History Buff: History, Genealogy

The following tips are from the National Archives and FamilySearch websites.

Start with yourself.
Document what you already know about your family and work backwards from there. Start by writing down everything you know about your parents, then your grandparents, and so on.

Talk to your relatives.
It's possible that someone else has already started compiling your family's history, so it's worth reaching out to see if anyone has research you can build on. Even if no one else has any research, it's still a good idea to talk to relatives to find out family stories and other information that can be collected and preserved for future generations.

Begin at home.
Look around your house for different documents, such as birth and death certificates, marriage licenses, newspaper clippings, military certificates, scrapbooks, letters, baby books, or photographs. These documents can provide valuable information and give you a good starting point for future research.

Focus on names, dates, places, and relationships.
These are the four key items to find for each person when doing research, as they are important clues to identify your different ancestors and their relationships.

Try a small project to start out.
When you first start researching your family history, it can quickly become overwhelming. Try keeping a narrow focus on just a few people to start with, to familiarize yourself with different research tools and websites.

Organize and save the information you collect.
There are many different ways to organize your research, and over time you will develop a system that works for you, but it is important to make sure that all your research is properly stored and documented for the future. You may find it helpful to refer to the FamilySearch guide to organizing your files.

BillionGraves
Search for information on gravesites by person or by cemetery; many entries include photos.

FamilySearch Center (Buffalo Grove, IL)
Visit the local FamilySearch Center in Buffalo Grove for free, personalized research assistance.

Find a Grave
Search over 170 million gravesite entries, many with photos.

History Center of Lake Forest-Lake Bluff
Access local history resources, including photographs, telephone directories, maps, and information about local organizations.

Illinois Gravestone Photo Project
Browse over 103,000 gravestone photo records from across Illinois.

Illinois State Archives
Search online records, including birth and death, census, land sale, and military service records.

Lake County Genealogical Society
Access local genealogical information, including county histories, high school and college yearbooks, and funeral home records.

Lake Forest Library Resources
Access Ancestry.com, HeritageQuest, historical newspaper databases, and many other genealogy resources.

National Archives
Search census, military, and immigration records and review research tips for genealogists.

National Genealogical Society
Browse a list of 18 free websites to assist in your genealogy research.

U.S. Census Bureau
Discover information reported in the census from different years, and access copies of original forms and questions.