How to begin your family history research

1. Gather together any personal papers and certificates you have, which contain information about you and your family. This could include anything from official certificates to greeting cards.
2. Download one or more of the pedigree charts, and family record sheets, and instructions, if you need them, from the ‘downloads‘ page on this site. If you would prefer, you can search for other pedigree charts and family record sheets via your favourite search engine, instead. Or, you might prefer to jump straight into recording your family history details using family history software that you download onto your computer, such as Family Tree Maker, or online, such as WikiTree.com (which I love!), familysearch.org, or ancestry.com. Again, a quick search on your favourite search engine will provide a plethora of options. All software and online family trees will have some version of a pedigree chart and family record sheet (explained further below).
3. Note that pedigree charts are for your direct ancestors only; they do not include spaces for brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, etc. Those details go on family record sheets instead. Family record sheets are explained further below.
4. Enter your name in the ‘number 1’ space on the pedigree chart. Ensure you enter the surname you were given at birth, regardless of whether you have since changed it.
5. Complete your other details – birth date, birth place and marriage date and place, if applicable.
6. Add your father’s details in the ‘number 2’ space on the pedigree chart.
7. Add your mother’s details in the ‘number 3’ space on the pedigree chart. Ensure you enter the surname your mother was given at birth (not her married name, if she married, and changed her name when she married).
8. Add your father’s father’s details in the ‘number 4’ space, and your father’s mother’s details in the ‘number 5’ space.
9. Add you mother’s father’s details in the ‘number 6′ space, and your mother’s mother’s details in the number 7’ space.
10. In general, you will add males in the even numbered spaced, and females in the odd numbered spaces. The exception will be the person in the ‘number 1’ space on any pedigree chart.
11. Please note that the instructions above provide the traditional method for completing a pedigree chart. You can, of course, add your mother’s details in the ‘number 2’ spot, and your father’s in the ‘number 3’ spot. However, whichever method you choose, it will be easiest is you take as consistent an approach as you can.
12. If you have information that allows you to go further back than your first pedigree chart allows, start a new chart for each of your ancestors for whom you can go further back. Ensure you number each chart and use the the ‘cross reference’ chart number spaces to keep track of which new pedigree chart you’ve added an ancestor to. For example, if you have filled in some or all of your first pedigree chart, on which you are ‘number 1’, and you’re able to go further back for the person at ‘number 16’, note the number of the new chart (2) beneath that person’s name, in the space next to ‘Information continued on chart _____‘. Then add that person as ‘number 1’ on a new pedigree chart, and fill it in, as described above. It also doesn’t matter if you can’t continue further with the person at ‘number 16’, but can continue with the person at, say, ‘number 25’. You can still start a new chart for the person at ‘number 25’, which can be ‘chart 2’. You can always update the numbering later on, when you have been able to complete more details that allow you to create more pedigree charts.
13. A family record sheet contains details of two parents and their children.
14. Every person on your pedigree charts should also appear on their own family record sheet as a child. For example, you will need to add your father to a family record sheet, as a child, along with his brothers and sisters, and parents. Similarly, you will need to add your mother to a family record sheet, as a child, along with her brothers and sisters, and parents. You, of course, should also be added to a family record sheet, as a child, along with your brothers and sisters, and parents. And so on.
15. If you have children, you will need to fill in a family record sheet for yourself, your partner, and your children.
16. Completing the various pedigree charts and family record sheets will help you to work out what information you do not have.
17. To find the information you do not have, you might need to contact the people whose information you are missing. If that is not possible, you might need to look up birth, death and marriage (BDM) indexes or even order one or more certificates. Refer to the information on this page for where to find Australian BDM indexes, most of which also allow you to order certificates. The same page has details of certificate transcription agents (unfortunately, they don’t provide that service for all Australian States and Territories).
18. The details on the Troubleshooting page on this site might also help you to find the information you are missing.