These genealogy research tips bring together Ancestral Findings guides to finding records, understanding evidence, and preserving family stories. Whether you are starting your first family tree or returning to a difficult question, choose a topic below to find a useful next step.
Start with the getting-started guides, or browse by record type and research interest. The topic lists link to articles on Ancestral Findings. As you read, keep notes on your sources and separate confirmed facts from ideas that still need checking.
For an introduction to U.S. federal records, also explore the National Archives guide to starting genealogy research. It explains how census, military, immigration, naturalization, and land records can help.
Genealogy Research Tips for Getting Started
- 3 Ways to Be Constantly Improving Your Genealogy Research
- 5 Things Every Genealogist Should Know How to Do
- 8 Fresh Genealogy Tips for Building Your Family Tree
- Genealogy Again: Breathing New Life in Your Family Research
- 9 Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Start Researching Your Family Tree
- 8 Things New Genealogists Waste Money On
- Don’t Make These 8 Mistakes in Your Genealogy Research
- Why I Love Genealogy (And You Should, Too!)
- 5 Ways To Tell If Your Genealogy Research Is Accurate
- Darth Vader’s Guide to Genealogy
Learning, Libraries, and Research Tools
Before choosing a tool or subscription, use these genealogy guides to plan your next step. Then check which records and services fit your question.
- 3 Online Genealogy Classes You Can Take to Improve Your Skills
- 3 Genealogy Conferences You Must Attend
- 3 Genealogy Societies Every Serious Genealogist Should Join
- 4 Genealogy Books You Must Have in Your Personal Library
- What are the Four Best Free Genealogy Websites?
- 10 Tools for Your Genealogy Research That You Never Thought You’d Need
- 6 Things to Know Before Visiting the Genealogy Library
- Genealogy Apps to Help You With On the Road Research
- How to Use Book Databases to Further Your Family History
- 6 Questions To Ask Before Using The National Archives
- My Top 10 Genealogy Reference Books (plus 5 more)
- How to Select the Right Family Tree Software
- Did You Know That Family Tree Maker Is Available?
Family Stories, Traditions, and Projects
- Remembering Pets in Your Family History
- Why It’s Important to Preserve Ancient Family Traditions
- 5 Genealogy-Themed Christmas Gifts
- 5 Ways to Get Young Children Interested in Genealogy
- The Top Three Reasons You Should Donate Your Genealogy Research to a Society
- 7 Things You Need to Know Before Organizing Your Genealogy Heirlooms
- 13 Best Genealogy Projects for a Long Weekend
- Do-Good Genealogy: 9 Exciting Volunteer Opportunities
- Did Your Ancestors Keep Scrapbooks?
- Guest Books: A Genealogical Treasure Trove
- The History of Diaries: Did Your Ancestor Keep One?
- How to Find Family Members for Homeless Genealogical Artifacts
- How I Got My Family Involved In Genealogy Research
- Getting Kids Into Genealogy
- How to Use Family Lore to Discover the Real Stories
- Fun Tips for Getting Your Children Involved in Genealogy
- 11 Genealogy Research Tips to Use at Your Next Family Reunion
Finding and Interpreting Records
When a familiar record gives you no answer, try another source. These genealogy research tips cover overlooked clues, handwriting, and gaps in the paper trail.
- 3 Overlooked Clues in Genealogical Documents
- Timelines and Your Family Tree
- What to Do if a Genealogical Record is Sealed
- Why Understanding Ancient Laws is Important in Genealogy
- A Treasure Trove of Colonial History
- What to Do When There are No Records: 3 Ways to Find Ancestors Who Didn’t Leave a Paper Trail
- Alternative Sources for Tracking Your Ancestors: City Directories, Social Sections of Old Newspapers, and School Yearbooks
- What Are County History Books and How Can They Help With Your Genealogy?
