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Starting your Family History
Family history is a rich and rewarding pastime, which can help you discover more about where you came from and those who preceded you. This guide offers some pointers on how to get started
How to begin
Where to start
Family research always starts with you and your parents. Then your grandparents and their parents (who are your great grandparents). A starting target would be to find these 14 people before going back too far down the generations. This will allow you to perfect research techniques in centuries where there are many sources before tackling eras where there are few. Genealogy is not just about 'collecting' relatives to make the largest tree. You will get the most out of this hobby if you find out about your ancestors' lives. Where they lived, worked and played. In recent years family researchers have noted trends for certain health issues in their ancestors which made them seek treatment before the issue become a problem for family members in this generation.
Oral history
Family gatherings are an excellent place to collect oral family history so take a small notebook to weddings, christenings etc. It's not difficult to start a theme going - people love to remember their past and to relate it to an interested audience and it will soon spark off others to add to the tales. You may find relatives who are the custodians of family photographs and papers. By showing an interest they may allow you to copy or, if you are very lucky, keep these documents and photographs. But before you gather up the 'treasures' ask for names and dates for each item. It’s best to avoid labelling a relationship to photos such as 'Mum & Dad' as in the future this may not be obvious. Better to use personal names with any nicknames. Dates and places are also very useful to add.
Hints for taking oral history:
- Try not to stop the storytellers' flow by questions as it may lead them off the subject. Details can be clarified at the end.
- Write down the source (who said what), so that you can go back to them for clarification if necessary.
- Write down all of the tale you are told, regardless of how far-fetched the 'story', as pieces may be of use later.
- Don't ignore younger members of the family as they may have been told things by their elders that will add to the mix.
- Record details of siblings as searches of close family may help when your prime subject gets 'lost' in the records.
- Don't forget to ask where people were born and what Christian names they were given and what they were known as, as this was often different.
- Also, ask what occupation they had. If they were born some distance away ask why they moved to their current location. Many people in Jersey worked for the different armed forces or were sailors and this meant their families were often born in different places or moved away from Jersey.
Set your sights
Don't try to research your entire ancestry at once - the data will overwhelm you. Decide early on which branch you want to concentrate on first of all.
Keeping records
If you become the custodian of family photos and original documents they will need to be stored for prosperity. There are several specialist companies who provide archive standard storage systems and display folders. You will often find them at family history fairs or through a web search.
Once you have some information you will need to start keeping it in some logical order and a notebook will be adequate to start with. However, you will soon start amassing a great deal of information and if you have a computer, you will find it is the logical way to store it all. Most family historians keep hard copies as a backup. If you don't have a computer or prefer pen and paper, then start with pre-printed forms. You can buy them, but they can also be found as a free download on the internet.
Computer storage
You could make use of free online tree makers on family research sites such as:
You don't need to take out a subscription to use them, although this may mean you don't get the full experience of the site and you do need to see original documents yourself - do not trust the transcribed index.
There are many Family History software packages available to purchase, which enable you to keep total control of your research material.
Joining the Jersey Family History Society
We hold our unique records within the Jersey Archive at Clarence Road, St Helier, JE2 4JY where they are available in person. Note that although now known as the Jersey Family History Society, some branding continues to be in the formal name of the Channel Islands Family History Society. We also hold records online within the members' area of the website. We have researchers who are available to conduct research at a minimal fee Commission research.
Members receive quarterly journals and these can also be accessed online in the members' area. They are fully searchable.
In addition, there is a discount to the subscription with the Jersey Archive online catalogue and free access to the Société Jersiaise Lord Coutanche Library
