Getting Started
Start with the basics
Talk to family, oldest living members first, interview them RIGHT NOW, preferably on video (if you have a smartphone, you have a video camera.) Ask them about family stories, where family history documents are (birth, marriage, death certificates, immigration papers, family bible,etc.), get family photos labeled. Make sure to write down who told you what, and when.
Start a family tree, first written, then online and/or with genealogy software.
Consider doing all the branches of your family, not just the one with your last name – all branches contributed to who you are today.
Take advantage of the hundreds of free resources out there, including local genealogy society meetings (below), who will be glad to help you and might have beginning classes.
Where to get help
One of the best things you can do is to join a local Genealogy Society. They are great organizations to help you learn the basics and much more, and always welcome beginners. They usually have monthly meetings, often on a topics very useful to people at all skill levels. Almost every large city, county or region has at least one general genealogy society. There are also sometimes ethnic genealogy societies in your area: here in the Denver area, there is a Jewish, German, UK and African-American group. Do a search for “genealogy society” and your geographic location.
Genealogy record repositories
Accurate and objective documents are the backbone of genealogy, and these are some of the nearby facilities that can help you out.
Family History Centers (Church of Latter Day Saints/Mormons) are very helpful and have free access to subscription based online databases(below). Like genealogy societies, many cities/counties/regions have their own Family History Center. While they often have limited hours, when they are open, there are volunteers there happy to help you.
Directly related, the richest repository of genealogical records in the world is the Family History Library, in Salt Lake City, Utah. Previously, gotten there was required for any serious genealogist, but most of their records and holdings and documents are now online at FamilySearch – free!
Online resources
There are many websites with many billions of records – some are free, some are subscriber-based (although even pay sites allow you limited free access).
Websites
subscription databases:
ancestry.com; myheritage.com; geni.com; findmypast.com.
General: Cyndi’s List
Genealogy software/online trees
blogs, podcasts (Genealogy Gems, Genealogy Guys)
You Tube and webinars
Genealogical Record groups
The are a number of records that help us create a strong documentary trail to prove our family history, which includes:
Census records; vital records (birth, death, marriage); social security death index; wills/probate; military records; immigration records; family bibles; religious records; tax records; court records. Many of these documents are held by various governmental agencies which are increasingly coming online.