Genealogy has become an extremely popular pastime, largely thanks to the internet providing far greater access to the wealth of information which is available. More and more people are becoming curious about discovering their ancestry. Considering looking into your family history? Here are a few tips and pointers to start you off ...

Getting started

Have you ever wondered who your ancestors were? When you start looking into your family history you could be in for some surprises. Don't expect to complete your search in a few weeks, and remember that there will be certain expenses - you'll probably have to pay for some documents, and you might need to spend money on travel, stamps and phone calls.

A cost-effective and useful way to start your research is to get online, and News Shopper is here to help ...

Get online

News Shopper offers you CommuniGate, a free and easy service which allows you to create your own website.

You can create a mini site in your family name. Friends and distant relatives will be able to contact you from around the world. They can keep you informed on their research and update you with information they have found.

Other people with the same surname who may have a connection to you can contact you through your web pages to pool resources and discuss possible links on your family tree.

Alternatively, you can find people who share your surname and contribute to their research.

CommuniGate is very user-friendly. You can add as much information as you like in an effort to trace ancestors and living relatives. If you have any luck let us know by email as a little success goes a long way in keeping morale high through those hours of endless searching!

Click to set up a CommuniGate site

Click to use News Shopper's Where Are They? message board

Click here for more family history help