Home | Volunteers | Meetings | Newsletters | Publications | Library | Membership | Member Pages | DNA | Contacts | About Us Darien, CT Getting Started For more on this subject, see Getting Started by Virginia Banerjee. Define your goals. A family tree? A family history? Your family? Your spouse's family? A book? A Website? Start with your family. Then work backward, one branch at a time Interview family members. Get their input. Ask for family histories, stories, recollections, records, birthplaces, marriages, occupations, cemeteries, photos, immigration. Record what you learn Gather readily available information. Family trees, birth certificates, marriage certificates, death certificates, obituaries, and photographs. Google your ancestors Create a census spreadsheet for each household. Census years 1840 to 1950 across the top. Parents and children down the side (see example below) Family Search - free Ancestry - free at Darien and many other libraries Search online for birth, marriages, deaths, and other historical records Family Search - free Ancestry - free at Darien and many other libraries Find a Grave Steve Morse New York City Make a family tree. There are several different ways. You may want to use more than one WikiTree - free Family Search - free Ancestry - free at Darien and many other libraries Find a Grave. Add links among family members. Upload documents and photos and add history Family Tree Maker A paper tree Write family histories. Update them as you get new information Ask for help MGS volunteers are available through the Darien Library. Professional genealogists are available through CPGC or APG Read about genealogy. MGS Newsletters, books Attend meetings. MGS presentation Meetings. Organizations mentioned in the MGS Newsletters Make field trips. Visit libraries, archives, historical societies, town halls, churches, cemeteries Travel to places where you ancestors lived Create an MGS web page. See Member Pages Beware of ready-made family histories and coats of arms, usually worthless.

Example of a Census Spreadsheet for a Household   1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 Index Name Drueke Drenke Drueke Drueke Drueke Address 96 Grand Avenue, Grand Rapids, Michigan (120 Grand Avenue NE after 1912) 120 Grand Avenue NE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 120 Grand Avenue NE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 120 Grand Avenue NE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 120 Grand Avenue NE, Grand Rapids, Michigan Head of Household William F., 27, salesman-groceries, married 4 years, born in Michigan, father born in Germany, homeowner William F., 37, manufacturer-furniture, born in Michigan, father born in Germany, homeowner William F., 48, salesman-furniture factory, born in Michigan, parents born in Germany, homeowner William F., 56, manufacturer - adult games, born in Michigan, 4 years of high school, home value $5,000 William F., Sr., 67, proprietor - adult game company, born in Michigan Wife Rosa, 27, born in Michigan Rosa V., 37, born in Michigan Rose V., 49, born in Michigan Rose V., 56, born in Michigan, 4 years of high school Rose V., 67, born in Michigan Daughter Irene L., 2, born in Michigan Irene E., 12, in school, born in Michigan Irene, 22, decorator-interior decorator, born in Michigan Irene died in 1937   Daughter Marian L., 1, born in Michigan Marian L., 11, , born in Michigan Marian, 21, in school, born in Michigan Marian L, 31, private secretary - manufacturer of games, born in Michigan, 4 years of college Marian L, 40, secretary - game company, born in Michigan Son   Joseph W., 9, in school, born in Michigan Joseph, 19, in school, born in Michigan Joseph living with wife Joan Son   William F., 7, in school, born in Michigan William, 17, in school, salesman-furniture factory, born in Michigan William, Jr., 27, general manager - manufacturer of games, born in Michigan, 1 year of college Living with wife Doris and family Daughter   Jane R., 5, born in Michigan Jane, 15, in school, born in Michigan Jane living with husband John Alfred Biggins and family in Kalamazoo   Daughter   Rosemary, 3, born in Michigan Rosemary, 13, in school, born in Michigan Rosemary, 23, stenographer - manufacturer of games, born in Michigan, 2 years of college Living with husband James Griffin and family on Benjamin Street Others   Edna Nichols, maid, 17, born in Michigan       U.S. Census Article I, Section 2 of the the U. S. Constituion requires that a census be taken every 10 years in order to apportion the members of the House of Representatives. According to Public Law 95-416, enacted in 1978, census information is made public 72 years after the census year. Most of the original 1890 census was destroyed in 1921 by a fire in the Commerce Department. Searching the Census There are two main ways to search for ancestors in the U.S. Census: Ancestry.com, which is available at some libraries as Ancestry Library Edition or can be viewed at home by paying a fee. Family Search, which can be viewed at home without a fee. Provided by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. These services have indexed the names in the census and allow you to search for a name in a state for a census year. They also allow advanced searches with more criteria. Sometimes, the name is not available because the original form is difficult to read or it has been misread by the indexer. This problem often can be circumvented with extra effort by searching (1) the first name and adding criteria to narrow the search, (2) the name of a neighbor, or (3) page by page in a certain geographic area. U.S. Census Items, 1790-1950 The table below shows the key items available in the U. S. census from 1790 to 1950. For more information on the content of each census. Item 1790 1800/10 1820 1830 1840 1850 1860 1870 1880 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 Address City City City City City City City City City and street City and street City and street City and street City and street City and street City and street Name Head only Head only Head only Head only Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Relationship No No No No No No No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Age Male bracket Bracket Bracket Bracket Bracket Yes Yes Yes Yes Month and year born Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Sex Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Marital status No No No No No No No No Yes Years married and number of children Years married and number of children Yes Age first married Yes Yes Birthplace No No No No No Self Self Self Self, parents Self, parents Self, parents Self, parents Self, parents Self Self Occupation No No Yes No Industry Males Males Males Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Income No No No No No No No No No No No No No Yes No Literacy No No No No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Education No No No No No No No No No No No No No Yes No Immigration No No No No No No No No No Year Year Year Year No No History of the Census For the history of the Census and instructions to census takers, see History of the Census and Its Samples.