Genealogy also known as family history research has become a popular hobby for people wanting to learn more about their ancestors (relatives that lived before you). The explosion of internet resources for family information has made it easier to research your family history online.

Write down the names of all the people that you know in your family. Parents, grandparents and cousins may be able to help. Has your family lived in the same state/county/town for a long time? Ask your neighbors what they remember.

Where did your family live? Location is important when you begin to look for public information. Old printed telephone books and online directories can pinpoint specific places. Make note of addresses and connect to names.

Organize your information. The Internet has many resources to help you. Look for family group sheets, family tree charts and Genealogy computer programs.

Begin more detailed research to fill in important gaps. Ask relatives and family friends for names and dates they may have written down. Look for key pieces of information in these kind of documents: obituaries (public announcement of a persons death), birth/death certificates, marriage license/divorce papers. Personal information can also be found in baby books, family bibles, scrapbooks and on photographs.

How do I find information on the Internet? A variety of government records are now online. Look at state websites for information about local records.

U.S. government websites have links for census reports (population count). The census is an excellent source of information for where people lived. Does your community have a historical society? Local history groups and museums can often help pinpoint information for specific families. Some libraries have genealogy databases and programs available to the public. Many individuals have posted information on genealogy websites.