My Genealogy Search and genealogy software

My genealogy search started when my daughter was expecting our first grandchild. I knew the names of my widely scattered aunts and uncles, but hadn't seen most of them or their children (my first cousins) in many, many years. Beyond that, all I had to start with was a family cookbook compiled from relatives during a family reunion.... but the cookbook listed the contributing relatives and a bit of information about how they were related to a common ancestor. It also gave addresses and contact information for many of them.

Going through the cook book, I listed each relative that was mentioned and made notes about who they were relative to that common ancestor. In short, I wrote down every bit of information that I could glean. It gave me a starting place.

I needed a way to organize the family information (slim as it was at that point) since keeping paper records was getting too confusing. That was when the internet became my best friend. An internet search for "free genealogy software" (If you've been following this blog, you'll remember that I highly recommend using free resources when at all possible - YOU WILL almost certainly need to spend money at some point in your search, but don't start yet) turned up a list of programs that could be downloaded from the internet and saved on my computer.

Since you're reading this blog I'm assuming you have access to a computer and an internet connection. There are programs that are available for free download, there are also review sites that will help you to compare the virtues of these programs.

Have a look, compare them and choose a program! Letting the computer help you to organize your search results will make your life ever so much simpler.