6 Things You Must Know About Tracing Your Roots
Use online tools and services to fill out the branches of your family tree.
1. It’s a family affair. The popularity of the PBS series Finding Your Roots, which uncovers celebrities’ family histories, has spurred interest in genealogy. If you want to learn more about your background, “start with what you know about yourself,” says Catherine Desmarais, vice president of the Association of Professional Genealogists. Then begin interviewing relatives. As you work backward to your grandparents and great-grandparents, track down as many vital records, such as birth, marriage and death certificates, as you can find.
2. Focus your search. Questions such as “Where was my great-grandfather born?” will help you identify the documents you need to find. A great deal of starter material is available free. Cyndi’s List and Linkpendium categorize links to genealogical resources. FamilySearch allows you to search millions of digitized records. Also check the National Archives’ online Archives Library Information Center under “Genealogy.”
3. Pay to dive deeper. Ancestry.com, MyHeritage.com and other genealogical websites let you search massive stores of historical records and connect you with far-flung relatives. (A monthly subscription to Ancestry costs $20 to $45, depending on your level of access.) Test out different sites that offer free trials, and be selective based on which site matches your needs. For example, Fold3.com specializes in military records. Findmypast.com is heavy on Irish and United Kingdom content. Swedish descendants can poke around ArkivDigital.net. There are dedicated sites for those of Jewish and African-American descent as well. But keep in mind that many records are not available online. “Sometimes the only place to go is a courthouse down a winding country road,” says Jordan Jones, president of the National Genealogical Society.
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
4. Enlist science. When paper research stalls, a DNA test can reveal your ethnic makeup and find additional relatives by matching your DNA to others in a site’s database; for adoptees, DNA may be the only starting point. You can request a kit through Ancestry ($99), Family Tree DNA (starting at $99) and 23andMe ($199).
5. Keep track of your research. Many amateur genealogists use RootsMagic.com software (the basic version is free; the full version costs $30). Ancestry, MyHeritage and other archival sites can also help you build a family tree. Watch out for versions that do not allow you to note conflicting evidence. Or, says Jones, enter your findings in Word or Excel.
6. If you hit a wall . . . Hiring a county clerk to pull a record for you could cost as little as $10 plus postage. Or you may want to hire a professional genealogist, who can help you interpret obscure documents or pick up the trail when records get tough to track down. Most genealogists charge $50 to $75 per hour (although the hourly rate can range from $40 to $100, depending on the location and the complexity of the project). To find a researcher, go to the Association of Professional Genealogists (www.apgen.org) or the Board for Certification of Genealogists (www.bcgcertification.org). For legal searches, such as tracking down heirs, contact the Council for the Advancement of Forensic Genealogy (www.forensicgenealogists.org).
See Also: Programs That Help Seniors and Children
-
Use An iPhone? You May Be Hearing From A Class-Action Lawsuit Group
A handful of suits against the iPhone maker seek to crack down on everything from app store purchases to messaging.
By Keerthi Vedantam Published
-
Capital One/Discover: What's In Their Wallet For You?
Push back on Capital One's planned merger with Discover is growing with one group of consumer advocates calling for a public hearing.
By Keerthi Vedantam Published
-
403(b) Contribution Limits for 2024
retirement plans Teachers and nonprofit workers can contribute more to a 403(b) retirement plan in 2024 than they could in 2023.
By Jackie Stewart Published
-
Roth IRA Contribution Limits for 2024
Roth IRAs Roth IRA contribution limits have gone up for 2024. Here's what you need to know.
By Jackie Stewart Published
-
Four Tips for Renting Out Your Home on Airbnb
real estate Here's what you should know before listing your home on Airbnb.
By Miriam Cross Published
-
Five Ways to a Cheap Last-Minute Vacation
Travel Procrastinator? No matter. You can pull off a fun and memorable getaway on a moment's notice — without breaking the bank.
By Vaishali Varu Last updated
-
How Much Life Insurance Do You Need?
insurance Instead of relying on rules of thumb, you’re better off taking a systematic approach to figuring your life-insurance needs.
By Kimberly Lankford Published
-
When Is Amazon Prime Day?
Amazon Prime In 2023 Amazon had two Prime Day events — one in July and another, called Big Deal Days, in October. We expect 2024 to follow the same schedule.
By Bob Niedt Last updated
-
How to Shop for Life Insurance in 3 Easy Steps
insurance Shopping for life insurance? You may be able to estimate how much you need online, but that's just the start of your search.
By Kaitlin Pitsker Published
-
5 Ways to Shop for a Low Mortgage Rate
Becoming a Homeowner Rates are high this year, but you can still find an affordable loan.
By Daniel Bortz Published