HOW TO START YOUR FAMILY TREE TEN GREAT WEBSITES TO START YOUR SEARCH!
Firstly you need to gather information you can do this online using key web resources, once 
you start investigating, the results will be fascinating!!
Begin with living relatives find old documents, photographs and information, there is a Family History Society which has 15,000 members worldwide, look at sog.org.uk for details of its services, also the Federation Of Family History Society at www.ffhs.org.uk, gives you access to surname databases and local indexes.
To begin with most people start by looking at their surname, starting with parents, you may be able to search back to many past generations.
www.familyrecords.gov.uk covers census returns, birth, marriages, deaths and wills, giving advice on obtaining information and copies of the certificates.
www.bbc.co.uk familyhistory Tips on getting started and also linked to the fascinating series Who Do You Think You Are?
www.genuki.org.uk U.K. and Republic of Ireland reference library details of record offices, for some counties there are records of individual towns villages and parishes.
www.cyndislist.com Over 2000,000 online resources maintained in the U.S.A but also includes the U.K and Republic of Ireland.#
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk Home of Britain’s historical records.
www.rootsweb.com One of the oldest genealogy sites on the web
www.ancestry.co.uk Provides for an annual subscription fee access to its worldwide collection of records and indexes old telephone directories, and arrival records for the Port of New York!!
www.findmypast.com A rich source of information looking for English and Welsh records including military records, passport applications and ships passenger lists.
www.familysearch.org A free of charge service(most require a fee or subscription )it has an index to the 1881 census of England and Wales, indexes to parish registers, and is run by the Mormons, who are still improving and updating these records and indexes.
www.genesreunited.co.uk Anyone can upload a family tree for others to see, it is one of the most popular sites in the U.K.
Firstly start gathering your information off line, jot down everything you can find about your 
family ,including as much detail as you can, including an accurate list of names, dates of birth, marriages and deaths, for all immediate family.
Organising your findings is important saving you time and going over old ground.
Collect family memories, talking to near and distant relatives reminiscing will help to build a picture ,you may need to record any interviews .
Ten Leading Questions to Ask
Name, date of birth, where you grew up and place of marriage.
Tell me about your parents and grandparents also maiden names.
Nicknames
Work that ancestors did.
Descriptions any photographs you could look at or loan.
The home where you grew up and the address the area and surroundings.
Schools attended .
Churches attended.
Childhood Memories.
Christenings, weddings and funerals any details that can be remembered.
CHOOSING THE CORRECT SOFTWARE.
There are reviews on familyrecords.gov.uk and my-history.co.uk also genealogyreviews.co.uk/genealogysoftware.htm it is a good idea to browse these before purchasing.
Family Historian-.www.family-historian.co.uk this website allows you to create different styles of family tree, you can add pictures audio files and videos.
Family tree Maker Enables you to create diagrams and charts.
Roots Magic www.rootsmagic.co.uk You can obtain a free trial of this version 3 programme, which shows you how to create charts adding pictures etc.
Legacy Family Tree Can be downloaded free of charge from www.legacyfamilytree.com. This has links to family history sites and has many extra features ,including publishing the results of your research in a book.
Exploring your family history is a marvellous adventure, for young and old to share, you will enjoy embarking on a journey into the past, there are many resources available to assist you on your historical journey, which will endeavour to enrich and
enlighten ,it’s all about YOU and your family!!
Happy Hunting www.free.sky.net
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