How to trace your family tree

1. Have a family gathering
Talking to older relatives is the first step to understanding where you come from. We all get nostalgic when we’re among family members we may not have seen for some time. So arm yourself with a notepad and pencil and start asking questions.

Get as much biographical information as you can, including where and when people were born. But don’t treat this as an interrogation, warns genealogy expert Simon Fowler, editor of Ancestor magazine.

‘It’s best not to use a tape recorder when asking questions, people tend to freeze.’ He advises speaking to grandmothers and elderly aunts. ‘Women often have a better knowledge of family affairs, as they tend to ask questions and gossip,’ he adds, ‘but don’t take everything at face value.'

Be aware that people also make things up. Someone may think they were at an event like the Coronation, when in fact it was on TV. Photos are useful, adds Simon, as they may spark a memory. Hang on to them– they may help you place people.

2. Start a paper trail
Next, see who has the family papers. As well as official documents like birth, marriage and death certificates, search attics and garages for other clues such as diaries, letters, school certificates, military records and newspaper articles.

‘When you have as much information as you feel you can get, write down all the details,’ advises Simon. ‘As well as when and where people were born, died and married, make notes about professions, and how they are related.’ When deciding who to trace, choose someone or a side of the family you like. ‘If you’re not sure, go for an unusual name. Common surnames like Smith and Jones are obviously far harder to follow,’ points out Simon.

3. Don't get overwhelmed
‘You can do an incredible amount of research online now, but while the internet has sped things up, it has also caused confusion, because there is so much information out there it’s hard to know what’s relevant,’ says Simon. ‘Look at the free websites, as the commercial ones can be quite confusing and you could pay up to £100 a year for stuff you don’t need.’

He advises starting with the UK and Ireland Genealogy website (www.genuki.org.uk), which has lots of information for beginners. Then visit www.freebmd.org.uk, which has indexes to millions of birth, marriage and death certificates. Once you have the references you need, you can get the certificates online at the General Register Office at www.gro.gov.uk for £7 each. They’ll tell you when and where the person you’re looking for died, and may give a clue to information, such as army records, as well as details on other members of the family.

4. Get sleuthing
If the certificates date back before 1901, you can also look for census records, available online at www.ancestory.co.uk. 'These are released roughly every ten years, and 1911’s came out earlier this year,' explains Simon. 'They list everyone who was in the household on census night, so could include grandparents, children, servants and lodgers. It gives their ages and where they were born and even details about parents, brothers and sisters.'

Another line of enquiry is through parish records, held in the local record office. They have records of baptisms, marriages and deaths which go back to around 1600. Some are available online – a good free site is www.familysearch.org.

5. Know when to admit defeat
'You need a bit of good luck. Records aren’t perfect and will inevitably not all survive,' says Simon. 'When people come up against a brick wall and can’t find a relative, the most common question is, how do I find him or her? 'But occasionally names just aren’t recorded. So be flexible. If you get stuck, there’s always another branch to try.'

Family history might also bring some unwelcome surprises, revealing secrets such as bigamy, illegitimacy or crime. 'Most people should be able to go back 200 years,' says Simon, 'and if you trace eight generations you’re bound to find someone interesting. Family legends about the black sheep and so on tend to beborne out, but not always in the way anticipated. It’s possible you’ll find a villain, but more likely that you’ll find someone from WW1, at the Somme. If you strike lucky, it’s fascinating. As well as being a very good way of learning about history, it’s challenging and satisfying.'