Delving into Genealogy
By Michele Blandino
Genealogy is quickly becoming one of our country's fastest growing hobbies. For the uninitiated, genealogy is the study of family history. While it's difficult to know exactly what has sparked this interest in learning about our past, the fact is people are spending countless hours of their free time attempting to chronicle their family's past and has turned an activity that used to be looked upon as a casual past-time for some, into a mini industry of its own.
The Internet's Contribution
The Internet has certainly played a big part in genealogy's popularity surge. Prior to the advent of the Internet, those interested in learning more about their family's past often found it necessary to scour reels of microfilm or books archived in libraries and local courthouses to find the information they needed. With birth, death, marriage and cemetery records now just a few clicks away, it is often no longer necessary to do these exhaustive library and courthouse searches.
Getting Started
The best way to get started is to visit some genealogy websites on the Internet. To help you begin, there are a few listed at the end of this article. You may also want to visit your local library to browse some books on the topic. You will also want to spend as much time as possible with family members - particularly the oldest ones - to record what they know about your family's past. Some people find it helpful to maintain a website so that they can share the information they have gathered with other family members who can hopefully fill in some of the missing pieces.
When You Need Help
There will be times when you will hit a brick wall and all leads will turn cold. Rather than abandon your search, you may wish to turn to a genealogy specialist. Genealogy specialists have access to more research tools than are available to the typically hobby researcher. Before hiring a professional, you should take the time to identify your objectives as specifically as possible. Many professional researchers work on an hourly basis, so knowing exactly what you want achieved will prevent needless time - and money - from being spent doing unnecessary research. As in all services, you should also take the time to do a little research on the researcher you intend to hire. Find out a little about their track record - the types of results they typically achieve and overall client satisfaction levels with their work.
For More Information:
Don't know where to begin? Here are a few websites to get you started:
