Getting Started in Genealogy

Researching your ancestors and the history of your community can be fun and rewarding. By learning more about your family's history, you will have a better understanding of who you are and your heritage. You can begin by viewing, printing, and entering information on the Record of Ancestry chart.

The ancestry chart is provided in a PDF (Portable Document Format) file, which can be viewed or printed using your Web browser and Adobe Acrobat Reader software. Macintosh and Windows versions of Acrobat Reader may be downloaded free of charge from Adobe.
 
[get Acrobat] Click here to find out how to obtain the Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Download the Record of Ancestry chart
(Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader 3.0 or later).

Remember, you eventually will need to verify your entries by consulting the original records of these events. This careful documentation of family history marks the work of a good genealogist.
 

Where to begin

Your local library can provide you with any number of books from which you can learn the fundamentals of genealogy. Your local librarian can often provide the names and addresses of local genealogical and historical societies. The people in these organizations are more than happy to encourage you in your new hobby and offer helpful advice. For suggestions from the professionals on beginning your family history search, try the National Genealogical Society.

Contact the Illinois State Genealogical Society for information on membership, society, projects and activities.
 

Links to researching at the Illinois State Archives

The Illinois Regional Archives Depositories (IRAD), a unit of the Illinois State Archives, maintains local governmental records at seven sites throughout the state.

The Illinois State Archives in Springfield maintains state and related federal governmental records.
 

Other Genealogy Links

Genealogy Resources on the World Wide Web links to many helpful sources of information for genealogical research.

Illinois GenWeb focuses on resources for Illinois research.

Cyndi's List is the most comprehensive list of genealogical resources available on the web.

Back to Genealogical Research in the Illinois State Archives page