Genealogical tree - how to find their roots themselves: tips on searching in archives, how to make requests, where to find church books and other sources

We explore our roots and make a genealogical tree: step -by -step analysis, how to find information for compiling a tree of the genus.

The genealogical tree is the most important point on the path of self -knowledge. We are a set of personal qualities and the continuation of our ancestors, their life path, their choice and direction. In this article, we will tell you why you need to know your roots, as well as how to make a genealogical tree and learn about each of your ancestors.

Genealogical tree - what is it and what is needed for?

Our ancestors believed that cutting off a person from the kind, they deprive him of his strength, knowledge and other vital aspects. Indeed, a person who grew up without a genealogy is soft as plasticine and in his head you can invest any information, pretending it for the truth.

But that's not all! Learning the biography of the ancestors, we can learn about their lifestyle, talents, inclinations, and diseases. Thanks to this, you better understand yourself and your health. Today we all love, read stories of success of actors, scientists, businessmen. But all these people are alien to us.

The analysis, search and filling of a genealogical tree is a very exciting process that will bring not only your family, but all relatives in a new way. And another bonus - acquaintance with distant relatives. Of course, they may not be sugar, but can become very native people.

For example, we will tell the story of one family. A married couple was engaged in the compilation of a genealogical tree, and searched for relatives around the world. The process was very difficult, since there was a minimum of information on the father’s line. Their son entered the music school, where classmates and teachers noticed a tremendous resemblance to a young man to a course older.

Parents showed interest in this resemblance, and it turned out that the mother of the young name had a girl’s surname coincided with their last name. The family led a family from talented, albeit not famous musicians. Musical hearing, quick learning and love of music were genetically due to, and the boy was given to music school absolutely by chance, after attempts to master many other hobbies.

This is how the genes led the boy to their origins, albeit thorny. But how much easier he could find his way if he knew the story of his ancestors?

We summarize. The genealogical tree allows you to find out:

• A complete list of surnames and names of a kind;
• Family status of ancestors, when they tied themselves with the bonds, the number of children;
• Migration, mixing of nations;
• State of health and predisposition to disease;
• The estate - to which layer of society belonged to the family, and what activity it led at the same time;
• Education, career, hobbies, talents.

Even if you are used to living yourself and proud exclusively with your victories, it will be useful to learn about the achievements of the ancestors. This gives the same inner rod of unshakable self -confidence. Children who grew up on the history of their family fall into depressive states less often, are less subject to provocations and false information. Learn to think, study and achieve excellent heights.

What information is needed to compile a genealogical tree?

A properly composed genealogical tree opens the curtain of times and allows you to look into the past, showing the life of the genus in the context of centuries. It is recommended to start a tree with yourself, or with your children, if any. Then parents are recorded, their parents. It is also worth noting that the genealogical tree is of two types: direct kinship, and an expanded tree.

In the first case, children, parents, grandparents, great -grandmothers and great -grandfathers are written. In the second case, they are written: the man, his brothers and sisters, parents and their brothers and sisters, grandfather with their grandmother and their brothers-sisters in the context of centuries. Branches with their relatives are additionally coming from each person.

It is also important to remember what information is necessary for the genealogical tree:

• Full Name;
• Photo (if there are photos in different periods of life - several photos);
• The exact date of birth, if a deceased is an exact date of death. Also the place of birth and the place of death;
• Full name of the parents of this person;
• Education, the name of the specialty, career growth, awards, bonuses, marks in his career;
• The date of marriage, the name of the spouse, the name of the children and the date of birth;
• Migration during life indicating dates;
• Relatives born before 1917 - social belonging to the estate;
• Religion;
• Scans of all available documents.

And such information is necessary for each individual person from the tree of the genus. Moreover, if there is no one of the points, highlight the empty place in red so that it is clear that this information has not yet been found. Regarding the photo, you can replace scans of paintings, drawings. If this information is not available - an affordable description of growth, hair color, eye, and special points.

The larger the genealogical tree, the more difficult it is to maintain the base in paper form, therefore it is recommended to transfer to one of the specialized sites, or to Excel, and in the attached folders information on each person separately.

How to find information about relatives for a genealogical tree yourself?

You should start with a draft. Above we enter our name, and spend two arrows - mother and father, then to their parents until the moment when the information breaks off. For each person, write a list of information that you know reliably, if possible, reinforcing documents and photos.

Now we move on to the next point - finding information on relatives. Find out all the available information about parents, aunts and uncles, grandparents. Ask if they have documents. If so-take a photo or scan-copy for your tree.

