Get started with your family history 

We want to welcome you to our lively community and to our useful guides on how to get started with family history on findmypast. Here you will find tips to start your family tree and tricks to break down genealogy brick walls. We understand it can be difficult to know where to start your family search, so use our resources to discover tricks of the trade and where to best find valuable ancestry information.

We have five family history golden rules to know when you start your family tree.

1. Start with what you know- start your family tree with your parents, grandparents and immediate family members.
2. Search the U.S. census and then move on to Vital Records to compare.
3. Learn about Name Variations, and why your family name didn't change at Ellis Island. 
4. Pro tip: U.S. military records cover people who may not have served in the military.
See draft registration cards and enlistment records. 
5. Newspaper archives are invaluable resources to find detail about your U.S. family history and tales from across the pond.

Read our 'Ouick tips to get started' for more information on how to start your family search.