Getting started
3. Beginning your family tree
Family Tree Explorer, our family tree-building software, is free and entirely web-based - so you won't need to download and install it, and you can access your tree from any location, for instance, from a library or record office.
Start with what you already know: yourself, your spouse and children, your parents and grandparents.
Start building your family tree now
Enter as much detail as you can: dates of birth, death and marriage, and add photos and notes. It is important to record your sources - later, if you hit a brick wall, they may offer new avenues of research.
You might not have exact dates yet, or full names, or details of spouses. You may also have a relative who seems to have 'disappeared', whose marriage or death you cannot trace. This is normal at this early stage and you should nonetheless note everything you know, and every source you consult. Even rumours and legend often have their uses and can help to narrow down a search.
With Family Tree Explorer you can share your tree with other relatives, store files and images, with the reassurance of knowing that your research is backed up on our secure servers.
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