Hi Jeannie72

The best place to start is with what you do know from known verified facts - getting a birth certificate is the best, if not a marriage certificate and work backwards from there. Always start from something definite that way you don't go off in the wrong direction and end up spending heaps of time and money tracing the wrong person or family.

1. Birth Certificate if possible will show parents and possibly marriage date and place if known. It depends on where it was registered.

2. Marriage certificate for parents - should show fathers names for both Bride and Groom and their occupations and if you are really lucky sometimes it gives the mothers information as well.

3. Death certificates - not always accurate as the informant only goes on what they think they know at the time it may or may not be correct, but it may give some more family information.

4. Check the Census or Electoral Rolls for the relevant names and dates.

5. Give as much detail as you can for the person you are researching on the board - names, dates, places etc to help us to help you find any information if possible. Please don't give personal information if the person you are researching is still living.

6. Check, check and recheck all the information you are given, by purchasing certificates or transcripts to verify the information.

And, this is THE most important one of all Cross your fingers and toes and hope that all the information slots together from the certificates and information that you have gathered and that you haven't gone on a wild goose chase.

And have fun and think of it as a treasure hunt you never know what you might find.

Happy hunting.