- How to Order Your Ancestor’s Social Security Application
- Social Security Death Benefit Records
- Tax Records: More Information Than You Think
- How to Read Old Handwriting: A Primer
- Did the Document Trail Run Dry? Here Are More Places to Look
- How To Solve The Biggest Problems In Your Genealogy Research
- Simple Tips for Reading Old Genealogy Documents
Births, Marriages, Deaths, and Family Connections
- Tricks for Finding the Unknown Burial Location of an Ancestor
- How to Find a Wife’s Name When it’s Not Obvious
- Genealogy Basics: Cemetery Research Advice for Beginners
- Genealogy Basics: Marriage Research Advice for Beginners
- Genealogy Basics: Death Record Research Advice for Beginners
- Genealogy Basics: Birth Record Research Advice for Beginners
- Death Certificates: Your Doorway to Your Ancestor’s Life
- How Given Names Can Help You Identify Your Ancestor
- Can’t Find the Grave? Alternative Locations for Burial Places for Your Ancestors
- How to Overcome the Difficulties of Finding Female Ancestors
- Using Cemetery Records to Uncover Unknown Ancestors
Places, Communities, and Family Origins
- How to Conduct a Neighborhood Study, and Why You Should
- Royal Blood? Lineage Societies for You
- What Can the British College of Arms Do for You?
- Genealogy Basics: Jewish Research Advice for Beginners
- African American Genealogy Research for Beginners
- Passenger and Immigration Research Basics: How to Find Your Ancestor’s Entry Into America
- Tracing Your Pennsylvania Ancestors
- Irish Immigration Wave: The Emerald Isle Comes to America
- The Real Truth Behind Coats of Arms and Family Crests
- Lineage Societies: How to Join Them (and Why You Should)
- Who Are The Black Dutch?
- Tips for Researching British Ancestors
- Tips for Researching German Genealogy
- Tracing Your Family Origins
- The Cousin Connection: Explaining the Various Levels of Cousins
Genealogy Research Tips for Census Records
First, compare a household across census years. Then use these guides to investigate missing names, changing ages, and records that can fill a census gap.
- 5 Substitutions for the 1890 Census
- European Censuses
- The Secrets of the 1840 Census, Revealed
- Finding Unnamed Ancestors on the 1790-1840 Censuses
- What Happened to the 1890 Census, and What You Can Use to Fill in Its Blanks
- Search Tricks for Locating Your Ancestors in an Online Census
DNA and Family History Research
- Mystery Ancestor? How to Discover Their Origins Using Documents and DNA
- What is a Haplogroup and What Can It Tell You About Your Family Tree?
- What’s the Deal With DNA? Using DNA to Trace Your Family History
- DNA Testing: What the Different Types Can Tell You
Documenting Your Genealogy Research
- What is an Abstract and Why Do You Need to Use Them in Genealogy Research?
- Why Citing Sources is Crucial in Genealogy and How to Do it Right
- What is the Genealogical Proof Standard and Why Should You Use It?
- Genealogical Numbering: What is it and How to Use It
- What is a Reasonable Conclusion in Genealogy?
History Lessons
Historical context can explain a move, a missing record, or a change in family circumstances. As you explore these guides, compare each event with your ancestor’s location and dates.
- The American Orphan Trains
- The Surprise Missouri Earthquake of 1811
- The Long Winter of 1880–1881: When the West Froze
- The “Ghost” State of Jefferson: All You Need to Know About the State You Didn’t Know About
- Oregon Trail Ancestry: Did Your Ancestors Travel the Trail?
- Thanksgiving and Our Ancestors: The Real Story
- History of the US Passport Application
- Before American Colonization: The French and the Fur Trade
- Modern Communication: A History of the Telephone
- Mail Order Brides: A History of Love in the Wild West
- Where Were the Pilgrims Really Going?
- Why Was President Johnson Really Impeached, and Why Did He Get to Keep His Office?
- Did Your Ancestors Go Back to England?
- The Louisiana Purchase Controversy
- Adams and the Alien and Sedition Act
- How Much of the Original White House is Actually Left?
- The French and Native American Relations
- George Washington, the Masons, the White House, and the Case of the Missing Cornerstone
- The Evolution of Florida
- When Vermont Was a Nation: A Closer Look at Our 14th State
- The Wild Days of Texas: When Texas Was a Country
- The United States Under the Articles of Confederation: A Forgotten History
- A Review of Old Fulton Postcards
- The Years Without Christmas: Puritans Against the Holiday in Colonial New England
- Mayflower Passengers: Not All Were There for Religious Reasons
- Christmas Traditions and Genealogy
- Quaker Persecutions in Puritan Massachusetts
- Native Americans and the Sale of American Colonists to Canada
- Witches in the Family? Resources for Researching the Families of the Salem Witch Trials
- How Did Your Ancestors Celebrate Halloween?
