Piecing together your family’s history is fascinating, but it is not always clear where to start. Here is a simple method to build your first generations.
1. Start with yourself and work backwards
The golden rule: begin with what you know. Write down your own details, then your parents’, then your grandparents’. You move back in time from the known to the unknown, generation by generation.
2. Ask your family
Your relatives are your first source. Photos, letters, family records and spoken memories hold precious dates, places and names. Note everything, even what seems trivial.
3. Search the archives
Civil records (births, marriages, deaths) and parish registers are the backbone of genealogy. Many archives are digitised and can be consulted freely online.
4. Organise your data
From your very first findings, structure them in genealogy software. You can export it as a GEDCOM file, a standard that will follow you whatever tool you use next.
To view or correct your file without installing anything, Genea World opens it directly in your browser, fully privately.
Ready to explore your genealogy?
Open your GEDCOM file now. It’s instant, free and private.