Finding ancestors so that you can draw a family tree is only part of the process. The further back you go, the more complex your family tree charts become, so staying organised and having simple methods for tracing your family tree lines is essential. Traditionally, genealogists had no choice but to fill in a blank family tree on paper, with pen in hand. This can be a tedious task to all but the most dedicated genealogy researchers. Now, with the onset of the digital revolution, tracing your family tree using genealogy software and genealogy research websites is by far the most popular and enjoyable way make your own family tree.

Making a family tree online
There are a dozens of genealogy websites around (the more well known ones include OneGreatFamily, Ancestry, Archives, World Vital Records). The features and tools vary from one site to the next. Many genealogy websites offer the tools for basic ancestry research for free or a very small fee, but if you want to make your job really easy and take advantage of the more powerful features of these genealogy programs you’ll have to spend a little more.

The best ancestry websites are those that combine the all of features you need and offer access to an enormous database of ancestry research, minimizing the amount of outside research that you need to do. You’ll find that you’re able to track down many more distant relatives if your ancestry research is hosted on an internet-based genealogy database, where a global audience of genealogy researchers can find you. For example, a distant relative may find you and be able to add a huge branch of their own on your family tree website. One of the best genealogy search sites is OneGreatFamily, which has a sharing function that combines your ancestry research with other members from all over the world, so that your family tree charts grow automatically if there is a connection with genealogy research from someone else.

Connect and Share
Some of the other great features you will find in good genealogy websites are forums for discussion and help, areas to post pictures, and chat rooms you can congregate in for an instant online family tree reunion. Online family tree software will also simplify the process of storing and displaying your information and sharing the treasure you’re creating with other family members. Genealogy websites also allow other keen genealogists in your family to work on the family tree on their own schedule. You can plan events, keep in touch, and share memories and stories with all of your family in one central gathering place. Members can log in and participate or keep in touch from wherever they happen to be in the world.

Of course, you can still do a great job using offline genealogy software, but it’s certainly worth considering the various options you have for more advanced ancestry research and family tree charts that will speed up the process and often deliver much better results.

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Visit World Vital Records.

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Census records were categorized in several ways. Some states used the head of household to file the records. In the 1800s, records were filed using the Soundex or the Miracode format. Both coding systems are similar but the Soundex was used most frequently. Earlier records are filed and recorded on AIS microfiche.

The Soundex system is phonetic. Sounds were used to group names together and not alphabetical order. Here’s an example. If two names sounded alike such as Sell and Sellers, they were grouped together, as possibly were names like Peel and Peale. The point of the Soundex system was to make it easier for people to search for information based on the fact they knew what a name sounded like, but not necessarily the correct spelling. People would no longer furiously search for names in the wrong places.

When you find the reference to a name spelled like your ancestor’s name, write down all of the information that you see. On each page is a page number and a number that identifies the district or town where the census was taken, called the enumeration district number. The consonants in each name are then coded using a number system. The resulting code leads you to the card for that family’s information within the state where the census originated. Knowing the name of a town can lead to other records such as old newspaper editions, books that chronicle the history of that particular region, or famous people from that area. If you hit a dead end with the surname on the page, you can also investigate the neighboring people for clues about your family.

Census records can be located in several places: The Family History Library in Salt Lake City or one of its branches, the National Archives, the Census online, or you can get copies mailed to your own house.

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Here are a few of the easiest ways to find ancestors for free.

Family Bible
An old tradition that many families kept in the past was to record any family events in the big Bible that was passed down from generation to generation. Here, accounts of births, deaths, and marriages were recorded. For people who weren’t included in other recordkeeping activities, like slaves and some immigrants, it was a way to trace the history of their families.

Birth Certificates
Usually parents keep these in their possession until their children grow up. Then they pass them on to their children in the event of death. Someone in your family could have a treasure trove of records just waiting for your eyes. All births are submitted for public recording. You can always contact the local hall of records in your city or the state’s records to find a birth certificate and purchase a copy. Birth records before 1910 didn’t always contain the child’s name but only the name of the parent’s. You can use them to trace the family surname if not a specific individual.

