Genealogy- how do I start?
Where Do I Start With Genealogy? Start With You
I often hear people say, "I'd love to start researching my family history, but I don’t even know where to begin." My answer is always the same: Start with yourself.
Now, that might sound a little backwards. After all, genealogy is the research of ancestors, right? But the truth is, your history begins with you. You are the starting point. No one knows your life better than you do—and someday, someone will want to know your story too.
Think of it this way: in a few generations, a curious descendant might want to know what kind of person you were. They’ll dig through birth certificates, yearbooks, and maybe even census records—but those things don’t paint the full picture of you. Only you can do that.
So what does "start with you" look like?
1. Document the Moments That Matter
Start by writing down the important events in your life. They don’t have to be monumental—just meaningful. Your first car. Your favorite vacation. The day you met your best friend. These moments help tell your story.
There are countless ways to capture these details:
A simple Word doc or Google Sheet
A journaling app
Family history software like Family Tree Maker or RootsMagic
A storytelling app like Remento.
What matters most is that your story is written somewhere.
2. Choose Your Photo
Let’s be real—we're all going to pass on one day. And someone will be tasked with writing our obituary or creating a memorial. My suggestion? Pick your photo now. Don’t leave it up to someone else to guess which picture best represents you.
Find a photo you love, that feels authentic, and store it somewhere safe (digitally and physically). It's a small act, but it’s one of the most powerful gifts you can leave behind.
3. Record Your Voice
Technology makes it easy to preserve more than just facts and dates. Leave behind a voice recording, a video, or even answers to a few simple prompts. Imagine the impact of a great-great-grandchild hearing your voice or your laugh.
4. Safeguard the Memories
If you’re diving into preserving your story, don’t forget to protect it. At Snapshot Photo Management, we help people scan and archive their family photos and videos—so they’re not just saved, but preserved for generations. Whether it’s fragile prints, VHS tapes, or old CDs, we digitize and organize it all with care and intention.
The Bottom Line
So if you’re asking, “Where do I start?” The answer is: start with you.
Because your story matters.
And someday, someone will be so grateful that you took the time to tell it.