What genealogy site or software should I use? There are a lot to choose from and they typically all do a good job of saving your information, but you'll want to explore and try them or explore what features they offer before deciding which one you'll use. You'll want to decide if you want to make it available for the whole family to see; if it should be private; do you want it online or stored on your personal computer; do you want to collaborate with others and so on. There is one site I will recommend and only one that I use, but it's ultimately up to you to find the one that you prefer.
Where do I start? You'll begin by entering your own information, then that of your parents, aunts and uncles, cousins and grandparents. You'll work back in time through each generation that you're aware of. Record everything you do know about everyone you can remember. If you must approximate dates or spellings, that's fine. You'll want to ask relatives what they can recall and add any information you may get from them. That will give you the backbone of your tree and something to begin your research with. And don't worry if you don't know a lot. You may be searching for biological family and don't know anything at all or you might be able to fill in every detail going four generations back. Whatever you know, even if it's next to nothing, is just fine to start with.
How many generations back can I go? That's going to depend on the availability of records, plain and simple. If you've got a relative from the 1700's that you're researching, they may have been quite elusive and if you simply cannot find any records for them, you may hit what we refer to as a brick wall. Brick walls can indeed be overcome, but you may need to travel to find documents, write letters to gain information or even get help from someone like myself.
Can I find out what my last name means? Sometimes, a last name can actually point right to where your ancestors originally came from. It may tell you what a founding family member did for a living. On the other hand, some last names or surnames, have numerous meanings and can originate in different areas of the world. In other instances, a person's surname may have been changed from the original due to spelling issues or due to being anglicized. In summary, you may learn exactly what your last name meant or you may not. Either way, you'll learn so much about how you came to be.
How do I find my family's Coat Of Arms? You'll soon discover that you can buy these from any number of companies out there that offer printing and engraving services. They usually don't have much to do with your family at all. Coats Of Arms weren't granted to families, they were bestowed upon certain individuals and passed down to the male descendants of that person. They're not nearly as important as your family tree, although they make nice conversation pieces.
How long will it take? People do get lucky and find that their tree has already been completed by someone else and recorded on a genealogy site, in a public library, a historical society or on someone's website. Often, people find parts or sections of their tree this way. My best advice when you find a short-cut like this is to always review the information slowly and carefully. People make mistakes and often there will be inaccuracies. Most genealogists' follow one simple rule: If there isn't proof, it didn't happen. As in everything else, taking short-cuts can seem like a great plan, but it can end up with huge mistakes, so be sure to verify everything with the use of historical documents and records.
Can you help me locate a living person? This depends on privacy restrictions and what records are available and which are sealed by law to protect individuals' privacy and identities. In cases of adoption and situations where someone needs to find biological connections, I'm well versed in these types of searches and I've had a lot of success.
Can you prove my Native American ancestry? Native American ancestry can be quite difficult to prove. On top of that, many families have rumors of Native American ancestry that simply can't be proven. If you know what tribe the ancestor was associated with, that helps greatly, though.