published by school and university alumni groups, church/religious groups, and non-profit organizations typically contain listings of their members or associates.

Click to learn more about Federal or State census reports.