Once you post your very own family tree, similar-minded researchers whose ancestry you may have something in common with could find you, and vice versa. Surnames could also be posted in rootsweb via the Surname Rootsweb List. This is a registry that contains more than a million surnames as submitted by almost three hundred thousand genealogists online. As you can see it has four strokes so you can find this character at the page 4 for the lists of the same radicals. Another method of looking for a character is through the use of four corner method. In this system, the characters are classified into the shape of the four corners. On the other hand, a lot of Chinese-English dictionaries utilize the system of pinyin romanization. Insert the names of your ancestors, the date of their births, deaths, marriage as you discover each detail. Make extra copies Any source material you gather is best to be photocopied especially if they are source printed materials. File them all in folders with appropriate labels such as the name of the relative. You might also want to get in touch with neighbors or people who have worked with older family members. Check your locality. Go to your local or state schools, courthouses and churches for records about your family. Civil records like wills, deeds, land or property transfers are kept at courthouses. You can also ask for copies of certificates from the Bureau of Vital Statistics. Your long time friend with the same surname like yours may be your long lost relative in the end. The genealogy with regards to culture is also important because this is where we usually base most of our traditions that even up to now exists. A good example of the timeless tradition is the incorporation of herbal medicines in treating some illnesses. If you have foreign roots, you might have a little difficulty since records may have been lost or destroyed or written in a foreign language. Unless of course, you have British roots. The Brits have kept a good record of genealogy for research purposes and their books are an excellent source. In American shores, the Mormon church has the best written copies of documents containing genealogical data.