This person's name, usually in the romanized form or in Chinese characters, is crucial for one's genealogical research. In all likelihood, the name of the immigrant ancestor may be found in records abroad, albeit in a slightly different form due to reasons such as romanization and spelling errors. Knowing specific dates such as those of immigration, birth or death would certainly help in locating these records. Once you have established this connection, you may start to broaden your genealogical research. It is also important to pinpoint the place of origin of one's ancestor.
People often maintain ties to the ancestral birthplace or homeland when they move.
Unfortunately, these ties get eroded over time and as migration becomes more widespread in the family, clan or ethnic community. It is then wise for one to approach older generations when it comes to family origins as they are likely to know more. People stumble upon valuable genealogical treasure in the course of these interviews more often than not. Such sources are lost forever when the older generations pass on and it becomes harder to trace one's ancestral ties. It is thus imperative that one learns about the relevant ethnic organizations for research purposes.