Beginner's Guide to Genealogy, The

Fraser Dunford

Genealogy — the study of ancestors, who they were, where they were, what they did, and why.

Designed for the beginner, Fraser Dunford sets out in basic terms what you need to know to get started in this fascinating hobby.

This handbook contains these fundamentals. How to do the basics shows you how to go about generating the genealogy of your family. This is a beginner’s book so the section is a straightforward overview from family trees to vital statistics (also known as births, marriages and deaths), the importance of dates, and proving and keeping that data.

Where to find it points you to the locations of a number of essential sources, such as maps, censuses, and religious, immigration and land records.

An orderly process helps you tie the first two parts together. The next steps are items not covered in this book but which you will soon need to study — among them: computer programs, numbering systems and copyright — and provides some quick references to information and sources that you will use. A brief glossary summarizes the necessary terms for a beginner.

2006 32p glossary illustrations