Free Family History Reports - How to Compile Free Family History Reports

Free family history reports are best begun at a relatively slow pace. The main resource for your family history is the knowledge that your relatives already have about your ancestors. Biographical data, family stories, family heirlooms, and personal records of family members are all of immense value to free family history reports. These items can all help to develop a picture of the relationships within your family, and give an indication as to the personalities of your relatives. There are a few questions you’ll want to ask yourself before you start though, and the answers to these will help you to determine the direction you will take when compiling free family history reports.

Free Family History Reports Question #1 – Why do I Want to Begin?

Establishing a motive as to why you want to begin compiling free family history reports can determine the success you achieve. Taking some time to reflect on the reasons you want to begin your genealogical project will help you to decide the direction your research will take. We all have different reasons for studying our genealogy; some may wish to discover the truth surrounding family myths, others may seek self understanding. Free family history reports can definitely help you to accomplish such things, and may uncover some truths about your family you may find astounding. Be prepared to discover some things that might be upsetting as well, we all have skeletons in our family closets!

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Free Family History Reports Question #2 – What Approach to Research Will you Take?

Once you’ve established the motive behind your desire to compile free family history reports, you’ll know what direction your research will take you. But you will also want to consider what approach you’ll take in doing so. There is no right or wrong way to go about producing free family history reports, there are as many ways as there are genealogists, but the process you follow will determine the speed and accuracy with which you find your answers.

You can either concentrate on a particular branch of your family tree, a specific ancestor, or begin by making a rough draft of your ancestral lineage. Once you have a rough idea of the gaps in your family tree, you can proceed to find ancestors and add their info into your family history reports. Even if you focus on one particular relative, it is worth researching a bit about who came before or after them, even people who may have been an influence on them. The more information you are able to glean from your research, the more comprehensive your family history reports will be.

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Free Family History Reports Question #3 – How Realistic are You?

If you have ever seen the TV show Who Do You Think You Are? it can sometimes give the impression that compiling free family history reports is quite easy. The reality is however, that genealogical research is frequently quite the opposite. It is important to be realistic as to what you hope to accomplish, especially when considering the time frame in which you expect success. Some families will be harder to trace than others, especially if you have a common surname such as Smith or Jones. You may find tens of thousands of John Smith’s in your search, and you will have to use related data to confirm which one is your ancestor.

Always remember that a genealogical study is very much a process of detective work, and though your initial results may not reveal much of any value to your free family history reports, it is important not to get discouraged and to persevere. Finding that missing link in your family tree is well worth all of the effort it may take.