Family History Basics

Greater success with family history may be as simple as avoiding these all-too-common mistakes:

Mistake No. 1: Not documenting your research.
If you don’t keep track of where you’ve been, you’re likely to keep searching the same records over and over again. Needless to say, this wastes a lot of time.

Solution: Keep a research log.
You can either download a free research form from www.ancestry.co.uk or create your own. As you explore each new resource, be sure to write down the name of the database as well as any page numbers. Also, keep track of the different search terms and word combinations that you’ve been using.

Mistake No. 2: Using only one spelling.
If you’ve been sticking with a single name spelling when searching for an ancestor, you’ve probably missed out on a lot of good materials. Always remember that an ancestor could have used one of several names during his or her lifetime.

Solution: Use different spellings and name combinations.
Try several variations of your ancestors’ names incorporating middle names, nicknames, and married names. You can also try changing the spelling slightly (e.g. “Andersen” instead of “Anderson”). As with any genealogical search, broadening your search criteria will return maximum results.

Mistake No. 3: Accepting fiction as fact.
Never take anything at face value. Finding your ancestor’s name does not guarantee that you’ve found the right ancestor. Remember that nothing is truly fact until you can back it up using more than one resource.

Solution: Verify your findings.
To verify your findings, check multiple source documents. If you have a birth record, for example, you can cross-reference it with a census document. If the name, age, and birthplace match up, then you’ve probably found the right ancestor.

Mistake No. 4: Extracting only part of the record.

You can miss a lot of important detail by not paying attention to context. Who created this record? When was it created? Who else is listed on the document?

Solution: Look at the bigger picture.
Rather than recording fragments, photocopy the entire page whether it’s a birth certificate, parish record, or census document.

For further support visit http://www.ancestry.co.uk

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