Now write out your surnames, they will have at least three. Find the meaning of surnames on the Internet. You can do this in two ways:

• By setting the search query "The meaning of the surname xxx";
• By searching on the sites of bases of surnames. In detail about this below.

The next step is to search on the Internet. Part of the information we have collected in this article.  We recommend that you familiarize yourself with her so as not to duplicate the information.

In addition to the above methods, we recommend looking for information on such sites:

• Myheritage- This is an Israeli platform on which 60 million active users! The site interface provides dozens of ways to analyze and structure information, as well as recognize and analyze the photo. It is convenient to be on the site both from the browser and from the mobile device. But the Russian language has not yet been finalized, but for the English -speaking search on the site is perfect;
• oBD-Memorial.ru - The site on which information about the generation of the Second World War is located. The lists are present in captivity, missing, as well as the military who died at the front. On the pages of the site you can find information about the full name, last place of stay, as well as to whom the information was sent (the closest relatives, wife, and sometimes the bride) were indicated in the personal file). On this site you can find complete or partial information about the dead military, as well as about its relatives;
• vgd.ru - The platform, which collects a lot of useful and important information for those who independently seek information about their ancestors. The site contains dozens of bases and digitized archives in which you can find information about your relatives. These are thousands of pages of federal, regional and departmental archives. Also on the site there is a knowledge base that tells how to conduct searches, how to establish contacts with new relatives, how to make requests to archives and much more. And bonus - began to add not only the archives of Russia, but also the nearest foreign countries;
• Are there suspicions or reasons to believe that your ancestor was repressed? Look for the information on the sites “Personal Business of everyone”, “Last address”, as well as on resources stalin.memo.ru and lists.memo.ru;
• To help the real detective for centuries, the State Electronic Historical Library will come in handy. On the pages of the resource shpl.ru You will find archival documents, reference books and books of the census of the pre -revolutionary era. This is a real storehouse of information, thanks to which you can find relatives up to 8-9 knees! But at the same time, the information is not very structured, so a lot of time can take a search;
• Google Books - The service from the Almighty Google, into which the name can be introduced and it will find all the sources in which this name is mentioned. But it should be understood that the search coverage is archival scans of documents, reference books, census books that officially posted the archives of the Russian Federation and other countries on Cyrillic (since we have a request on Cyrillic);
• The site of the All -Russian Genealogical Tree is an ideal environment for those who decided to discover the path of compiling a genealogical tree. Here you will find not only the largest database of Russians in the context of centuries, but also a friendly forum, on the pages of which you can find a lot of useful information, as well as ask a question, and experienced detectives in the past will tell the direction where to look, and how to submit a request correctly;
• Website " Memory of the heroes of the Great War 1914–1918» - The site contains information about the heroes of the war of 1914-1918. This is an official bank of documents, among which you can find a lot of information about residents, military and heroes of that time. This is a good help for those who seek information about their great -grandfathers;
• And here is the site « Memory of the people"Is a bank of data on residents, military and heroes of World War II. On the pages of this site, a selection of the events of 1941-1945 is collected, among which there are many information for those who are looking for their relatives;
• For people with Jewish roots, you should look at the site "Yad Va-shim". This platform is dedicated to the Holocaust and its many victims. A huge database of most dead in this terrible time. On the pages of the site you will find not only a list of names, but also other information that scientists have been found;
• Did your ancestors live in Moscow or St. Petersburg? So you're lucky! On the official website of the historical library in the public domain there are digitized Soviet and pre -revolutionary directories with each resident of the two capitals of Russia. The reference books contain not only dry information about age and full name, but there are addresses, kind of activity;
• For those who are looking for ancestors living in the provinces, there are “memorable books”. These books were compiled annually and all people who occupy at least any important position in the province were included in them. There was a governor, and a rural doctor, and a priest and an artist. But the study of memorable books is complicated by the fact that the territories were constantly changing. Therefore, first you need to find out the place of residence of the ancestor and the desired year, then - what province this settlement belonged to this year, and only then take up books. Memory books can also be found on the website of the National Historical Library;
• familySearch.org - The huge database of archival data that is actively edited from available archives of the whole world and private collections. The database contains millions of cards that indicate the basic data about people, as well as scan-copies of documents that confirm the information.

How to find information about the ancestors through registry offices?

The search for information for a genealogical tree at first seems to be a very painstaking and difficult matter. But as soon as you find the first information and receive the same charge of positive energy from your own achievements, you cannot tear yourself away from the process.

