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First steps of your genealogical research:

1. On a large sheet of paper, sketch your family tree.
Thanks to that you will know what information on the family you already have and what you need to start looking for. This is the first, basic and mandatory step in genealogical research.

2. If your tree, especially in the initial period, is not too extensive, to every person on it assign a specific number. Then in a large workbook have a separate sheet for each person appearing on the tree, under its assigned number. Use it to write down any necessary information. Do not trust your memory. With the passage of time and the arrival of a number of new discovered people, you'll find that what seemed as obvious information was forgotten. The most important information is about the date and place of birth, marriage and death.

3. The collected data should be added to your tree on Polish Genealogy. Do not wait until the tree is large. Our memory isn't perfect but to the saved information on the website you can always easily get in. In addition, remember that you're not the only one who is building their tree. Administrators of Polish Genealogy, each day receive requests for contact with a creator of a tree. The authors of these requests want to improve published information on a tree or even add new people. Through this way, your tree will at times grow 'by itself'. Just register on the Polish Genealogy correctly filling out the registration form Approval of an application takes up to three days. Then if you require some help you can always watch video tutorials shows how to add a first person.

4. Gather information from relatives. Very often this task is turns out to be difficult. For various reasons, you may encounter resistance and lack of understanding. This stage of research will be very similar to a laborious police investigation. Any information, scrap of a document or even a gossip, could direct you to a new clue of information which you must conscientiously verify. Record and save any information gained.

5. Search or collect family documents. Focus especially on metrics/certificates (births, marriages, deaths), property records, ID cards, passports, school reports and even letters or diaries. Naturally, the best are originals, but it is not always possible. If so, take a good quality scan and print it. Add these printouts to your genealogical workbook. You can also find hundreds of thousands of documents on Polish Genealogy. Search our database for documents.

6. Search our database. maybe your relatives are already here.

7. Visit cemeteries. Tombstones are a mine of knowledge. Write down the information, take pictures. Print the pictures, and add the digital copies to your virtual tree on Polish Genealogy. If you do not know where to your relatives rest or if the cemetery is far, search our database of tombstones.

8. Stay active on the Internet, especially forums and Facebook. For our group we often publish new information, you may find them useful.

9. Frequently update the information on your tree. This will help others. Publish family photos, also photos taken during various celebrations. Usually distant relatives take part in them. In this way, we are expanding circle of interest.

10. Do not post embarrassing or incriminating information relating living people.