Riverton FamilySearch Library - QSG—Finding Ancestors Using the FamilySearch Research Wiki Rev. 02/15/17 Page 1 of 5

Finding Ancestors Using the Family History Research Wiki

Family History Research Wiki is an extremely valuable tool we can use to learn how to find information on our ancestors. It offers information on how to find, use, and analyze records of genealogical value. This guide will show you how to find specific information on an ancestor by using the Wiki to Search by Locations. You will need to know the possible location of an event you are interested in as well as the time period. An easy way to get to the Research Wiki is from familysearch.org. Click “Search” and then “Wiki.” You can also enter https://familysearch.org/wiki in your browser address field. The Family History Research Wiki has a menu list on the left side of every Wiki page. The first six topics in the menu will be covered in this guide. A. Wiki Home: 1. On any Research Wiki page, click “Wiki Home” to return to the home page. 2. Search by place or topic. Enter a place name of a topic you are interested in to find it in

the Wiki. 3. Review the search tips. 4. Click on an area of the map. An example in detail will be shown under

“Browse by Country” on Page 4. 5. Click “All Countries” for an alphabetical listing of countries. 6. Click either the Icon above or the “The Research Process” link below the “New to Genealogy” title for help in

understanding the steps needed in doing family history research. 7. Click either the Icon above or the “How to Use the Wiki” link below the “New to the Wiki?” title for helpful

information, instruction, and resources to learn more about the Wiki and improve your Wiki experience.

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B. Wiki Tools: 1. “Notifications of Changes-Watching Pages” As with Family Tree,

you can choose to “Watch” a page and be notified when changes are made.

2. “Categories” or Topics allow you to view articles that are related.

3. “Talk Pages” allow you to ask a question or request Wiki contributors to add information to a page.

4. “Navigating The Wiki” provides suggestions for finding your way through the Wiki.

5. “Learn more about using the Wiki” provides a link to pages with information on the following: “Basic Wiki Searches,” “About the Wiki,” “Keys to Success Using the Wiki,” and a place to “Ask a Question”.

C. About the Wiki: 1. The About Us page gives interesting background on the Wiki.

Below the Welcome section there are six items listed under “To use the Wiki in your search for ancestral records you will need to be prepared.”

They also point out that it is helpful to know the following two pieces of information before you begin your search: a. A possible location where your ancestor may have lived: a town, city, county, state, or nation. b. A general time frame of the time between their births and their deaths.

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Additional research advice can be found on: Get Started in the Wiki Help: Keys to Success Using the Wiki Success Stories Rookie Mistakes Family History for Beginners Identify What You Know Obtain and Search the Records Use the Information

One of the following articles can help you decide where to look first for a puzzling question: Name Variation; Date; Place Easiest to Research Person and Event Record Type to Use There are also Icons with a link to pages for on “Getting Started in the Wiki” and “Family History for Beginners.”

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D. Online Genealogy Records: Online Genealogy Records by Location contains links to online records for different states, provinces, or countries. These online records may include birth records, marriage records, death records, biographies, cemeteries, censuses, church records, histories, immigration records, land records, maps, military records, native races, naturalizations, newspapers, obituaries, or probate records.

Contents:

U.S. Online Genealogy Records by State U.S. Online Genealogy Records by Record Type Major U.S. Cities Online Genealogy Records Africa—Online Genealogy Records currently available Asia and the Pacific—Online Genealogy Records

currently available British Isles—Online Genealogy Records currently

available

Canada Online and North America Genealogy Records Europe—Online Genealogy Records currently

available Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean—Online

Genealogy Records currently available South America—Online Genealogy Records currently

available

1. As an example, select “U.S. Online Genealogy Records by State.

2. Click on “Colorado Online Genealogy Records.”

3. This is just an example. Scrolling down the page will show entries for online records of: American Indians, Archives and Libraries, Biographies, Cemeteries, Census, Compiled Genealogies, Court Records, Directories, History, Land Records, Maps, Military Records, Naturalization, Newspapers, Obituaries, Probate Records and Tax Records.

Remember, this is just a list of records that are online. There are many more that are available that are not online.

E. Browse by Country: This link will provide an alphabetical listing by country. An example in detail will be shown under “Browse by Country” on Page 4. F. Browse All Wiki

Content: Online Genealogy Records Wiki pages contain links to online records for different states, provinces, or countries. These online records may include birth records, marriage records, death records, biographies, cemeteries, censuses, church records, histories, immigration records, land records, maps, military records, native races, naturalizations, newspapers, obituaries, or probate records. 1. Articles by Location. Select from six (6) locations. 2. Articles by Topic. Select from seven (7) topics. Images. Lists available images by various subcategories.

Wiki Administration. Contains technical infor-mation for contributors.

3. Wiki Help. Select from three (3) categories.

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Browse by Country: From the Wiki home page, click on any of the labeled areas on the

map. For our example, click on “North America” to get to the next screen.

1. From the selected locality, you can click on any of the listed names that make up the area.

2. You can also click on the location on the map shown. Click the name “United States” or United States on the map.

3. The United States Genealogy Page opens. All country pages will show similar information.

4. Country Information provides some historical background. 5. Getting Started with U.S. Research has links to articles on U.S.

research. Scroll down for even more or click the “See More Research Strategies” link.

6. U.S. Research Tools section has links to articles to assist you in U.S. research. Scroll down for even more or click the “See More Research Tools” link.

7. The “United States Online Records” button will take you to the available online records for the U.S.

8. The “United States Wiki Topics” section lists the various resources available for U.S. research. a. Beginning Research b. Record Types - all the various types available to search. c. Background information on the United States. d. Information on the various ethnicity groups

in the U.S. e. How to access Local Research Resources.

9. U.S. Clickable Map 10. Click on a state, “Connecticut” in this example. 11. Brings up a page similar to the U.S. Genealogy page.

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Browse by Country: (Continued) Return to the Wiki home page and click on

“Europe” on the map.

Find “Austria” on the map and click on it or use the list of countries under Central Europe and click “Austria.”

1. This brings up a page similar to the U.S. and Connecticut Genealogy pages.

2. Be sure to check out all of the Wiki topics!

3. The map of the provinces of the Austrian Empire until 1918 are shown in the first map.

4. The provinces of modern Austria are shown in the second map.

This can be very helpful because an ancestor may have said he was from Austria, but he may have actually come from any of the countries that once belonged to the Hapsburg Monarchy or the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

5. At the bottom you will often see a list of more research strategies, general or specific to the country.

6. Additional research tools are listed for you to consider.

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