And as soon as the sites stop giving the desired information - it's time to go to registry offices. But before that, check the family archives:

• Your documents (passport and birth certificate). Both documents are required;
• Parents: passport, birth certificate, and if now deceased - death certificate;
• Grandpa and grandmothers: passports, birth and death certificates, if now deceased.

Write down whose documents are not enough, and order them copies at the registry office. Please note that the request must be sent to the registry office that issued a birth certificate, or death certificate. The request can be made both personally and by sending a registered letter with a package of documents, a statement and a notarial power of attorney, if the registry office is in another region, and maybe at the other end of the country.

Would you like to beg the question, or do not know exactly in which registry office the documents were given initially - apply with a request to the website of the State Service, to the My Documents service, to the multifunctional center for the provision of public services or to one of the private organizations. It is worth noting that private organizations often work faster, but their price policy is higher.

In order to submit a request for a duplicate of birth certificate or death in the registry office or other service, it is required to confirm the identity and kinship with the deceased:

• Passport and copy;
• Birth certificate;
• If a request for grandparents - a birthday certificate;
• The application (the application form is periodically changing, it is better to recognize it on the “State Services” website or on the spot);
• A receipt of payment for the service (you receive details on the spot).

There remains a expectation for the manufacture of a document (from several hours to several months) and receiving a document personally.

These documents will shed the main information about your ancestors, and you can continue your journey in search of already their parents.

How to find information about the ancestors in the archives?

After a while, the information from the registry offices is transferred to the archives, and if you request data from the middle of the last century and earlier - you will most likely be sent to the archives. So, the first thing to remember is that you also need to come to the archives, being savvy documents and with a clear justification of the issue.

• Documents are required the same as in the registry officeBut do not forget about the priority of the restoration of documents. For example, you need to get a birthday certificate. To do this, you need a passport, birth certificate, passport or death certificate of your parents, birth certificate of your parent, a certificate of death of a grandmother. If at least one document is absent from the chain, you have the right to refuse.
• The next moment is clearly and clearly formulate the answers. For example, the purpose of obtaining a duplicate or certificate is to restore the deceased's documents in order to establish a pedigree. Do not try to verbatize or cunning. Archives will have the right to refuse to provide false information.

• And the main rule is the main task of archive employees, save documents in the best condition for the longest possible time. Therefore, if the documents are not digitized, and are not provided to public access, you will not be able to see the original. Therefore, you leave the request, and employees, having checked the information, provide you with a written answer.
• If you cannot personally visit the archive - Leave a request on the site (if there is a form for calls), or send a registered letter. But remember that in this case the answer can be expected for a long time, or you can not get it at all.
• More difficult, but also quite real, get copies of documents from other countries. To do this, you need to make an application with the lawyer, attach notarized copies of documents and send a request by mail. But that's not all! Today, many archives go to meetings and, having paid the services of employees, you can leave a request on the site. Still, a small price is a worthy solution to time and effort.

In search of a genealogical tree: church books

When compiling a genealogical tree, you can find invaluable information about those born in the Russian Empire directly in church books. It is there that the most important birth information, marriage and death of every parishioner is stored.

Many church books suffered and were burned along with the churches during the revolution. But still, the main part was preserved, since the Communists knew that these were the only documents with a complete list of information about the population of a multimillion -dollar country. Church (metric) books were transferred to the archives and are preserved there until today.

Currently, church books are actively digitized and laid out on the website of the historical library. Volunteers are actively trying to decipher and systematize the data, but it is worth considering that all records in church books were made by priests who did not always write expressively, and time helped make the records even less selective.

Get direct access to church books, which are more than a hundred years old, is almost unrealistic if you are not a scientist-historian. But you can study, as well as join the volunteer movement and help with the systematization of books in the process of studying already digitized copies. Joining the volunteer movement, you will receive more access and opportunities.

You can also contact the regional and city archives of the region in which you are looking for relatives with official requests. They must indicate the name, year of birth (at least approximate). The application should be issued according to the indicated sample below, unless otherwise specified on the institution’s website.

We hope that our article will open the curtain and direct in search of relatives to compile a genealogical tree.

Reviews of the compilation of a genealogical tree

Reviews about the compilation of the genealogical tree:

• Maria: When the children were born, I wanted to know about our ancestors with my husband. It began as a game, but today we have already gotten to the bottom of the 12 knee! This is an amazing journey through the centuries in which our grown up children actively participate.
• Kirill: Once at a business meeting, a partner is possible and involuntarily, but he caught me a question of knowledge of the genus. Indeed, I did not know anything next to the information about my parents. Several years of active work and I have a complete meeting of relatives since the beginning of the seventeenth century! Now with the bride we raise her roots!

Video: How to start genealogical research?