Genealogy 101: Beginner’s Packet 2010
Today, you will begin learning basic organization skills for genealogy using an Ancestry
Chart and Family Group Sheet. Inside of the Genealogy 101 Beginner’s Packet are a
Sample Ancestry Chart and Family Group Sheet; blank Ancestry Charts and Family
Group Sheets. In addition, you will find a 1930 United States Federal Census, Federal
Census Worksheet, and Probate Court Marriage Record along with a questionnaire for
review.
Ancestry Chart
Where do you get your traditions from? Why do you do what you do at the holidays?
Why do you celebrate those holidays to begin with? These are strange questions to
ask when you need help with organizing or researching your ancestry. But, these are
some basic questions that take us down the path of discovering our family history.
Embedded in each of those past generations are some of the reasons why we follow
our traditions. Listed below are the Ancestry Chart Abbreviations and definitions that
you will be working with today and in the future.
Ancestry Chart Abbreviations
(1) Complete name including middle name, maiden name, and/or confirmation name
(b) Complete birth date: month, day, year
(p.b.) Complete place of birth: city, county, state, country -If outside the US
(m) Complete marriage date: month, day, year
( d) Complete death date: month, day, year
(p.d.) Complete place of death: city, county, state, country -If outside the US
1. Take out the blank Ancestry Chart and pencil from the packet complete from
memory, information from family members or others, personal documentation or other
proof, partially or fully, the ancestry chart fields. Include as much detail as possible.
This information could lead you to resources that will help in the future to fill in the
blanks. Including location or place of significant events can also help find the records
that contain additional information.
a. Beginning with you (No. 1), fill out as many of the fields as possible
b. The father (No. 2)
c. The mother (No.3)
d. Continue until known information for each generation is exhausted.
At this point in your research, there is no right or wrong information. In time, you will be
using resources to verify your information.
NOTE: Leave the field blank and move on to the next person in the series if you don’t
know the information. It will not be unusual if only a few generations can be filed in at
this time. When you have completed as much as known, Place the Ancestry Chart
aside and move onto the Family Group Sheet found in the packet. Don’t forget to
review the instructions for the Family Group Sheet before you move on.