Genealogy   Tags: ancestry, genealogy  

        Genealogy is the study of the history of one's ancestral pedigree or family tree which traces relatives back to their origins.  The process involves collecting the names of relatives, living and deceased, and proving a connection between them with documentation and circumstantial evidence.   The etymology of the word “genealogy” is "Middle English genealogie, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin genealogia, from Greek, from genea race, family + -logia -logy; akin to Greek genos race (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/genealogy).

        This guide is designed to help you learn more about genealogy and the tools you can use to begin your genealogical research. Your research materials may include printed and electronic resources such as: monographs, reference books, journals, abstracts, indexes, electronic databases, Web sites, bibliographies, library catalogs, Internet catalogs, digital collections, microfiche, microfilm, government documents, and newspapers. However your research may require old-fashioned legwork (visiting cemeteries, libraries, and municipalities), letter writing, and photography.