home sources

A source is defined as a thing or place from which something derives or is obtained. As it pertains to genealogy, the home can be thought of as a repository of family information, and home sources represent family records found in the home. Home sources may include anything from birth, marriage, and death records; to diaries, journals, and letters; to photographs and memorabilia.

The advice given to new family history researchers is to begin with home sources. That advice applies not only to new researchers, but can also apply to any new research problem and tackling a brick wall. Home sources help researchers determine what is known and what has yet to be determined. In addition to providing concrete information, home sources play an important role in providing clues for researching the unknown.