Photos are essential to providing more depth and detail to our genealogy records. Future generations can look back on the pictures of their great great great relatives and marvel over styles, locations, and similar features that might have been passed down through DNA.
This is why we want to ensure our customers have everything they need to build and add details to their family tree. The more we all chip in on preservation efforts, the more likely we’ll be able to provide an in-depth look at the past to the inquiring minds of the future.
To help, here are a few hot genealogy tips that you’ll want to jot down:
Work backward from a specific date
It can feel overwhelming when you start at the present and work backward through several branches of the family tree. Instead, pick a key event or timeframe in your family’s history that you want to learn more about. This helps provide you with a very specific goal to work from and before you know it, information will start pouring in.
Chip away at the process over time
While genealogy is an easy project to get sucked into, keep in mind that you don’t have to boil the whole ocean in one sitting. It is perfectly acceptable to chip away at this project over time—plus, you never know when new information might crop up in the future.
Get the family involved (even the distant members)
Your relatives may hold the missing pieces of the puzzle that is your family tree. Don’t be shy about reaching out to ask them questions—especially when it comes to finding out who is who or what’s the context of certain old photos.
Use Google to your advantage
The right search can yield surprising results. Even if you already have the major details of a significant time or date in your family’s history (like the birth of a certain relative), do a Google search with some keywords about the event. You might be surprised at what you end up discovering.
Reach out to pros
There are so many professional family historians and genealogy experts out there who are ready and willing to help you on your search. You don’t have to wait until you hit a wall to reach out to them either. There are several family historians available for hire on Ancesty.com or you can find one on LinkedIn or via a Google search. One of our favorite niche historians is the Photo Detective. Maureen Taylor can help you uncover mysteries around certain old photos.
Speaking of old photos, if you still haven’t scanned and digitized the family photos, there’s still time. Send them to us today and we’ll ensure you have high-quality pictures to add to all the branches of your family tree.
