Free Family History Mini-Class 2024 : Lesson 1

It's been a few years since I revisited my series of 10 family history "mini-classes", so, while making sure that the content is up to date, I'll post them again starting today.

In the first of this series of mini-classes, here are some do’s and don’t’s to remember when writing down your family information: 

☙      Print rather than write – you may like to use block capitals to highlight surnames.

☙      Pick a format and stick with it. For example, if you prefer to put the surname first, be consistent.

☙      Use pencil when adding information to charts, then go over it in black ink (for permanence) once you’ve confirmed it as accurate.

☙      Write names out in full if known – avoid abbreviating for speed’s sake as you may not remember what the abbreviation stands for!

☙      ALWAYS record a married woman’s details using her maiden name, if known. Don’t be tempted to fill in a blank space with her married name, as this will only cause confusion.

☙      Record dates in a clear format – e.g. 8 Oct 1840 rather than 8/10/40 which can be interpreted in more than one way.

☙      Write places with smallest area first – parish, county, country – with any farm names or townships before the parish.

 And to help you get started, here's a family group record you can print off and use as many times as you like.

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Please comment below if you have any questions about this lesson!

The next mini-class will cover identifying record sources.