Professional Genealogy
Online Genealogy
- How to Do Irish Genealogy Research Without Crossing the Atlantic
- Search Tricks for Locating Your Ancestors in an Online Census
- Online and Offline Genealogical Resources for Alabama
- Using eBay to Further Your Genealogical Research
- The Top Online Resources for Researching Your French Ancestors
- Tracing Your New Jersey Ancestors: Online and Offline Resources
- Resources for Tracing Your Canadian Ancestors Online
- Online Resources for Researching Your Scottish Ancestors
Family History Tips for Old Photographs
Start with the original photograph and any writing on its back. Then compare clothing, hairstyles, and photographic formats to narrow down a date.
- Early Photography and Older Adults
- How to Organize Your Family Photos
- How to Use Women’s Clothing to Identify 19th Century Photographs
- Identifying Old Photographs: How to Do It and How It Can Help Your Research
- More Photo Identification Tips: Hairstyles of the 19th Century
- Identifying the Era of a Photo By its Type
- 3 Photo Identification Tips You Never Knew
Family History Tips for Interviews
- How to Approach Living Relatives for Genealogical Information
- Family History Questions You May Not Have Thought to Ask
- Why Oral Histories Are So Crucial to Good Genealogy, Part 1
- Why Oral Histories Are So Crucial to Good Genealogy, Part 2
- Cultivate the Leaves on the Family Tree: Talk to the Older Folks
Organizing Your Genealogy Research
As your collection grows, keep sources and working notes together. These family history tips can help you protect files and return to unfinished questions.
- How to Preserve Ancient Documents
- Low Tech Record Keeping for Your Genealogical Research
- Organizing and Storage Tips for Your Genealogy Research
- Get With the Plan: Breaking Bad Genealogy Habits
- 5 Genealogy Research Time Management Tips
- How to Protect Your Genealogy Data
Land Records
- Federal Homestead Records and What You Might Find in Them
- Griffith’s Valuation of Ireland
- Where Did Your Ancestor Live? How to Interpret Plat Maps
- Oklahoma, the Natives, and US Settlement
Military Research
- WWI Draft Cards: Where to Find Them and What They Can Tell You About Your Ancestors
- Using DAR Application Papers to Discover Your Ancestors
- The Missouri Compromise: What Was it and How Did it Contribute to the Civil War?
- Why Did Some African Americans Fight for the Confederacy?
- A Short Introduction to Researching Your Revolutionary War Ancestors
- The War of 1812 and the Indian Wars: A Double Conflict
- Civil War Medical Cards: Using Them to Research Your Union Ancestors
- Using Military Records to Construct Family Trees
- The Seminole Wars: A Brief History of the Settlement of Florida
- Military Records and the Fire of 1973
- Native Americans in the Civil War: A Forgotten History
- How the Seven Years’ War led to the American Revolution
- Navy Before Country
Must-Do Genealogy Projects
- 10 “Must-Do” Genealogy Projects for February
- 10 “Must-Do” Genealogy Projects for January
- 10 “Must-Do” Genealogy Projects for December
- 10 “Must-Do” Genealogy Projects for November
- 10 “Must-Do” Genealogy Projects for October
- 10 Perfect Genealogy Projects for September
- 10 “Must-Do” Genealogy Projects for August
Research Trips
Genealogy Research Tips for Surnames
When names repeat or spellings vary, compare relatives, places, and dates before joining two records. Also consider surname studies as leads to investigate.
- Surname Studies: How They Can Help You Find Your Ancestors
- Irish Naming Patterns: Discover Your Irish Origins from Names in a Family
- Joining a Surname Study: Where to Find Them and What You Can Get Out of Them
- Tips to Find Ancestors with Frustratingly Common Surnames
Wills and Probates
- The Difference Between Wills and Probate Documents
- Wills Galore! Using the New U.S. Wills Collection on Ancestry.com
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