genealogy search marks the beginning of a private adventure into your own history. You'll find delightful surprises, family secrets and heartaches. The treasures you find can be enjoyed by generations of your descendants.
Instructions
• STEP 1: Write down everything you know about your family history. Begin with yourself and work backward to your parents and their parents.
• STEP 2: Search for documents that can verify family stories - birth certificates, military records, wills, marriage licenses, deeds, etc.
• STEP 3: Plan a family reunion or visit with relatives to obtain all the information you can.
• STEP 4: Look at genealogy books and find a simple beginner's handbook. Some books contain genealogy software.
• STEP 5: Purchase genealogy software. Most software companies offer free samples that you can download and test. Find the software that works best for you.
• STEP 6: Visit your local Latter-Day Saints Family History Center. Centers are located in most major cities and have a wealth of ancestral information. Databases include records dating to A.D. 1100 in Europe.
• STEP 7: Visit your local courthouse and learn about researching public records.
• STEP 8: Visit genealogy search Web sites and look through their databases for your family information.
• STEP 9: Hire a professional genealogy search company to find missing ancestors when your own leads are exhausted.
Tips & Warnings
• After you've gathered your initial information, focus on one ancestor. You'll be more successful and get less discouraged if you research one person at a time.
http://www.ehow.com/how_7929_trace-roots.html