1. Begin your genealogy research by recording what you already know about your family. Then read a genealogy how-to book and begin researching at home using sources like family bibles and records. 2. Next, look for compiled genealogical information published in books, periodicals and online. Research one ancestral line at a time. 3. Original records like census records, vital records and social security death indexes can provide important details to trace your family further back. The census provides information about names, locations and dates to follow family lines over generations.

1. Genealogy Basics
How to get started researching
your family history.
Presented by: Elaine Jones Hayes
Laramie County Library System
Cheyenne, Wyoming

2. Genealogy Basics Overview:
Record What You Already Know.
Read a Genealogy How-To Book.
Begin Your Research at Home.
Look for Compiled (published) Information.
Research one Ancestral Line at a Time.
Look for Original Records.

3. Record What You Already
Know.
Write surnames in capital letters
William James THOMAS
Write dates military style
10 Aug 2006
Write names of places from smallest to
largest
Cheyenne, Laramie, Wyoming, USA

6. Work Backwards
From Known to Unknown.
Work backwards from the present to the
past, one generation at a time.
This will help you keep from making
mistakes.
Dates and places of events are just as
important as names.

7. What are you looking for?:
Who
A full name, use a woman’s maiden name if known.
What
The event: birth, death, marriage, etc.
Where
A very important thing you need to know is the
place where a person was born, married, lived or
died, etc.
When
An (at least) approximate date for a vital event
(birth, death, marriage, etc.)

8. How do I keep track of all of
this information?
Paper forms and filing cabinets
Genealogy specific software
Storage on your computer, on flash drives,
external hard drives, in the “cloud”, etc.
Stored in a shared family tree in a
database such as Ancestry.com or
FamilySearch.org.

9. Using paper forms:
Use pedigree (or ancestry) charts, family
group sheets, research logs, to get organized.
Paper genealogical forms are available for you
in the LCLS Genealogy Room or at:
www.cyndislist.com/supplies.htm
www.laramiecountylibrary.org/specialcollections/gett
www.familytreemagazine.com/FREEFORMS

10. Genealogy Software Programs:
FREE:
Legacy Family Tree – Standard edition
www.legacyfamilytree.com
Gramps gramps-project.org
Family Tree Legends www.familytreelegends.com
For a small cost ($25-$50):
Family Tree Maker – Generations, Legacy Family Tree –
Deluxe edition, The Master Genealogist (TMG),
RootsMagic, etc.
For the Mac:
Reunion, MacFamilyTree, Genealogy Pro, Heredis,
iFamily, etc.

11. Family Tree at FamilySearch.org:

12. Family tree at Ancestry.com:

13. Read a Genealogy How-to Book:
See my genealogy bibliography handout
Books are in the 929s on the 3rd
Floor

14. Use Home Sources:
These may be in your home or
the home of a relative:
Birth, marriage and death certificates
Deeds, wills, & titles
Diaries, journals, & birthday calendars
Family Bibles and Family trees
Funeral cards
Newspaper clippings
Military Service Records (and more - see handout)

15. Look for Compiled Information:
Learn what information on the family has
already appeared in books and periodicals.
These resources are published as periodicals,
books, e-books and computer databases or
websites.

16. Evaluate Compiled Information:
Evaluate Written and Oral Evidence
Remember the old adage: Just because
it's in print (or online, or what Grandma
told you) doesn't make it true.
Be particularly wary of copying other’s
research.

17. Finding Published Genealogies:
Look in WorldCat for books in other libraries.
From the www.laramiecountylibrary.org, click on
“WYLD Catalog”, then “Databases” .
Then choose “WorldCat”. You’ll need a library card
number and PIN. The default PIN is WYLD.
Ask the 3rd
floor “Ask Here” desk to ILL
(Interlibrary Loan) the book for you.

18. More Places to Find Published
Genealogies (Family Histories):
The LDS Family History Library
www.familysearch.org
Google Books at books.google.com.
Ancestry Library and Heritage Quest databases:

19. Genealogy
Periodicals:
Read a general genealogy
magazine to learn new
search techniques:
Family Chronicle
Family Tree
Internet Genealogy (etc.)
To find past articles use the Periodical Source
Index (PERSI). Available on the Heritage Quest
database.

