Advice for a beginner?

[Colin Gorman]

I've done lots of family history and used GenesReunited.com  then ancestry.com etc.

A friend is thinking of starting out and this seems to be a good place to start without costing the earth. What would people on here advise to get the ball rolling FOC then spend later if getting the bug!?

Thanks
Colin

[Rosinish]

As with any family tree, start with oneself & work their way up the ladder with known facts from BMDs backwards one step at a time & for a beginner the best thing would be to concentrate on one line at a time (paternal or maternal) as it can become quite confusing if trying to follow different lines at the same time.

Annie

[mckha489]

Inevitable that some money is going to have to spent on certificates initially, (check they are not in the family vaults first!) but the Familysearch.com is free to use, as is going to a local LDS library to look at the records they don’t let you look at.  Then branch out from there.
Can try the pay sites with short subs to start with too.

[philipsearching]

Greetings, and a warm welcome to Rootschat.

My advice to anyone starting out is:

1) Start with the free sites.  If you are searching in England/Wales then FreeBMD for events after 1837; FreeReg for events before 1837.  FamilySearch is good for censuses and parish records, also for records in other countries.

2) ALWAYS keep a note of the sources of information.

3) NEVER assume an online tree is accurate.

4) Rootschat is an amazing site, with many many people who have been bitten by the geneabug and love helping each other.  As a "newbie" I knew very little and got so much help, now I have more experience and enjoy helping others (and I still ask for help when I get stuck!)

5) Ration your spending.  It is easy to get carried away and sign up to several paysites and purchase copies of BMD certificates for every great-aunt and uncle in your tree, but this can get expensive.  It's better to spend money on storage (external hard-drive and budget-range presentation folders).

6) If you need information which is only available on paysites (such as military records) then ask which is the best and most economical site.  I started with annual subscriptions and didn't get value for money.  Now I wait until I have a number of items to research then take out a one month subscription and 'blitz' my search over a few weekends.

6) Most important - HAVE FUN!

Philip

[Rosinish]

Rootschat is an amazing site, with many many people who have been bitten by the geneabug and love helping each other. I have more experience and enjoy helping others (and I still ask for help when I get stuck!)

Most important - HAVE FUN!

Agree with Philip & if posting on Rootschat, please make sure your friend notes down all known facts when requesting help as often people put in minimal info. & researchers go wild looking up many things over many hrs only to be told 'I already have that info' so be sure to let others know what you/they have & what is needed to progress.

Names/dates/places/maiden names are all important.

I have no doubt your friend will catch the genealogy bug & be hooked within days on here!!!

Good luck 

Annie

[hallmark]

Rootschat is an amazing site, with many many people who have been bitten by the geneabug and love helping each other. I have more experience and enjoy helping others (and I still ask for help when I get stuck!)

Most important - HAVE FUN!

Agree with Philip & if posting on Rootschat, please make sure your friend notes down all known facts when requesting help as often people put in minimal info. & researchers go wild looking up many things over many hrs only to be told 'I already have that info' so be sure to let others know what you/they have & what is needed to progress.

Names/dates/places/maiden names are all important.

I have no doubt your friend will catch the genealogy bug & be hooked within days on here!!!

Yes, researchers go wild looking up many things over many hrs only to be told 'I already have that info on another thread' so be sure to let others know what you/they have in time sequence & what is needed to progress.


Good luck 

Annie

Also...please keep everything on one thread as much as possible!

[hallmark]

Sorry Annie...  my reply inadvertently went into what I was quoting instead of below it!!

[StevieSteve]

Get a general How to trace your Family Tree book out the library

[nanny jan]

Try an internet search for free information.....OPC sites for example.  Here's the Dorset one:

http://www.opcdorset.org/index.htm

They are volunteer sites so the amount of transcribed detail is varied but not always just baptisms, marriages and burials.

Lancs BMD is another one:

http://www.lancashirebmd.org.uk/