Tragically, thousands of irreplaceable records are destroyed every day. But around the world, heroic efforts are being made to preserve them, including the struggle to reconstruct genealogies destroyed in the Bolshevik Revolution, the massive microfilming efforts of the National Archives, and the work of Steven Spielberg s Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation. Some people believe that genealogical research is conducted almost exclusively in archives, libraries and courthouses, but the reality is that one of the richest resources is often our own homes or those of our relatives. Before venturing out on research trips, it is well worthwhile to look through scrapbooks and photo albums, closets and drawers, attics and basements to find any family records that contain genealogical information about your family. They allow us to benefit and build from the work already done by others and save us from countless hours of pouring through original records.
Experts elaborate on how to use computers and the Internet in seeking out family connections.
Vital Records Many birth, death, and marriage certificates still exist. In the United States, they re called vital records, while outside the U.S. they re generally referred to as civil registration records. These records about the events that shape our lives are considered primary sources of genealogical information because they were recorded at the time the event took place. They are also excellent sources for confirming names and dates you ve found in secondary records. Religious Records Very often, religious records are the only source for information in early American communities, and in Europe, church records sometimes began decades or even centuries before any government registration.