20. Look for Original Records:
Primary Sources
A primary source is one created by an
eyewitness of an event.
A secondary source is based on evidence
gathered after an event occurred by a
person who was not an eyewitness.

21. Census Records:
One of the best original records
In the U.S., a census has been taken every
10 years from 1790 through 2010.
1790 to 1940 censuses are available to
genealogists to search.

22. More about the
U.S. Federal Census:
1790 through 1840 censuses listed head of
household plus number of others living
there.
Beginning in 1850, census lists all names,
ages, places of birth, occupations, etc.

23. U.S. Federal Census cont.
1870 census indicates if the individual’s
parents were foreign born.
1880 and later censuses added:
Birthplaces (country or state only) of
each person’s parents.

24. U.S. Federal Census cont.
1890 federal census was (mostly) destroyed
by fire.
1900 and 1910 censuses include:
the age of each individual, how many years he
had been married, year of immigration,
citizenship status.

25. U.S. Federal Census cont.
1920 and 1930 censuses also:
age & lists the year of naturalization.
Start with 1940 and work backwards.

26. Searching
the U.S. Census:
Start with most recent census (1940) and work
backwards.
Note similar names living nearby.
Watch for spelling errors. Do not be wedded to one
surname spelling.
Always keep track of the source.

27. Searching Census Information
on Computer Databases:
Census Information is available at:
Ancestry.com, Ancestry Library
Heritage Quest , familysearch.org and
elsewhere.
Heritage Quest can be searched at home with
your library card # and PIN #. The default
PIN is wyld.

28. Ancestry Library:
Ancestry Library
is the library version of Ancestry.com
(a paid subscription
website).
Available for searching only in the
library.

32. Heritage Quest:
Heritage Quest
is another great genealogy
database
provided through Wyoming libraries. It also
provides access to 1790-1940 census
images (and much more).

34. Vital Records:
Vital records are civil records of births,
marriage, deaths, etc.
Keeping vital records only began after the
mid 19th
or early in the 20th
century.
Start with yourself and work backwards.
Then obtain birth, marriage and, if applicable,
death certificates for your parents, then
grandparents, etc.,

35. Birth Certificates:
Birth certificates reveal:
Baby’s name, birth date and parents
Birthplaces of both parents, their
age, their occupations, and their
address
The number of other children

36. Death Certificates:
Death certificates can reveal:
Place and cause of death.
Name of deceased’s parents,
Residence at time of death,
Exact date of death, and date of burial
Name of informant and relationship to
deceased
Funeral home that handled the arrangements,
name of cemetery

37. Marriage Records:
Before the 1850’s look for them with town clerks in
New England and county clerks.
After 1850s at State Board of Health/Bureau of
Vital Statistics.
Other sources of marriage records:
Justice of the Peace registers
Church records

38. Where to Write for Vital
Records.
“Google it” or use another search engine but
look for official government websites (.gov or
state.gov).
Websites such as “Where To Write for Vital
Records”
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/w2w.htm

39. Social Security
Death Index:
Available at
www.familysearch.org
www.ancestry.com and Ancestry Library
Edition.
With their Social Security number you can
write for a copy of the deceased’s “Application
for a social security card,” form SS5.

40. The Original
SS Card Application:
To obtain a copy, write to:
Social Security Administration
OEO FOIA Workgroup
300 N. Green Street
P.O. Box 33022
Baltimore, Maryland 21290-3022

41. Summary:
1. Record What You Know.
 Begin With Yourself and Work Backwards
1. Read a How-to Book.
2. Begin Your Research At Home.
3. Look for compiled information.
4. Research one ancestral line at a time.
5. Look for Original Records:
 Census Records
 Vital Records
 Social Security Death Index

42. The Family and Local History
Room at LCLS:
The Genealogy Room (3rd
Floor) is open:
Monday – Thursday
• 10:00 to 9:00
Friday –Saturday
• 10:00 to 6:00
Sundays
• 1:00-5:00
If no volunteer or staff person is available, ask for
help at the 3rd
Floor “Ask Here” Desk.

43. Thanks for attending:
Other upcoming genealogy classes:
Cheyenne Genealogy Society - Research Night –
February 10th
Genealogy: Beyond the Basics – February 23rd
We will repeat the basic series (Basics and
Beyond the Basics) in February, June and
October every year. Handouts are also available
on the LCLS website.