Genealogy is becoming a popular subject and its popularity is showing no signs of abating. More and more people are taking to doing genealogy research of their own ancestry and establishing their family tree.

People embarking on genealogy research for the first time have invariably asked this question: "Where do I begin from, how do start with my family history?" The answer is as obvious as the question itself - start with your own family. Actually, starting with one's own family is the only place where one can start. There are many steps that one can take to make a fruitful search for one's genealogy and create a family tree.

Family Notes

To do a credible research into one's family tree, it is important that names, surnames and middle names of each and every member of the family should be noted down. This should be done from both sides of one's family - mother's side as well as the father's. The starting place is the person's own name, surname and middle name. The second step is to note down the names, surnames and middle names of one's parents and then proceed to the parents' parents.

Birth Certificates

Birth certificates are a good starting point to begin one's search into his or her genealogy. The birth certificates are public records that can be easily accessed. They contain the names of one's parents and other details relevant to genealogy research. Getting help from parents is not at all a bad idea. Many a time, you may chance upon some important link in your family tree that you have never met nor have heard of but are of importance when ascertaining your family tree.

While accessing records like birth certificates, it is important that proper permission is obtained. Moreover, they should be photocopied for further reference and the original ones should be returned to its rightful place.

Photographs

Family photographs are the delight of genealogy researchers. Photo albums of family are a rich source of information regarding relatives and ancestry. Many a time, people write short notes on the photographs or behind them saying when and where was the photo clicked and who are in the photo.

Journals and Personal Diaries

Many people keep journals or personal diaries. They are full of information on daily happenings of the individual. They come in handy as they also have names of uncles, aunties, cousins and other relatives of the individual. No one doubts how good such information can be for doing genealogy research.