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There are several surname genealogy options available for anyone hoping to document their family tree.  In order to properly understand and document your Y-DNA test results for your male ancestors, which is also called surname genealogy, you will need to do some basic genealogical research.

Begin with the person you know best; yourself!  Using a website that facilitates ancestry searches, begin by writing everything you know about your origins and those of your family.

List the names and birthplaces of your parents and your grandparents if you know them.  Go back as far as you can.  Whether you know a lot about your family history or a little, this is a good place to start.

If you choose a more traditional approach, write about your family history offline, the old fashioned way.  Get a paperboard and construct a family tree using documents and photographs.  In these modern times your display may include website addresses that contain audio and video files from your family uploaded to the web.

Creating a family history book is an exciting project that capitalizes on the scrapbooking hobby so popular today.  There are several websites that can help you with design ideas for your project.  A quick search on scrapbooking will bring you many choices.

One of the best resources for information about your family is your oldest family members.  Talk to them and get them involved; your grandparents, aunts and uncles, your great-grandparents if they are living.  They have many interesting stories to tell but often won’t offer them up because they think no one is interested.

If you show an interest in their early years you’ll be amazed at what you learn.  You’ll see these family members in a whole new light and you’ll have a treasure trove of new information to write down and share with future generations.

If you decide to interview older relatives, consult with a website that has ideas on the types of questions to get you started.  Once you have the information, the most exciting aspect of surname genealogy is to share it with other family members so that your ancestry becomes a well-worn tale.

The traditional research methods described above coupled with modern day Genealogy DNA testing will bring you many hours of fascinating fun.

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