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*Tracing Your Roots > First Steps in Family History > Getting Started
* Research Strategies 
 
Before you start you will need to decide upon a research strategy. There are three main options:

  • Aim to go back about five generations in order to identify all 16 of your great-great-grandparents. This should take you back to the middle of the 19th century.
  • Go for 'Total Ancestry', which means that every time you find a family member you look for their parents and then search for their parents. This is the approach for perfectionists!
  • To concentrate on a single line of the family only.
Some family historians trace people with the same surname, whether they are obviously related or not. If this appeals to you the Guild of One Name Studies at *www.one-name.org has further information.

Whatever approach you choose, it is not a good idea to research everybody at the same time - it is very easy to become confused and disheartened. It is much better to begin with:

  • A favourite grandparent or other member of the family of whom you have fond memories
  • Or a relative who led an interesting life, perhaps who was killed in the First World War or had an unusual occupation
  • Or choose a side of the family with an unusual surname, for there is no doubt that it is much easier to trace people with rare names
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Creators: Simon Fowler

 
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