Death certificates
When a person dies, a death certificate is kept on file. A death certificate can be used as proof to stop certain payments and services once the person is deceased. Death records after 1910 contain a lot of pertinent information not the least of which is the deceased person’s name. You can find out their family’s name, where they died, the cause of death, the deceased person’s occupation, and much more. Before 1910 the records weren’t as thorough and usually contained merely the name of the deceased and their cause of death.

Marriage certificates
Everyone who gets married files for a marriage license with their local court system. There is a lot of important information that is noted on these marriage certificates. You can find out the maiden name of the bride, the name of both the groom and bride’s parents, the wedding witnesses, and of course the date of the ceremony. Just like other vital records, before 1910 there was no mandatory recording of certain information, so a lot of what you might be looking for may be missing.

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Family Stories
You can learn about your family through the stories each member shares. You probably have a few of your own. Write them down if you have to so that you can pass them on. Ask your immediate family to share their fondest memories of family occasions. These memories do not have to be huge events such as marriages, deaths or vacations to be cherished. Often they are the simple things, like a serendipitous event or one’s childhood impressions. Telling stories is a way to connect with family members that you hardly know. Maybe you can get to the bottom of that feud between cousin John and aunt Alice. Create a new relationship through the memories you’ll discover.

Family stories can lead to important findings too. A story or a firsthand account of an event may have made the history books. Maybe a family member was present in Europe when the Berlin Wall came down. What if a family member marched with Martin Luther King, Jr.? They may even have invented something we use today. You never know what you might find that ties your family to important times gone by.

Through the years, your family may have retained a philosophy passed down by one of your ancestors. If they went to war, maybe what they saw inspired them to raise their kids not to fight or to be a military family. Such sentiments run through a family and shape it to be what you see today. You might not have known why before but as you learn about your family’s past, you will find out.

Legacy and Tradition
Each of us has a legacy to leave to those who follow us. Sharing family facts through stories or a written history opens a window into the life of the people who made it possible for us to be here in the first place. Make it a family tradition. Begin sharing your own stories, along with those you’ve discovered in your search for information, with children, siblings, and other relatives. As you start passing along your stories, you’ll might feel better about where you came from and you’ll help those younger than you to do the same in the future.

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The best genealogy software for you
When considering purchasing software to create your family tree, you want to invest in a product that has all of the features you need, as well as being good value for money. Choose genealogy programs that organize, store and retrieve family history information in formats that suit your research needs. For example, some genealogy programs will let you produce reports and books. If this is something you’d like or need then make sure to narrow your search to only include these items. Since there are so many genealogy software options, it’s important to determine your needs before making a purchase.

Here are some considerations:

• How do you want to store your information?
• Do you want to be able to scan photos and documents or do you want to simply record information in a spreadsheet type program?
• What do you want to do with your genealogy information?
• Are you going to keep it on the computer or are you hoping to create an elaborate family tree to hang on your wall or give as gifts?
• Do you plan or have a need to share your research online?
• Are you looking for an end product – How much do you want to spend on genealogy software?
• How much time do you want to spend learning how to use your genealogy software – How intuitive is the navigation and use interface?
• Can the information can be downloaded to use in other programs?

What to look for in Genealogy Software
It doesn’t matter whether you’re a professional or hobby genealogist, using the right genealogy software program will make a huge difference in the satisfaction and information you will get from your research. Here’s what you should be looking for:

Is it easy to use?
Make sure the program you choose is well organised and easy to navigate. The best genealogy software programs are very user-friendly, so even beginner computer users won’t get overwhelmed. The software should be also be straightforward to install and setup on your computer.

What features are available?
At the very least, choose genealogy software that has searching capabilities and internet access, allow you to research and organize your family tree, can produce reports and charts, and offers multiple formats for storing and analyzing data.

Is there good documentation and support?
The genealogy software developer should provide ample help in the form of FAQs, email and phone support, online course and product tutorials so anyone can learn to use the program and conveniently access customer support.

