10 Steps To Fix That Online Family Tree You Started

It takes a village {and a goat} to make a family history.

I get asked by people all the time about how to fix the family tree they've started on Ancestry.com. And that's a very good question. I think creating your tree on Ancestry.com is a very good start for a lot of people.

You are more likely to have some success at finding some records and information that pertains to your ancestors just because of the size of their databases. In fact, when people ask me which online database they should subscribe to I always reply, "The one that has your answers. And 9 times out of 10, Ancestry.com has the answers to help you solve some of your family history mysteries. Their databases are that big. Further, they have great weekly tutorials on how to search, make it very easy to add stuff you find there to your tree, and they have a great and responsive support system. They deliver value that when compared to traveling to places where documents are stored and preserved, make me ecstatic they exist.

But as I mentioned in my post about how to get unstuck on Ancestry.com, you have to step away from your family tree that you have created on Ancestry.com and evaluate things.

I see and evaluate a lot of Ancestry.com trees for my potential clients and those who become my clients. And 9 times out of 10, they've only performed research on Ancestry.com, and that is very easy to do. It can be addictive to get caught up in a digital chase for our ancestors. And it happens all the time. That's why one of my suggestions last week was to stop and take a breather and evaluate what you have before continuing your search on Ancestry.com as well as other online databases.

And taking that breather and evaluating is even more important if you've never done it before. Here are 10 important steps you need to do before continuing your search and to fix that online family tree you started:

1. Did you input into your tree the information you already knew?
   
2. How accurate was that information? Do you have the documents and evidence to back up what you thought you knew? 
   
3. If you haven't gathered the documents, certificates, photos, memorabilia, etc. that back up what you've entered, then you need to do that now.  And here are some resources to help you out with that.
   
4. Did you talk to relatives that might know some of your family's history and stories? Make a list and ask to visit with them. If you did that already, did you evaluate what they remembered the facts to be? How credible is it? Why or why not?
   
5. Keep notes somewhere of everything you do, what is said, and your thoughts about everything. Take notes with pencil and paper or digitally -- whatever you're more comfortable with. {If you're more digitally-inclined and already use Evernote, here's a video tutorial that will show you how to digitally organize your genealogy and family history notes.}
   
6. Make a pedigree chart. Put down what you know, evaluate it, and look at what you don't know. Highlight locations. Most records are in libraries, courthouses, archives, and online databases are organized by location. Here is more information about pedigree charts.
   
7. Make a list of documents that can help to prove what you haven't proven yet on your pedigree chart. Many times getting that birth certificate of someone you knew {and thought you really didn't need their birth certificate because, duh, you knew them} can give you information you need for other parts of your family tree. So start ordering documents if they cannot be found online already. {Remember: not everything is online.} If it means giving up your fancy schmancy coffee for a while to save up the money for a document, so be it. Buy some Folgers for a while and tough it out. {Personally, I get coffee somewhere in between Folgers and Fancy Schmancy.} And here is a blog post and a freebie check list of documents and paperwork you should keep an eye out for.
   
8. When you start to get the documents in the mail, start looking at them. I mean really looking at them. Look for obvious errors and evaluate every piece of information on the documents. Official documents can have mistakes on them, so be aware of that. Did the documents contain more information than what you thought they might? Or less? Who provided the information on the document? How did they know the information? Do you think they are credible?
   
9. Notate where you get each piece of information. The more you research, the more important this is.
   
10. Form a plan of attack. Narrowing down your focus to a specific question or set of questions can lead to research success and less frustration. I've previously written about how to do just that.

These steps are often skipped while working with an online tree, but they're important. I'm not saying you shouldn't start out online at all. It's fun and it can give you a good quick taste of success to keep you coming back for more. However, stopping, filling in some bare spots, finding proof in your house, getting info from your family members, and evaluating everything can lead you to even more success so you don't get frustrated and stop.

After all, you might be the family member who has information I need to keep me working on my own family tree research, and I definitely don't want you to get frustrated and stop. Ever.

For those who have been researching for a while, what would you add to this list? What do you wish you knew then that you know now?  Please share positive hints and tips in comments below!

Remember: It takes a village to make a family's history and to discover family stories. {And you know what that means, right? We're Village People, y'all. With a Village Goat.}

Happy Researching!
~Caroline
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