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Family History

Find your ancestors and keep their stories alive.

3levels, ending in a family tree and stories to pass down
43 mina Step, on average
$12to start Level 1
FreeLevel 1, always

Learn family history as a beginner

Every family history starts with you and works backward. This beginner genealogy course shows you how to record what you know, find and cite real records with free tools, and build a four-generation family tree. You'll also record an interview with a relative and write the story of one ancestor to share.

The path

  1. 1
    Level 1Free

    Your Roots

    A four-generation tree and an ancestor's story

    15 Steps, about 43 minutes each. Anyone who's wondered where their family came from. No genealogy experience or paid accounts needed.

    1. Chapter 1: Start with you. A chart of what you know, home sources found, a free tree started, photos scanned, and an interview planned.
    2. Chapter 2: Records. Ancestors found in the census and vital records, an interview recorded, sources cited, and a grave located.
    3. Chapter 3: Tell the story. Military and newspaper records searched, a timeline made, and an ancestor's story written and shared.
    1. 1
      Write what you know
      A four-generation chart from memory: you, parents, grandparents and great-grandparents.

      Genealogists always start with what they already know. Writing it down first gives you a map of your family, shows what's missing, and keeps you from repeating work.

      A pedigree chart shows your direct ancestors: you, two parents, four grandparents, eight great-grandparents. Each generation doubles. Four generations is a manageable start, and most people can fill in more than they expect.

      The detail beginners miss is maiden names. Women's birth surnames are often forgotten within a generation or two, and they're the key to whole branches of your family. Write them down whenever you know them, and mark them as maiden names.

      Here's an example chart. You on the left. Parents: names, birth years, where they were born. Grandparents: full names, maiden names for grandmothers, approximate birth years. Great-grandparents: two full names known, three first names only, three blank. A question mark beside anything you're unsure of.

      Right is a chart with everything you know, and the gaps marked. Family history can surface surprises: adoptions, unknown relatives, painful events. Go at your own pace, and be kind to yourself and your family about what you find.

      FamilySearch
      Show your group
    2. 2
      Search your home
      Documents, photos and keepsakes gathered from your home and close family.
      FamilySearch
    3. 3
      Start your online tree
      A free FamilySearch account and your first four generations entered.
      FamilySearchFamilySearch
    See all 15 Steps
    1. 4
      Scan old photos
      At least 20 old family photos scanned, named, and backed up.
      Library of Congress
    2. 5
      Plan an interview
      An older relative asked for an interview, and a list of questions ready.
      StoryCorps
      Show your group
    3. 6
      Find a census record
      One of your ancestors found in a census, with the record saved and the household noted.
      National Archives
    4. 7
      Vital records
      A birth, marriage or death record found or ordered for one ancestor.
      CDC National Center for Health Statistics
    5. 8
      Record the interview
      A recorded interview with your relative, saved and backed up.
      StoryCorps
    6. 9
      Cite your sources
      Every fact in your tree linked to where it came from, and one conflict looked at.
      FamilySearch
    7. 10
      Find a grave
      An ancestor's grave found online, with the memorial and any photos saved.
      Find a Grave
      Show your group
    8. 11
      Military records
      Military service records searched for an ancestor who served, and what you found noted.
      National Archives
    9. 12
      Newspapers and obituaries
      An obituary or news story about an ancestor found in old newspapers.
      Library of Congress
    10. 13
      Build a timeline
      A timeline of one ancestor's life, with world events alongside it.
      FamilySearch
    11. 14
      Write their story
      A one-to-two-page story of your ancestor's life, written from your timeline.
      FamilySearch
    12. 15
      Share it with family
      Your tree, story and photos shared with family, in a way they'll enjoy.
      FamilySearch
      Show your group
  2. Level 2Unlocks after Level 1

    Deeper Records

    Land, court and church records, and DNA basics

  3. Level 3Unlocks after Level 2

    The Old Country

    Immigration records and research overseas

Where it ends: a family tree and stories to pass down

Questions about learning family history

How long does it take to learn family history?

Level 1 is 15 Steps of about 43 minutes each, around 11 hours in all, split into 3 chapters. Go at your own speed: one Step a day, or a whole chapter in a sitting.

What do I need to start family history?

You'll need free FamilySearch account, phone with a scanning app and voice recorder and notebook or binder with page protectors. Expect to spend about $12 to start Level 1.

Can a complete beginner learn family history?

Anyone who's wondered where their family came from. No genealogy experience or paid accounts needed.

What will I have made by the end of Level 1?

A four-generation family tree backed by real records, a recorded interview with a relative, and a written story of one ancestor to share.

Is this family history course free?

Yes. Level 1 of every hobby on Eras is free, and every Step links free lessons from great teachers online. Eras Plus is an optional subscription that opens the levels after it.

Free lessons in Your Roots come from FamilySearch, Library of Congress, StoryCorps, National Archives, CDC National Center for Health Statistics, Find a Grave, National Genealogical Society. We link to their work and never copy it.

Cover photo by Laura Fuhrman on Unsplash