littleoakjournal

Family history

Every family has a story. Start writing yours down.

Plain-English guides to starting your family history: talking to relatives, finding census, vital, military and immigration records, free places to search, and keeping photos and papers safe.

Count your ancestors Records by type

Five generations backBorn 1990

  • Parents2c. 1962
  • Grandparents4c. 1934
  • Great-grandparents8c. 1906
  • 2nd great-grandparents16c. 1878
  • 3rd great-grandparents32c. 1850

Ancestors in five generations62

Birth years assume about 28 years per generation; real families vary.

Start with one of these

CalculatorAncestorsWho, how many, and when. GuideRecords by typeWhat each record tells you. ChecklistFamily HistorySixteen steps to begin.

15 family history guides

Getting started

Finding records

Free tools and places

Preserving it

Free download, no email needed

The Family History Starter Workbook

Fill in four generations from memory, record each couple on a family group sheet, interview a relative with ready-made questions, and keep a research log from day one.

Get the free PDFSee the Family History checklist

Coming soon

Your research, organized

Little Oak Family Tree Kit: printable pedigree charts, family group sheets, research and correspondence logs, interview question sets and a photo log, so nothing you find gets lost.

$9 once. Yours to keep. 30-day refund.

See what's in the kit