Hi ya

My wife is wanting to do a family tree.
Does any one know the best place to start and what program would be best, I see that there are a few free family tree makers on the inter net but are they any good and do you get so far on and then have to pay to go any therther.

All help appreciated

Dave

You only need a program to make it look pretty once you've got a few generations to draw. Start researching first so that you've got some links. Talk to everyone you can before its too late. Get hold of or make copies of every bit of paper (birth marriage death certs) that you can lay your hands on. I didn't start mine until after my Dad died and it's amazing how much disappears when the oldies go.
Chances are that some of your relatives have already started and will be glad to share their findings with you. Sooner or later you're going to have to visit Records Offices (free to look but copies cost) or pay to search on-line censuses etc. The more research you do before you give your credit card to the on-line guys, the less you'll have to pay.
I subscribed for a while to Genes reunited and had a stroke of luck when someone researching his tree came across a connection and let me have his research for free - it bridged a gap that had me stuck.
Good luck!

I have used Family Tree Maker and Roots Magic. Both are good at what they do. I think that you might be able to get a copy of family tree that comes with a few months of access to Ancestry.co.uk, this site is also an excelent resource for names and information. I have got my fathers side of the family back to someone born about 1640 (despite the common family name of Taylor) my mothers side has been a bit more problematical (family name Brown from london) although in fairness I have not spent so long on that side or looking in earnest. Oh and the previous post was good advice.You can also do a fair ammount of low-cost research on line using resources like Camdex (IIRC) for the Cambridge area.

HTH

JGG

my dad did it before the internet just by going to the records place at leeds town hall (or library maybe), but he too got back to the mid 1600s on one strand.

It would be really funny to find some diabolically ddistant relative and send them a birthday card

The Frioends re-united (genes re-united) site is actually quite good and although its £9.00 a half you get some good hits to help you on your way

linky

This site has a very simple family tree program that will run from a memory stick

Brothers Keeper is reputed to be the easiest and most compatible database. Not only that but it is FREE.

I would tend to stay away from any sites that say they will do it for you for a cost. You can find as much information on the internet without costing one penny.

HTH

Tom

Brothers Keeper

[Edited on 25/1/11 by se7en]

[Edited on 25/1/11 by se7en]

My father recently used Treedraw. It's not free but is quite cheap. I've not had much experience with it but he liked it!

http://treedraw.spansoft.org/