Have you ever thought about your family origins? Often we don't recognize how important it is to document the origins of family names. Our last name is not just the primary key for family tree research it's our heritage and our history. Understanding the source and meaning of our last names directs us to where our ancestors originate and helps us appreciate the challenges that our family has endured throughout history.

Conducting a family search for your ancestry can be very rewarding but also very time consuming. Have you been researching your family history for some time now and seem to have hit a brick wall? On the other hand, are you just starting your research and want to find that important story? We will outline a few genealogy search tricks and techniques that can increase your success rate to trace those elusive ancestry stories and document your tree properly.

Family history presents twists and turns that you could never imagine. Families go their separate ways only to drift back together again later. Searching for your ancestors' story and their heritage is a very rewarding hobby. However, that doesn't mean that finding your ancestry and their stories will be easy. Amateur genealogists run into dead end regularly. Fortunately, there are tools to trace your ancestor and tell the story that was hidden for years.

Genealogy date formats can be confusing. Dates are a critical part of family tree research. Making sure that we understand and verify the dates that we are recording is an important part of the historian's duties. I am confident that you have seen dates like 08/03/1995 where you are unsure whether the format refers to August 3 or March 8. This problem exists because countries around the world have not, until recently recorded a format for everyone to follow.

Family stories are the key. You have been collecting dry bits of information and facts for some time. Your search for your ancestors has given you a glimpse into the past. But the research can be frustrating. How do I document these facts? The search for facts takes time, but a story can pop up unexpectedly anytime and is the key to making your tree come alive for your family.

I have been working on my family tree for a number of years. A few days ago I received a book that contained a photograph of a granduncle and his family. The record in the book had his wife's name as Mary Brown. However, my research shows that her name was Eliza Rows. The citation I have does not definitively prove my records. Perhaps you have had a similar problem in your research? What can you do if you are confronted with a similar situation? We will try to address some of these issues and help you to document and store your family tree properly.

My family tree research has been underway for a while and I have bits and pieces of information scattered around my spare room. It's time I started getting properly organized. But where do I start? What is the best method of recording and filing this important information so I can easily find it later? I have lots of information, but I can't seem to find the right document or note when I need it. What should I do? We will try to address some of these issues and help you get more organized and improve your note taking.

You may not believe it, but you are building your own family history library. You have hundreds of little bits of paper, jot notes, newspaper clippings, family tree group sheets and charts. They are piling up all around your desk. How can you record them and get them sorted, stored and labeled so you can find the source document you need, when you need it! The key is to start your library early and update your records with new research often.

Tricky genealogy, researching those ancestors that seem to have showed up and immediately disappeared can be very challenging. However, if you do unravel the mystery it can be the most rewarding work that the family genealogist undertakes. The research can be intimidating. Where should I start my search? What reference material should I consider for my searches? How do I find that elusive ancestor? Searching for each family tree and properly documenting your research can be difficult and time consuming.