Finding Your Kin: An
Introduction to
Genealogy
Presented October 16, 2009
by Jean Cooper
Summary
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Why genealogy?
How to begin?
Terminology
How to Record Information
Choosing Genealogical Software
Mistakes to Avoid
References
Oct. 16, 2009
Jean L. Cooper
University of Virginia Library
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Why Genealogy?
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To satisfy your curiosity about yourself and your roots.
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To provide your children with a sense of who their ancestors were,
where they came from and how they lived their lives.
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To preserve family cultural and ethnic traditions for future
generations.
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To compile a medical family history to give family members an
advantage in the battle against inherited diseases or defects.
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To qualify for a lineage or heritage society.
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To assemble and publish a family history book, whether for family
members or for profit.
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To discover facts that others have overlooked and solve the
puzzle of a lifetime.
Oct. 16, 2009
Jean L. Cooper
University of Virginia Library
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Percentage of Americans
Interested in Genealogy
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
73
60
45
1995
2000
2005
Data from Maritz Marketing Research and
Marketing Strategies, Inc. Polls
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Jean L. Cooper
University of Virginia Library
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Terminology
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Paternal / Maternal
Ancestors / Descendants
Primary sources / Secondary sources
Family history / Local history
Lineal / Collateral / Half / Step
• Relationships chart-
http://genealogy.about.com/library/nrelationshipchart.htm
Oct. 16, 2009
Jean L. Cooper
University of Virginia Library
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Oct. 16, 2009
Jean L. Cooper
University of Virginia Library
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Great Moments in
Genealogy
• 1632 – General Assembly of Virginia requires
ministers to keep and report vital records.
• 1783 – Society of the Cincinnati organized;
membership limited by ancestry.
• 1845 - New England Historic Genealogical Society
(oldest of its kind) chartered.
• 1969 – ARPANET created.
• 1977 – First airing of Alex Haley’s “Roots” on
television.
• 1996 – Cyndi Howells sets up her webpage linking
to genealogical websites.
Oct. 16, 2009
Jean L. Cooper
University of Virginia Library
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How to Begin
• Start with you & your parents &
grandparents
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date and place of birth
names of parents
date and place of marriage
names of children
date and place of death
• Record everything, even if you don’t think
you will need it. Get photocopies if
possible.
Oct. 16, 2009
Jean L. Cooper
University of Virginia Library
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Cite Your Sources
• ALWAYS record where and
when you got the information.
• Record everything, even if you
don’t think you will need it.
• Get photocopies if possible.
Oct. 16, 2009
Jean L. Cooper
University of Virginia Library
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How to Record
Information
• Charts
– Family Group Sheet
– Pedigree Chart
• http://www.ancestry.com/save/charts/ancchart.htm
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Jean L. Cooper
University of Virginia Library
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Oct. 16, 2009
Jean L. Cooper
University of Virginia Library
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Jean L. Cooper
University of Virginia Library
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Oct. 16, 2009
Jean L. Cooper
University of Virginia Library
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What do genealogists
look for?
Recorded evidence of the existence of
a person (related to them or not),
and facts about the person and that
person’s relationship(s) with others.
Oct. 16, 2009
Jean L. Cooper
University of Virginia Library
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Primary Sources
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U.S. Census
Birth, marriage, death records
Newspapers
Court records
Land records and maps
Medical records
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Jean L. Cooper
University of Virginia Library
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Secondary Sources
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Biographies
Dictionaries, encyclopedias
Guides, handbooks, manuals
Histories
Oct. 16, 2009
Jean L. Cooper
University of Virginia Library
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Choosing Genealogical
Software
• http://genealogy.about.com/library/onestop/
bl_software.htm
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Family Tree Maker
Family Origins
Brother’s Keeper
Personal Ancestral File (PAF)
Cumberland Family Software
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University of Virginia Library
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Virginia Genealogy
• A Guide to Genealogical Resources in
the University of Virginia Library.
(2005)
http://www.lib.virginia.edu/genealogy/
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Jean L. Cooper
University of Virginia Library
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Major Websites Containing
Genealogical Information
• Cyndi’s List of Genealogy Sites on the
Internet - http://www.cyndislist.com/
• USGenWeb Project http://www.usgenweb.org/
• RootsWeb.com http://www.rootsweb.com/
• Ancestry.com – http://www.ancestry.com
• FamilySearch (LDS Genealogy website) http://www.familysearch.org/
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Jean L. Cooper
University of Virginia Library
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Where to Learn More
• Introduction to Genealogy (Free) http://genealogy.about.com/library/lessons/
blintro.htm
• American Genealogy: A Basic Course /
National Genealogical Society ($) http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/eduhsc.htm
• Brigham Young University Independent Online
Courses in Family History ($) http://ce.byu.edu/is/site/
• Cyndi’s List –Information for Beginners in
Genealogy http://www.cyndislist.com/beginner.htm
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Jean L. Cooper
University of Virginia Library
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Tips for Genealogists
• Talk to your relatives ASAP.
• Write down your sources (and make photocopies
of everything, if possible).
• Question all information.
• Information found on the Internet is often
unreliable.
• Verify and cross check your sources.
• Family legends must be questioned.
• You’re probably not descended from royalty.
• Try multiple spellings of your surname.
• Dig deeper, past names and dates.
• Beware the generic family history.
Oct. 16, 2009
Jean L. Cooper
University of Virginia Library
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