Then go ahead and read this: To get started with your own search for those long, departed ancestors and to better explain your unique name, it is wise to start with these few tips on doing family name search before going online and finding out what sites offer free service: Do several searches instead of focusing on just one. As time pass by, new generations of society are born and at the same time, traditions and other cultures are revised as well. Why is it important to trace one s genealogy? Tracing your past ancestors can give meaning to your existence. We often wonder why do we have this kind of trait or where does our physical attribute originated in the first place? Cultures all over the globe (well, at least most of them) put the surname after the first names. That is why it is sometimes called the last name. But this is not true for the Chinese culture. They, on the other hand, place their last names first and their first names last (get that?). There are several ways of getting a surname. FamilySearch is a collection of programs and files that can help an individual in his search for his ancestors. Inclusive in FamilySearch are: Family history Library catalog, the International Genealogical Index, Ancestral file, the SSDI, church records from Scotland, and the US military index. Not only are they focusing on online searches, they also have their so-called family history centers that you can visit to do family history work free of charge! Ask anything and everything When you begin the interview process, record first each of their names, their nickname if they have any , as well as the places and dates of their marriage or birth. Ask any of your relatives for their experiences during childhood, their jobs, their education, their particular immigration story or history and their family life. A useful page is their Social Security Death Index, that allows you to check for ancestors who have disappeared from public records. The main goal of Rootsweb.com is to give people from all over the world the chance to communicate and compare family ties and probably possible common ancestors. They encourage members to share their records.