TIPS TO TRACE YOUR
OWN HISTORY WHILE
CELEBRATING AMERICA’S
Millions of Americans will spend some time in 2026
commemorating 250 years of United States history.
The U.S. turns 250 in July 2026, and the summer
fi gures to be an especially celebratory time across the 50 states.
As Americans engage with their nation’s history, they might
be compelled to learn more about their personal history as
well. Genealogy has become a popular pastime in the twenty
fi rst century, and the National Archives offers these tips to
anyone looking to do some digging into their personal history
as they celebrate 250 years of the United States.
• Start with yourself. The National Archives recommends
starting with the person you know best: yourself. Your own
personal details can serve as a starting point as you work toward
more unknown facets of your family history. After you
note all of your own details, learn and document all you can
about your parents and then do the same in relation to your
grandparents.
• Emphasize four vital components. The National Archive
notes that names, dates, places, and relationships are the tools
of the family researcher. That’s because these nuggets of information
have long been used to identify people in public
records.
• Peruse any existing family archives. Many families have kept
their own archives over the years, even if that record-keeping
was not widely known within a family. A relative might have
kept various types of documents that help to paint a picture
of your genealogy. Ask around in the family to see if anyone
has kept records, which might include:
- Newspaper clippings
- Birth and death certifi cates
- Military certifi cates
- Marriage licenses
- Letters
- Diaries
- Photographs/photo books
- Scrapbooks
• Let others know. Inform family
members near and far that you’re working on a genealogy
project. A relative might have beaten you to it, and that person
could have lots of valuable information and documents
to share. Others might be able to point you toward a relative
who has become the unoffi cial family historian. In addition,
cousins and aunts and uncles might have records from their
own immediate families, which can help you as you conduct
your own research.
• Access government records. The U.S. federal census dates all
the way back to 1790, which makes it a potentially excellent
source of information for your project. State and county archives
also can be wonderful resources that keep records of
births, deaths, marriages, and other notable events that can
help people trace their family histories. Even local libraries
might have records of your family, especially if your family
has been settled in the same area for a signifi cant amount of
time.
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