Even with the wealth of genealogical information available online, there is still no substitute for good, old-fashioned fieldwork. A genealogy trip can take you to courthouse files, local newspapers, and family papers that have not been digitized. Before traveling, check whether the records can be ordered or viewed from home so you can save your visit for the work you can only do there.
Cemeteries can offer clues beyond an online memorial, too. You may find a stone that has not been photographed or notice nearby burials worth investigating. Being buried close together suggests a possible connection, but it does not prove a family relationship. Check those clues against records.
Finally, there is nothing like walking in the footsteps of your ancestors, seeing the towns where they lived, and perhaps finding the house where they resided. These details help you see them as people, beyond the names and dates on your family tree. Here is how to plan your next genealogy research trip and make good use of your time.
Know What You Need to Find and Where to Find It
Once you have chosen an ancestor’s hometown, write down a few questions you want to answer. “Find out more about the family” is hard to plan around. “Look for a probate file that names Mary’s children” gives you a record to seek and a reason to seek it. Bring a short timeline, known addresses, and spelling variations so you can tell your ancestor from someone with the same name.
Search catalogs and finding aids before you go. Check which county, town, or parish kept records when your ancestor lived there, since boundaries and record offices may have changed. A record created locally may now be in a regional or state archive. Ask the current custodian where the originals are held and whether the years you need survive.
The following are useful starting places, especially for research in the United States. Record systems and access rules vary by location:
- Vital records, including birth, marriage, and death records: local clerks, county offices, state vital records offices, or archives, depending on the place and date.
- Wills and estate inventories: the probate court or the archive holding its older files. Ask about the complete estate file, not just the recorded will.
- Old newspapers: public libraries, historical societies, newspaper offices, or state libraries. Ask about microfilm and local indexes as well as online collections.
- Land records: the county recorder, register of deeds, town clerk, or an archive. Old maps and directories may help locate a former home.
- Personal papers, photographs, and local histories: historical societies, museums, libraries, and manuscript collections.
- Cemetery registers and plot maps: the cemetery office, sexton, church, municipal office, or an archive. The custodian may know about unmarked graves.
Confirm Access Before You Travel
Contact each repository before booking around a visit. Give staff the names, dates, places, and collections you hope to research. Ask these questions:
- Will the reading room be open on my dates, and do I need an appointment or researcher registration?
- Are the records on site, or must staff retrieve them in advance? Are there request deadlines or daily limits?
- What identification, fees, or access restrictions apply?
- May I photograph records? Are laptops, scanners, bags, or binders allowed? What payment methods do you accept for copies?
Policies differ even within one organization. The National Archives advises checking the specific facility for appointment requirements and contacting staff ahead of an in-person visit. Do the same for smaller local offices. Recheck hours shortly before leaving, especially around holidays.
Build a simple morning-and-afternoon schedule, putting your most important records first. Allow time for parking, registration, lunch, and travel between stops. Keep a backup stop in case an office closes, and leave room for a promising lead. You will enjoy the trip more if every hour is not already spoken for.
What to Bring
Pack for the rules of the places you plan to visit. A laptop is useful, but paper notes or a tablet can work just as well. Keep these basics ready:
- Your research questions, family timeline, and copies of key records, saved offline or printed.
- A phone or camera, charger, power bank, and enough storage for images.
- A notebook, pencils, and a folder for copies. Leave restricted items in the designated storage area.
- Identification, any registration or appointment details, and funds for copies, admission, parking, and travel.
- Comfortable shoes, weather protection, water for outdoor visits, and saved directions in case reception is poor.
The Purpose of These Items
Your tools should help you record what you find without losing track of where it came from. Follow staff instructions for handling documents. Photograph only what is permitted, and check that each image is readable before moving on. Include a book’s title page or the identifying information for a file, along with the pages you need.
Keep a research log with the repository, collection, volume or box, page or file number, date searched, and result. Link each note to its photo filename. A sample entry might read: “County archive, Probate Book B, page 42, photo IMG_0142: children named in the will.” This is a format example, not a record of a real family. Also record searches that found nothing, including the names and years checked.
At the end of each day, back up your photos and notes in a second place. Separate what a record actually says from what you think it means. You can compare the evidence and update your family tree after you have had time to review it.
Visit Cemeteries and Family Homes with Care
Check cemetery hours and access arrangements. Ask permission before entering private property, including a former family home or a cemetery reached through private land. Photograph the whole marker, its inscription, and nearby graves when allowed. Note the cemetery name and plot location so you can find it again.
Leave gardening tools off your research packing list. Do not dig around, move, or try to repair a marker. Obtain permission and proper preservation guidance before any cleaning. The National Park Service warns that cleaning can damage a stone’s surface and advises against bleach, wire brushes, and harsh cleaning methods. For an ordinary research visit, take photographs and ask the custodian about unreadable or damaged stones.
Review What You Found
Your next genealogy trip can be a rewarding experience even if it does not answer every question. Before you head home, review your notes for missing citations or photographs you can still obtain. List the questions that remain. Then set aside time to organize the results, following the steps in Genealogy Debriefing After a Genealogy Trip. A thoughtful plan and careful notes will help you keep the discoveries you worked so hard to make.
