If you are just beginning to trace your family tree and you need some help and advice, read Nick Barratt's Top Ten Tips for Genealogy. As well as writing for findmypast.com, Nick is also the genealogist star of BBC2's hit series 'Who do you think you are?' Write down what you know about yourself and your family Record full names (including middle names), dates of birth, marriage and death, and make a note of where these events took place - geographical clues can be very useful when you start your research. Start asking your family for more information Try to talk to older relatives and focus on the names and relevant dates of their parents and grandparents - although you will probably have to check some of this data in official records. Also make a note of interesting anecdotes or stories, which you might want to follow up later on in your research. Look for family heirlooms Many people have wonderful collections of family photographs that often have names or dates written on the back. Similarly, personal correspondence not only gives you an insight into how your ancestors lived, but you can often find out where they were on a given date. Other objects might have been handed down from generation to generation - family bibles often contain the names of former owners, or are inscribed with personal messages. Draw a family tree This is the best way of organising your data, and allows you to see at a glance how family members are related. Work out what you want to research It's important to decide what questions you want to tackle - do you want to extend your family tree as far back as possible, or concentrate on one or two ancestors and find out as much as you can about them. It is often a good idea to take small sections of your family tree with you on a research trip - this focuses your attention on the person you are researching. Find out where you need to research For many people starting family history, visiting an archive or working online can be a daunting prospect. What you want to investigate will determine what website you need to look at or which archive you need to visit. The best archive to begin with is with your local study centre, where you'll find records and indexes relevant to families in the local area. County record offices will have a larger collection of documents, whilst you might want to consider national organisations such as The National Archives for specialist lines of research. Order birth, marriage and death certificates for your ancestors You can build your family tree by ordering duplicate civil registration certificates for births, marriages and deaths in England and Wales from 1837 to date. Birth, marriage and death indexes can be viewed online at www.findmypast.com and once you've found the person you are searching for within the indexes you can order the relevant certificate online from the General Register Office. Alternatively, the original indexes are stored at the Family Records Centre in London, and most county record offices hold duplicate indexes on microfiche. Start searching birth, marriage and death records via findmypast.com. Click here: Find out more through census returns Once you've located some of your ancestors, you can find out more about them using census returns. The latest set to be made available to the public is the census from 1901. Thereafter, earlier returns survive from 1841, 1851, 1861, 1871, 1881 and 1891. The Family Record Centre holds a complete set for England and Wales, whilst most county record offices hold copies for the relevant area. Begin searching census records on findmypast.com. Click here:   Place your family in their historical context You can use clues from certificates and census returns to find out more about how and where your ancestors lived. Placing them in their correct historical and social context is an important part of your research. Further research in specialist archives can help you to understand the events and circumstances that shaped their lives, and you can begin to relate to them as people rather than names on a family tree. Join a family history society Family history is a sociable pastime, and one of the best ways to find like-minded researchers in your area is to join a local Family History Society. Most societies run talks, lectures and workshops where members provide advice, guidance and help to less experienced members, and volunteer members often compile name indexes to local records. It may also be worth contacting the Family History Society in the area where your ancestors lived. For information on a society in your area, visit www.ffhs.org.uk Click below to access the wealth of information available at findmypast.com