We all start as “baby” genealogists. We don’t know what we don’t know. But somewhere along the way, we begin to make real progress in our research and genealogy skills. We take that next step.
What should your next step be? That depends on where you are in your research and your skill level. But no matter where you stand now, the key is to not overwhelm yourself but to find manageable steps that move you forward.
In this blog, learn some possible next steps for your genealogy research.
I’m taking a DNA course that meets every month for a year. It’s in-depth and has helped me break through some longstanding mysteries. The instructor teaches using the SPIN method. Have you heard of this?
SPIN stands for Study, Practice, Implement, Next Steps. She teaches the subject, we take time in class to practice, then we use the principles we’ve learned in our research, and last, we decide on the next step to move us forward.
Let’s focus on different genealogy topics and figure out what your next step may be.
Moving Beyond Census and Vital Records
If you’ve mostly been using census records, birth, marriage, and death certificates, you’re already familiar with the basic documents in genealogy. But what if you’ve hit a wall or just want to know more about your ancestors’ lives? One great way to do this is to explore probate records.
Probate records provide a ton of information, often going beyond names and dates. They can reveal details about an ancestor’s estate, property, heirs, and sometimes even relationships between family members. These records often name children, spouses, and extended family members that might not appear in other documents. If you’re unsure where to start, check out my blog post, How To Use Probate Records In Your Genealogy Research.
Another next step could be exploring land records. These are my favorites! These documents can track your ancestor’s movement, wealth, and even status in the community. Sometimes they even help solve mysteries about why families moved. These records are often found in county courthouses, but many have been digitized and are available online through sites like FamilySearch or Ancestry.
Stepping Up Your Genealogy
If you’ve been taking beginner-level genealogy classes, you might be ready to step up to the intermediate level. Here, you’ll focus on more complex records and start to analyze them. One record set to start with is church records.
In many regions, churches kept detailed records of births, baptisms, marriages, and deaths. These records can sometimes fill in gaps when others are missing. Different religions and denominations have various ways of documenting events, so it’s important to understand the church your ancestors attended.
Intermediate classes often teach more advanced techniques for analyzing records. Learning about indirect evidence and how to develop a proof argument is a valuable skill at this stage. In genealogy, not every answer is straightforward. You don’t always find a record that answers your question directly.
Indirect evidence involves putting together clues from several records to answer your research question. In the process, you are building proof that you are correct. These skills will help you solve more challenging research problems.
Using DNA In Genealogy Research
Perhaps you’ve been working with traditional records but haven’t yet added DNA to your genealogy toolbox. Incorporating DNA will complement your documentary research and is a great way to take that next step. DNA testing can help confirm relationships, break through brick walls, and connect you with living relatives.
If you’re new to DNA research, a great first step is to take a simple autosomal DNA test through a company like AncestryDNA, 23andMe, or MyHeritage. These tests can connect you with cousins and give you a broader sense of where your family is from. Once you’ve taken the test and received the results, you can start figuring out your shared matches to build out family lines.
If you need to know a little more, check out my blog post, How To Start Using DNA In Genealogy Research.
More advanced genetic genealogy involves understanding the different types of DNA tests (autosomal, mitochondrial, Y-DNA) and how they apply to your research. That may sound daunting, but if you steadily move forward, these topics will be your next step in no time.
Using Historical Context
Maybe you’re comfortable with the main record types but want to add depth to your ancestors’ stories. Understanding the local history and social context of the time your ancestors lived in is an excellent way to do that. This step involves looking beyond the family records and learning about the world your ancestors lived in.
Start by researching the towns, counties, or even neighborhoods where your ancestors lived. Local history books, historical maps, and newspapers can provide information about their daily life or community events. For example, old city directories are a great resource for learning about where people lived and worked. I used city directories and newspapers to document the occupation of my 2X great-grandfather in York County, Pennsylvania. Read more about that here.
You could also look into migration patterns and historical events that might have affected your ancestors. Were they part of a large migration? Did they live through war? These factors may explain why families moved or why certain records are missing. Knowing more about the world around them will give you a better understanding of the decisions they made in their lives.
Developing A Genealogy Research Plan
I think this next step is key to becoming a more effective and efficient genealogist, no matter your skill level. If you’ve been sitting down to research without a research question or plan, this will be a game-changer for you. A research plan helps you stay focused and avoid wasting time and effort. It’s especially useful when tackling complex family lines or brick walls.
Your plan should start by writing a specific research question. What do you want to find out? Make sure to include unique identifiers for your subject. For example, Who is the mother of Susanna Krewson, born about 1829 in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and married Andrew Bothell on 26 August 1847 in Newtown, Bucks, Pennsylvania? I know exactly who I’m starting with and what I want to know. Keep your question close by so you can look at it from time to time to stay on track.
Then, list the records you’ve already consulted and the next set of sources to explore. Having a plan will keep your research organized and efficient. When you’re working on a difficult case, staying organized and sticking to your plan is the only way to make progress.
Knowing Not Everything Is Found Online
One of the most important lessons for genealogists, especially as you progress in your research, is understanding that not everything is found online. While the internet has revolutionized genealogy with easy access to millions of records, there are many you can only find in a brick-and-mortar building.
For example, local courthouses, libraries, and state archives often hold valuable records that haven’t been digitized. These include land deeds, probate records, and court cases. Wouldn’t it be amazing to find our ancestor in the middle of a juicy court battle?
Another example is historical newspapers. While many papers have been digitized, smaller publications may only exist on microfilm or in bound volumes at a local or state historical society. Newspapers can be the key to learning more about your ancestors’ daily lives.
Take the time to visit these physical locations. This next step could make a huge difference in your research.
Finally
No matter where you are in your genealogy journey, there’s always a next step you can take to move forward in your research. Whether it’s discovering a new record type, learning how to analyze records, using DNA, or making your first research plan, each step brings you closer to your goal…getting to know your ancestors. Oh, and don’t forget about that trip to the local genealogy or historical society.
Having the end in mind will help you focus on what steps you need to take to get there. Even the big steps can be broken down so you’re always moving forward and making progress in your genealogy research.
Genealogy tip: Make sure to share what you find with others. For beginners, it might be writing a Word doc and sharing it with family, posting it online or uploading it to FamilySearch. For more advanced genealogists, it might be publishing your work in a respected journal. Your research deserves to be seen by more people than just you. Get it out there!
Sometimes you don’t know what the next step should be. That’s where I can help. Click below to chat with me about your latest project.
