Tips

Check for alternate spellings of your surname, it may have been changed either deliberately, or by mistake at some point in time.

Take a tape recorder with plenty of blank tapes and batteries when you interview family members.

Be sure to take a camera, so you can record any old photos that your relatives might have.

Visit places where your relatives lived. While there, visit local churches, courthouses, and cemeteries for information.

Ask your relatives if they have any family history records or genealogies. These can give you a good headstart.