- 1). Download a program to organize your family tree online. Two commonly used programs, Personal Ancestral File (PAF) and Legacy, are available in free versions.
- 2). Enter your family information. Start with your own birth and marriage data. Contact family members so you can enter as much as data as possible.
- 3). Choose a person or surname to research. Visit a family tree website such as FamilySearch.org and search for that specific name. Set the date within 5 years in case the actual date was improperly recorded.
- 4). Record any new data that you find in your organizer and document the source of this information. Note any parents or siblings that are listed, as well as the pedigree if one is available.
- 5). Search other websites to confirm the new information and to find new facts. Search for an ancestor's obituary in a local newspaper or through a search engine. Consult a state or country census.
- 6). Search for an email list or discussion forum for the surnames you are researching. People often post information about a person for whom they are searching, and sometimes this can provide you with missing links.
- 7). Subscribe to Ancestry.com. Some of the features are free, but a paid subscription will grant you access to much more information. You can use a free trial subscription for 14 days.
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