This beginner’s guide is your friendly roadmap to the world of genealogy. It gives you a big-picture overview of how to begin your family tree search, with helpful links to our in-depth articles that explain each step in more detail.
Researching your family history can feel exciting and a little overwhelming. But where do you start? What records should you look for? And how do you make sense of all those names, dates, and documents?
Whether you’re just curious or completely hooked, this page will help you explore, learn, and build your tree with confidence.
Start with what you know
The best place to begin isn’t with old records; it’s with you. Write down what you already know: full names, birthplaces, marriage dates, family stories, even guesses. Speak to relatives if you can. Ask questions, take notes, and look at family documents, photos, or keepsakes.
📖 Read: Start with what you know – the easiest way to begin your family tree
Learn the basics of family history research
Understanding how genealogy works will save you time and frustration. Learn the common terms, explore useful websites, and get comfortable with the process of building a tree.
📖 Read: What even is genealogy? A beginner’s guide
📖 Read: 10 reasons to start researching your family history
📖 Read: A beginner’s glossary – 25 genealogy terms you should know
Now you have some basic information such as dates, names, family facts and rumours, you can start to dig into the official records. When starting, the most important records are birth, marriage, and death records and official census records. These can take you a long way and will help you fill in a lot of detail with these fundamental records.
Free records are available, and we’ll explore and explain them, but at some point, you’re probably going to end up on one of the big commercial genealogy websites or specialist Scottish and Irish sites.
Explore birth, marriage, and death records
These civil registration records give you key dates, family relationships, and sometimes occupations or addresses. In Scotland, these are available from 1855 onwards on the Scotland’s People website.
📖 Read: Scotland’s People on a budget – free ways to use a paid site
📜 [Coming soon: A guide to Scottish BMD records]
Use census records to build your tree
Census records are one of the most useful tools for finding ancestors. They show who was living where, when, and with whom. They’re also a great way to track a family across decades.
📖 Read: The 1901 Scottish census – a window into everyday life
📖 Read: The 1911 Scottish census – new questions, new insights
📖 Read: Missing from the census? Why your ancestor might not be there
📖 Read: Census clues – how to find prisoners in your family tree
Keep track of your research
Genealogy can get messy quickly. A simple research log can help you stay organised, avoid repeating searches, and make sense of your findings.
📖 Read: A research log to help make sense of your genealogy
Explore parish records for earlier generations
Before 1855, churches kept their own records of baptisms, marriages, and burials. These are known as Old Parish Registers and are vital for tracing Scottish ancestors further back in time.
📖 Read: What’s in a Scottish parish record? A beginner’s guide
Learn about migration, identity, and where your ancestors came from
Whether your roots are Scottish, Irish, or further afield, identity plays a big role in family history. Exploring your heritage can be a powerful journey.
📖 Read: Am I really Irish? A guide for the curious American
📖 Read: Am I actually Scottish? How to trace your heritage
🔍 [Coming soon: How to explore your Irish roots without spending a fortune]
Get to know your ancestors as people, not just names
Family history isn’t just about records. It’s about stories that help you understand who your ancestors were, what they did, and how they lived.
📖 Read: Bring your ancestors to life through storytelling
🔍 [Coming soon: Family history storytelling templates and prompts]
Be prepared for roadblocks
Every family tree hits dead ends or confusing turns. That’s normal. The trick is knowing what to try next—and when to take a break.
📖 Read: What is a brick wall in genealogy and how to break through it
🔍 [Coming soon: 5 things to try before giving up on that missing ancestor]
Starting your family history can be joyful, surprising, and sometimes a little bit addictive. The good news is you don’t need to do it all at once. Take your time, follow your curiosity and learn as you go. And remember, every new discovery adds a little more colour to the story of where you come from.
This page will keep growing as we publish more articles, templates, and guides to support your journey. Bookmark it and come back often, especially if your family story is just getting started.