More information on the best genealogy software:

Legacy

Family Tree Maker

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Store and Share

One of the primary uses for genealogy software is to store information. Of course each software program stores information differently so you’ll want to decide in advance how you want to organize your data. You can also use genealogy software to share information. Some genealogy software enables you to connect with others to share your data. This is useful if you’ve embraced a team approach to uncovering your family tree. For example, you might use this function to send the information you’ve found to others for verification. Although it’s a step up from offline genealogy software, the OneGreatFamily database is great example of the power of data sharing. OneGreatFamily continually looks for additional information and relatives for every one of your ancestors at the same time and your family tree will actually continue to grow automatically as people from over 170 countries submit new names.

Organize and Analyze
You can also use genealogy software to aid in your research. The best genealogy programs provide you with comprehensive reports and charts so you can organize and see the progress of your ancestry research. Some genealogy software takes it to the next level and will help you analyze the information you have. You can look for patterns in your data and also inconsistencies that require attention.

Family Tree Charts
Using genealogy software you will be able to produce ancestry charts showing a person’s direct-line ancestors, so that you know exactly how far back a line goes. Ancestor narrative reports show a specific person and follows that person’s lineage like a story. This is a great way to share your research with family members and friends. You can also draw a family tree chart to show an entire families including husband, wife and children.

Genealogy software programs include lots of easy-to-use tools that will help you organize your research. Organizational tools link people together based on relationships, merge individuals into family trees, help spot conflicting data and locate duplicate entries. This software will also aid in your search for both individuals and entire families.

Having a system to organize, document and even produce published materials can make your genealogy research and project much easier and more satisfying. The best genealogy software programs can help you with the entire process. Of course, before you purchase genealogy software make sure it meets all your needs.

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1. Easy Family Tree Templates

After you have done all the hard work of collecting the names and important dates of your relatives, the next task is to place each person neatly in a family tree so that it is organized and easy to read.  The best thing to do here is to use blank family tree templates to copy.  There are heaps of genealogy websites that give examples of family tree charts, making it easier to arrange the information you have collected.  Using family tree charts will give you an idea of where to put each person’s name and how to descend the line of your ancestors back as far as you want to go.

Of course, you could also pay for a family tree to be drawn professionally using genealogy services. There are many genealogy websites are available where you can give them your photos or the names of the people you would like on your family tree chart and they will do all the work using professional genealogy software – for a fee. This is a nice idea for a gift for other members of your family or if you would like to display your family tree in your home. However, I think that for most people, having someone else draw a family tree takes the fun out of it. When you make your own family tree charts, it’s far more personal and rewarding.

There are dozens of genealogy websites where you can find blank family tree charts that you can fill in. Once you have found all of your ancestors, it is very easy to fill in an ancestry chart with all of your family history information. For some good examples, you can check out the printable family tree charts at The Tree Maker . These are very easy to use, and keep your information well organised.

Make sure you choose a design that you like. Some family history charts available are quite plain, especially the free ones. If you spend a little, you can get something really attractive. Other family tree sites worth checking out include Legacy Family Tree , who offer a huge range of genealogy resources (including the well known Legacy Genealogy software), and Family Tree Magazine, which offers a huge offers a wide variety of charts  and other resources for you to record your family tree and any other important work sheets that you might need to research your family tree.

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The OneGreatFamily Tree database is a powerful genealogy search database that is built and shared by people from all over the world. OneGreatFamily will store your data on secure servers and regularly back it up, so even your computer gets a virus or has hardware failure you will never loose your data. This is also a great way to easily share your family tree free of charge.

OneGreatFamily’s system continuously searches every name in your family tree for new connections. The automated search engine continually looks for additional information and relatives for every one of your ancestors at the same time and notifies you by email when new information is available for your family tree. Your family tree will actually continue to grow automically  over time because people from over 170 countries submit new names, pictures, biographies, and video clips every day.

The design features are also quite innovative. OneGreatFamily lets you see your entire family tree at one time. You can zoom in or out to view any portion in more detail.

Enter your family details in the boxes below to get started.

Individual    First Name Last Name For females, use maiden name (last name before marriage) Father    First Name Last Name   Mother    First Name Last Name Visit OneGreatFamily.com

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