Start with yourself and work backward
Write down your full name, birth date, and birthplace
Collect names, dates, places, and family stories from relatives
Gather family documents, photos, letters, certificates, and Bibles
Ask older relatives for names of parents, grandparents, and siblings
Record maiden names, nicknames, and alternate spellings
Search birth, marriage, death, and census records
Check church, cemetery, probate, land, and military records
Use online genealogy websites and archives
Search local libraries, historical societies, and county courthouses
Build a family tree as you find each record
Compare sources to confirm accuracy
Look for immigration and naturalization records
Use DNA testing if needed to find relatives and confirm connections
Keep organized notes and cite every source
Repeat the process generation by generation