When you are just starting out in your search for free family tree sources you may think one of two things: "Where should I start?" Or, "There's so much here I'll never find the information I'm looking for!" Naturally, the real answer lies somewhere in the middle. Looking for your family trees can be a very challenging yet rewarding hobby. Whether you are conducting a free genealogy search at sites like a library, newspaper death notices, Mormon LDS or other genealogy websites, or sitting with your parents or close relatives, there are numerous resources and internet sites available to you to make the search more successful. The key to success is being prepared, organized and careful to record all details like names, birth and death dates and places, and most particularly the sources of each.
Some say that "you don't get anything for free" and the search for family tree information is no different. Fortunately, much of the process can be conducted without having to pay with hard earned cash. Instead, many times the cost is in making the time to prepare for your genealogy search. This may be as simple as preparing your Family History worksheets, searching through various genealogy sites (like the Mormon LDS website), or reviewing the family records that you have collected so far, to refresh your memory about the important dates, birth and death records, history stories from your ancestors.
As you can see, much of the work around family history is more related to keeping good records and filing the genealogy information so you can retrieve it any time you need it. When we first start, it is common to just think about collecting as many names and dates as possible. However, once you get more involved you will realize that the storing, linking and building a solid understanding of the lives and times of your ancestors is really what genealogy is all about. Take the time to prepare and file your family's records - names, birth and death dates and places and make sure that you carefully record all of the sources, sites, and websites (like the Mormon LDS) in as much detail as possible. You will be glad you did.
