Researching your family tree !

Hiya all, since I've been unwell, and then getting married and only having my uncle there, I've been doing a lot of thinking about families etc and realise that apart from my immediate (departed) family, I basically don't know much about my ancestors.
So I'm wondering if anyone on here has researched their family tree and if so, what resources did you use, have you any pointers you can give.
I really think this could be something very interesting to do. My OH's cousin has done their family tree, I'll also have a word with her, but as we don't see each other often it may be a long time coming.

[The Debt Star]

Re: Researching your family tree !

Yes and have got back as far as 1760.

I used a company called Ancestors at one point but that became very expensive. When I started doing my own research on the net I found that a lot of the data they used was readily accessible on there.

The local library is a great place to start, too. Larger local libraries have research archives. Oh, and I also got some help from the local newspaper on individual events. The archivists there can trawl through things very quickly.

All the best with this Sapphy. its a great past time.

[Sapphire]

Re: Researching your family tree !

Did you uncover anything or anyone interesting ?

[The Debt Star]

Re: Researching your family tree !

Yes but would have to PM you that info!!!

[Celestine]

Re: Researching your family tree !

I did mine about 2 years ago on genes reunited. My tree had been up for about 6 months (other members can enter their ancestors names and 'match' to you) when I got a message from a woman asking how I was related to XX, I replied saying I was her grand daughter, she replied straightaway saying "well that makes me your aunt because XX was my mum". Turns out naughty granny had a baby during the war and had her adopted, since then, I've introduced her to her whole long lost family. Bit of a shock but very nice.
Using the site I found out loads about my ancestors, great great grand dad was Mayor of Brum and had a button factory, between me and long lost aunt we've traced back several hundred years.
Definitely do it, it's fascinating!

[The Debt Star]

Re: Researching your family tree !

what puts me off posting up an entire family tree is i.d. theft risk. someone would know your date of birth, mother's maiden name, parebts' DoB, can get hold of birth certs etc and so on.

[Turboman]

Re: Researching your family tree !

Which software package did you use----i keep getting special offers from Avenquest (my turbocad supplier) but I procrastinate and do nothing----but Mo wants to do it too.

[The Debt Star]

Re: Researching your family tree !

genes reunited is on-line of course but separate stand-alone software that you store on your own pc or memory stick is more secure. I manually built my tree up and didn't use software. Googling stuff like census material only gets you back son far anyway, 1850s. beyond that and its trips to the library, town records 'n' stuff.