Unleash the power of a genealogy forum!

A genealogy forum is a free and effective way to find your ancestors, especially if you've hit a brickwall.

My objectives in this section are to:

Introduce you to the most popular boards.

Show you how to sign-up.

How to search and post your own genealogy queries.

Genealogy forums have been around for quite awhile. As a result, there is a wealth of information and folks willing to help you with your research.

Let's take a look at a very popular board named GenForum.

You can find it by visiting this link:

GenForum Message Board Under the heading "Forum Finder" you'll see an empty text box. For this example, I typed in the surname "Lytle" and hit the "Find" button.

I was lucky and found the "Lytle Family Genealogy Forum". After clicking on this link, you are presented with a list of the most current messages posted by other genealogists researching the Lytle surname.

A word of caution. Never accept any information you find in forums as the absolute truth. A genealogy forum should be used as a stepping stone to further research and you should always verify any information that may be of interest.

If you are unable to find any useful messages try narrowing your search by entering specific words in the "Search this forum" box and hit the "Go" button.

If your search is successful or even if it isn't, you'll want to register with the forums that interest you. Doing so will allow to post responses or queries. Your research interests will be seen by thousands of genealogists around the world!

Writing and Posting a Successful Query

The following tips will help you write and post a successful query to the message boards of your choice. Even if you think your name is so obscure, you'll be amazed at the response you receive.

Make your surnames stand out. Type them in uppercase letters. i.e. SMITH

Keep it brief! No one likes to read through a long-winded query. Include all pertinent information like birth date, marriage date, death date, etc. The following is an example of a well crafted query:

SMITH, John - I am trying to find the parents for John SMITH, born 5 July 1898 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He married Emma BLYSTON in 1920. They had three daughters.

Pinpoint your ancestor's location. When posting a query to the message boards, try and mention the town or state where they resided. This really helps if your ancestor had a very common surname.

Stick to one subject! Don't write a query in which you ask for information on your great grandmother, your great uncle Bill and and various cousins. Post separate queries. If you don't other researchers will just ignore your message.

Pay it forward. Quite simply if others have helped you on the message boards return the favour by providing others with information.

Other popular genealogy forums include Rootsweb and Ancestry. Return to Home Page from Genealogy Forum

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