New Year’s Resolutions for Genealogists: Setting Goals for a Successful Year of Research

As the new year begins, genealogists—both novice and experienced—have the perfect opportunity to reflect on their research progress and set new goals for the year ahead. Whether you’re just starting your family tree or working on breaking through stubborn brick walls, setting clear and achievable resolutions can help keep your genealogy journey organized, exciting, and productive.

In this guide, we’ll explore practical New Year’s resolutions for genealogists, along with helpful tips, tools, and websites to make 2024 your most successful year of family history research yet!

1. Organize Your Genealogy Research

A new year is a great time to declutter, reorganize, and structure your family history files—both digital and physical.

✅ Resolutions for Organizing Your Genealogy:

📂 Sort and Label Digital Files – Ensure your scanned documents and family photos are named properly (e.g., “Smith_JohnBirthCert_1892”).
📑 Create a Consistent Filing System – Store documents in folders by surname, location, or record type.
📸 Digitize Paper Records – Scan old letters, photos, and documents to Google Drive, Dropbox, or an external hard drive.
📅 Use a Research Log – Keep track of searches, sources, and findings in Google Sheets, Evernote, or a genealogy notebook.

📌 Helpful Tools for Genealogy Organization:

Evernote (www.evernote.com) – