Hiya! If you've followed me for a while now, you will know that I've been bitten by the genealogy bug. I suppose it's not surprising given that my mother started out researching the family history years ago and that I'm a history nerd anyway. I've talked about my genealogy research before, but I've not yet shown you all how I actually record and display my research. Not gonna lie, I'm quiet proud of the display I've created. Before getting into how I actually record, store and display my research, I thought I'd go over the main databases I use for research, at least at this point in time. Most of these are Australian based, but no doubt have international counterparts if you do a bit of searching. Everyone needs to have a genealogy base, and for me that's Ancestry. Not only is it great for building my tree, but the access that Ancestry has to records databases is continually growing, and I've been able to find some fantastic records, or even just really great indexes. It's the perfect foundation for further research and storing everything I've discovered so far. I also have the Ancestry app, which I thought I wouldn't use that often, but has become very useful while out about when I need to check something or find a photo. A big part of research is obviously looking for birth, death and marriage records. For me, most of my Australia ancestors have been based in NSW and Victoria, so I've been using Births Deaths And Marriages Victoria and NSW Registry of Births Deaths & Marriages. Both have family history research capabilities so you can track down those elusive ancestors and purchase the documentation if you desire. I'm sure I'll eventually utilize other state records for those few relatives that crossed the borders, as well as delving into records overseas. Probably my favourite database to get lost in is Trove, which is home to digitised Australian newspapers. With the ability to do keyword searches, it's so easy to search for your ancestor's name and narrow in on the areas they lived. I've been able to find so many amazing and interesting news stories that really help personalise the research you are doing. Back in the day, the most mundane personal news was reported in the newspaper, things that you don't find in any other record, so it's amazing the stuff you can uncover. Other countries have similar databases, so definitely look into it. As much as I've loved visiting cemeteries and looking for ancestors, that's just not always possible with every cemetery in the world. Find A Grave is an international volunteer-run database to help document graves all over the world. It's not a complete database, but it's constantly being added to as other family researchers and volunteers add burial information and photos. Plus, you also have the ability to request grave photos from volunteers in that local area. If you use this database, I really do recommend also contributing to it where you can. Also Check Out: Even though I have a digital tree on Ancestry and on a hard drive, I also have a physical tree. Each branch of the tree is divided into 2-ring binders, and each branch is actually colour-coded. Colour-coding has actually been so useful, and you will soon see a good example of that below. The first, and most important, record is the family group record - an overview of all the information I have on a couple and their offspring. I originally intended to handwrite all these, but after just half a record it looked messy, so I have each record typed and saved on my hard drive. Apart form being super easy for anyone to read, it also makes updating and changing information so much easier and cleaner. The above photo is the family group record from the yellow folder, which is my paternal grandmother's family. Bertie and Hannah are my great-grandparents, hence them being highlighted, along with my grandmother, Launa. The orange highlight indicates that that line of the family continues and can be found in the orange folder. This is so I don't end up repeating my part of the tree across each folder. Of the five folders, I only appear in two - once on my mum's side and once on my dad's side. Having colour-coded trees has been great to indicate where a family story continues. After each family group record, I have all the sources of information I've found on that couple, and maybe their children - BDM records, census/electoral rolls, photos, newspaper articles, military service, land maps - all in chronological order, or as good as. Not surprisingly, there's so much variety in sources across the folders - there's always something interesting to look at on each page and you could spend hours just flicking through each folder. And the beauty of it all is that your research is always incomplete, meaning there are new sources popping up all the time to add. One thing I wanted to ensure with these folders was that it was easy for anyone to follow and contained enough information and explanation so that anyone in my family could pick up the folder and discover the lives of all these people. It's definitely important to ensure that your record archive is not just for you but for the rest of you family, even those that haven't been bitten by the genealogy bug. Apart from the folders, I also have three boxes for storing photos and other bits and pieces. Besides being just a really great way to store these items, it's also been a great way to organise said photos. Sure, some people would just put them in an album, but they're of all different people from many different years, and I just wouldn't know how best to organise them in an album. At this point in time, I also don't have enough photos to warrant a different album for each family branch. Finally, I wanted to share with you all some documents that you may find useful in your own research and recording. But before that, I just wanted to show you two research logs that I've recently started using and which I had been using sooner. They are my Ancestor Information Overview and Newspaper Research Log. The Ancestor Information Overview page came from an ancestor checklist I found online - I liked the idea, but not having an entire sheet for each person on my tree (not when you've got over 100+ people to research). Plus, it was an American resource with points that weren't really relevant to my own research. So I created my own checklist. But I didn't want to just check a box, I also wanted to see at a glance exactly what information I had, what I knew didn't exist (unmarried or childless) and what I still needed to source. It may look a bit like repeating what's on the family group record sheets, but I honestly don't think it's a bad thing to have the same information written in multiple places when it comes to genealogy. The Newspaper Research Log is pretty self-explanatory - it's a way to log what articles you've already found so you don't waste time looking in the same places over again. I wish I had started using this a few years ago when I started on the newspaper research, because it would have saved a lot of time! I've put together a couple of document bundles, available to purchase and instantly download from my Shop. Genealogy Document Bundle
A$10.00
Get a handle on your family history research and recording with our Genealogy Digital Download Bundle! Packed with essential tools and resources, this bundle is designed to help you piece together your ancestry, create a detailed record of you family’s history, and keep track of your research. Whether you’re a seasoned genealogists or just getting started on this wonderful journey, this bundle has something for everyone. BUNDLE CONTENTS
All files are formatted as fillable PDFs (except the Circular Generation Chart) for convenience, but also work well when printed and filled in by hand. Instant download after purchase. Also available: Australian Genealogy Document Bundle with two extra documents for Australia-specific records and research. Australian Genealogy Bundle
A$12.00
Get a handle on your family history research and recording with our Genealogy Digital Download Bundle! Packed with essential tools and resources, this bundle is designed to help you piece together your ancestry, create a detailed record of you family’s history, and keep track of your research. Whether you’re a seasoned genealogists or just getting started on this wonderful journey, this bundle has something for everyone. BUNDLE CONTENTS
All files are formatted as fillable PDFs (except the Circular Generation Chart) for convenience, but also work well when printed and filled in by hand. Instant download after purchase. Also available: Genealogy Document Bundle without the two Australia-specific documents. Genealogy Record Templates
A$5.00 - A$7.00
Give the historic records in your collection a refresh with record templates that make it easier to read and extract information from important documents. While it’s great to have the original record, you cannot deny that they can be difficult to decipher - these templates allow you to transcribe these documents to make the information easier to ascertain and share with others. PRE-MADE TEMPLATES:
CUSTOM TEMPLATES If you’re seeking a template for a particular historical document, record, or event not covered by the pre-made options mentioned above, there is the option to request custom templates in the drop-down menu. Once purchased, we will be in touch to request a digital copy of the document you would like a template for. Template creation time varies depending on the complexity of the template, the current work-load, and the general ups & downs of life. We will endeavor to complete the template within a week. Please note that the records need to be in English. All templates will be fillable PDF files, where possible, and will be emailed to the address provided at the time of purchase - please allow at least a full business day for pre-made templates to be sent out. **This is NOT a transcription service - the templates are provided for YOU to transcribe your own records.** Family Group Record & Ancestor Timeline Bundle
A$2.50
Uncover your family’s intricate history and organise your genealogical research with precision using our Family Group Record and Ancestor Timeline templates! These templates offer a structured approach to documenting family relationships and tracing the chronological timeline of your ancestor’s lives. CONTENT Family Group Record: Capture essential family unit details, including births, marriages, and deaths; spouses and children; significant life events, and a space to include a photo of your ancestors. Ancestor Timeline: Visualise and map the significant milestones and events in your ancestor’s lives, creating a chronological sequence of important life events and cross-referencing that information with sources and records. All files are formatted as fillable PDFs for convenience, but also work well when printed and filled in by hand. Instant download after purchase. Also available: Genealogy Document Bundle and Australian Genealogy Document Bundle with even more useful templates to help with your research and recording. I hope this has been of interest to anyone who's researching their family history or looking to start. I've wanted to shared how I've organised everything for a while now, so I'm glad it's finally out in the world.
If you want to see a little more of my tree organisation, I've got a bit of a flip-through video going up on my channel at the end of the week! See You Soon! Victoria :) |
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