Our records come from hundreds of local agencies, and there is no huge index or computer file, that covers all of them. In order to find a person, you must have some basic information. Otherwise, you will not know in which records to look for him or her. If you only have scanty information about your ancestors, the first thing to do would naturally be to ask elderly relatives or friends what they remember. Make notes of names, places and dates, although they may not be totally accurate.
Most families have various stories about their past.
Beware of suspicious names and places From parents or grandparents you might have been given names of various ancestors. You might also have been told where they came from, or where they lived. Please remember that many emigrants changed their names. Maybe friends and authorities in the new country had difficulties spelling or pronouncing the original name. Places of origin that you have been told might also be slightly wrong.