Genealogy research checklist: prepare your family information

01 · Research guide

Choose one question

Start with a question that a record could answer: “Who were my grandmother's parents?” or “Which village did my great-grandfather leave?” A request to find everything about a surname is harder to scope and may combine unrelated families.

Write down the person, the event you want to investigate and what you already know. If there are two possible identities, keep both visible until the evidence distinguishes them.

02 · Research guide

Gather the starting information

• Names: full names, maiden names, nicknames and spellings used in different documents.
• Dates: births, marriages, deaths and migration dates. Label estimates as approximate and identify their source.
• Places: villages, towns, parishes, districts and addresses exactly as written.
• Relatives: spouses, parents, siblings and children who may help distinguish people with the same name.
• Documents: certificates, letters, passports, family books and photographs with writing on the back.
• Previous work: trees, archive replies, database searches and records already ruled out.

“Unknown” is useful information. Leave gaps visible rather than filling them with an online tree's unsourced dates.

03 · Research guide

Make each clue traceable

Keep the original file and give your working copy a descriptive name, such as Anna-marriage-1912-page1.jpg. Photograph the whole page, including margins, page numbers and any archive label. Keep the reverse of a certificate when it contains notes.

For each item, record where it came from and who supplied it. A family memory, an index entry and an image of a register are different kinds of evidence. Preserve that distinction in your notes.

A simple list can use five columns: person, event, date or range, place and source. Add a question mark to uncertain readings, with a short explanation.

04 · Research guide

Prepare a short research brief

Send only information relevant to the enquiry. For living relatives, avoid circulating identity numbers or unrelated personal documents. If a document contains sensitive details, describe what you hold and ask which parts are needed.

The next step is to identify likely sources and agree a manageable scope. A useful outcome may be a documented answer, a clearer location or an explanation of why the available evidence is insufficient.