What Information Should I Give a Professional Genealogist?
You do not need to have a perfectly organized family tree or a box full of records before contacting a professional genealogist. In fact, many research projects begin with only a name, an approximate date, a location, or a family story.
The information you already have can provide important clues and help the research begin in the right place. Even details that seem uncertain or insignificant may prove useful.
Start With What You Know
The best place to begin is with the information you already know about the person or family you want researched.
Useful details may include:
Full name or possible variations of the name
Maiden names, nicknames, or alternate spellings
Approximate birth, marriage, or death dates
Places where the person lived
Names of parents, spouses, children, or siblings
Occupations
Military service
Religious affiliation
Immigration or migration information
You do not need to know all of these. A few reliable details may be enough to begin identifying the correct person in historical records.
Tell the Genealogist What You Want to Discover
One of the most helpful things you can provide is a clear research question.
Instead of simply asking to "research my family," consider what you would most like to learn.
For example:
Who were my great-grandfather's parents?
Where did my family live before they immigrated to the United States?
What happened to a relative who disappeared from family records?
What did my grandfather do during his military service?
Can DNA help identify an unknown biological parent or grandparent?
A specific question helps determine which records should be searched and how the research should be approached.
If you are not sure how to define the question, that is fine. Explain what you are trying to discover, and the research question can be developed from there.
Share What You Have Already Found
If you have already conducted family-history research, tell the genealogist what you have found.
This can include information from genealogy websites, family trees, census records, vital records, newspapers, military records, DNA results, or previous research performed by someone else.
It is equally useful to explain what you have already searched without success.
Knowing what has already been investigated can prevent unnecessary duplication and allow the research to concentrate on new sources and approaches.
Family Documents Can Be Extremely Helpful
Documents kept by families sometimes contain information that cannot easily be found elsewhere.
Useful materials may include:
Birth, marriage, and death certificates
Obituaries
Funeral cards
Family Bible pages
Letters and postcards
Diaries
Military papers
Immigration documents
Wills and probate papers
Photographs
Newspaper clippings
Old family trees
Handwritten family notes
You do not need to determine whether something is important before sharing it. A seemingly minor detail may help distinguish one person from another or identify a new place to search.
What About Family Stories?
Family stories are worth sharing, even when you are unsure whether they are accurate.
Stories about immigration, military service, name changes, occupations, relationships, adoptions, or unusual family events can provide valuable research clues.
However, family stories should generally be treated as clues rather than established facts until supporting evidence can be located.
Sometimes records confirm a story. Sometimes they reveal that the story changed as it was passed from one generation to another. Either result can help reconstruct what actually happened.
What Should I Provide for DNA Research?
DNA projects require somewhat different information.
Depending on the research question, useful information may include the testing company used, known family relationships, an existing family tree, information about DNA matches, and any known details about the biological relationship being investigated.
You should never send account passwords.
For projects involving an unknown biological parent or relative, even limited information about the person being sought can be useful when combined with DNA matches and traditional genealogical research.
What If Some of My Information Is Wrong?
That is not unusual.
Family trees and family records sometimes contain incorrect dates, locations, relationships, or identities. Online family trees can also repeat information from one tree to another without identifying the original evidence.
Professional genealogical research does not simply assume that previously recorded information is correct.
Existing information provides a starting point. Historical records and other evidence are then evaluated to determine what can actually be supported.
What If I Know Almost Nothing?
You can still submit a research request.
A project may sometimes begin with only a person's name, an approximate location, a relative's name, or a family story.
The important thing is to distinguish between what you know, what you believe may be true, and what you are trying to discover.
If there is enough information to identify a reasonable starting point, research may be possible.
Do I Need to Organize Everything First?
No.
You do not need to build a family tree, create a research log, organize every photograph, or search genealogy websites before asking for professional help.
Provide the information and records you already have. Part of the research process is evaluating that information, identifying what is relevant, and determining what additional evidence is needed.
Ready to Submit a Research Request?
If you have a family-history question, start with whatever information you currently have.
Provide the names, dates, locations, relationships, documents, photographs, previous research, or family stories that may relate to your question. If some details are uncertain, simply indicate that.
You do not need to know which service or historical records you need before contacting KB Family History. Your information can be reviewed first to determine the appropriate research approach.