How long have most people been researching?

[NorthSouth72]

I’ve only just started how long until I get a good family history?

[KGarrad]

Welcome to RootsChat!

Define "good" family history!

If your family was based in England or Wales, and using BMD indexes and censuses, you should be able to get back to early 1800's.

As to how long it will take you: a subscription to Ancestry, FindMyPast, The Genealogist etc will help.
On the other hand, I have been researching for more than 40 years!

[Jebber]

Welcome from me too.

To add to what KGarrad has said. It all depends on how much time and money you are prepared to spend, also how thorough you are in double checking every little piece of your research.

If you find trees online that you think contain members of your family, don't copy the information without double checking the facts for yourself. There are many trees online that are full of misinformation, some have been copied so many that people think they must be true.

Good luck and happy hunting.

 

[Guy Etchells]

Depends what you mean by "a good family history"?

These days with the help of the internet many if not most should be able to construct a pedigree back to the early 1800s by themselves within about a week, without copying other people's trees, (don't even consider looking a trees until you have complied your own) though the "first" 100+ years (from present to 1911) may prove troublesome to some.

However I would suggest a pedigree is not a family history, but rather the skeleton on which to build a family history.
From what I have been told and what my mother wrote in her diaries I started in about 1953 and have not yet complied a family history that satisfies me.
That is why genealogy is such an interesting subject it is never ending, with always something more to learn no matter how long one has been interested in it.

Cheers
Guy

[SwissGill]

I started in 2013 with my english ancestors from Cheshire. My German ancestors Tree is still on-going. My mother's name was anglicised to "Fisher" from Pfisterer. That was all I had to go on.

A few years ago I visited my great grandmother's home town. Her family house still stands in Kocherstetten, Baden-Württemberg.

[avm228]

Mine will (I hope) take forever. There is always more to learn - more records and resources becoming easily available all the time.

(20-ish years so far).

[Craclyn]

I’ve only just started how long until I get a good family history?

That depends on how much time and money you are prepared to devote to your research. Most of us have been at it for many years, but the wealth of data now available online makes it a lot easier to get started now. Just be sure to check your sources carefully and ensure you are climbing the right tree.

[chrissiecruiser]

Oh Dear!!!

How long is a piece of string?

I find out one piece of my puzzle....then have 8 more to tidy up!

Neverending story for me!

[SwissGill]

How long is a piece of string?

Why the rush??