A strange tendency existed some time ago - people kept pedigrees of dogs with special care, while they tried to keep silent about the history of their kind. This is due to the political system of Russia in past years, when it was not customary to talk about who the ancestors were. Now it is possible to recreate your family tree.
Instructions
Step 1
The first source for starting research is the home archive: old photographs and documents, work books, marriage certificates, birth certificates, diplomas and certificates. Remove photocopies from all documents, and return the originals to their place, so as not to lose valuable information. Divide all data into two folders: about paternal and maternal relatives. Collect information for each person in a separate file. So you will not get lost in the intricacies of family ties.
Step 2
In every family there are legends about what happened in the life of relatives and friends, at least two or three generations. Interviewing relatives, having thought through the list of questions in advance, will not be difficult if you get in, or you yourself organize a festive feast or an evening of memories. In a situation where you cannot record information on paper, it is best to use a dictaphone, so you will not miss a single detail, because relatives can interrupt each other, complementing the story. Remember the names of the degrees of kinship and get ready to listen to the most interesting stories.
Step 3
But the knowledge of relatives was not always complete and exhaustive. If you decide to find out more about your ancestors, but there is no one to tell you about it, then perhaps when you do the initial research, the archive will help you. But for this you need to know the name, patronymic and surname, year and place of birth of the person about whom you want to receive information.
Step 4
It is possible to design a family tree by imitating European traditions, which were poorly spread in Russia. Most often, the trunk of a tree meant the ancestor, and the branches - his descendants living today. Sometimes the trunk denotes the one who conducts research, and the branches - his ancestors.
