How to make a genealogical tree of a family and ancestry: step-by-step instructions

Managing Partner of Christian Family Traditions House, publisher of genealogy books

Many people think that creating a family tree is a difficult task. They are sure that in this case can help only a narrow specialist, whose services will cost a lot. However, this is not true.

Ocalo 80% of information can be found independently. The main thing is to know where to start the search and where to go for data. What steps should be taken to learn more about the family? Let’s break it down point by point.

1. interviewing your relatives

The first thing to start with is to sort through the family archive (photos, documents, letters, diaries) and communicate with relatives, in fact, most of all information is stored in their minds. It’s best to stock up on a tape recorder and a notebook for quick notes.

Make up questions in advance and start interviewing older family members. Who were their parents, grandparents, don’t forget their sisters, brothers, uncles and aunts. Write down their full names, dates of birth and death, occupation, and whether they had children. Talk to the rest of your relatives as well, someone may be able to add history and facts about your ancestors.

2. Inquiries to regional archives, registries and churches

State archives (district, regional, and federal) are the main source for collecting documentation about your relatives. You can visit the archives yourself or send your request electronically.

Each organization processes your request in different time frames, so be prepared for a long wait. As a rule, the answer comes in a month.

Civil registries keep information on births, deaths and marriages since 1917. Data that goes back earlier are found in metric books in churches, synagogues, and mosques. There are also some catalogs of metric books on the Internet. Note that the spelling of surnames will be old style.

If someone in your family was in the military, you should also send a request to the military enlistment center where the relative lived.

3. free sites with databases

Many people do not trust information from free sites, but there are a number of online resources that have an extensive database. These include Memory of the People, which includes information from both Memorial and Feats of the People, the Central Archive of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, and the State Archive of the Russian Federation.

4. DNA research

This method is one of the most efficient, but also the most expensive. With the help of medical analysis it is possible to establish kinship up to the 50th generation of your family.

By the genetic set of chromosomes in a special database of DNA materials of other people you can find relatives. You will also find out where your ancestors lived, how and where they moved. It is possible to determine what ethnic groups you belong to.

Collecting biomaterial takes a few minutes, then in the laboratory geneticists will decipher your tests and make a detailed transcription.

How to store the information?

It’s best to choose an electronic option. Make digitization of original documents and materials. It is also better to save dictaphone recordings of interviews with relatives. In some cases, you can also make video materials. The information obtained can be formalized in the form of a family tree through special photo editors and websites.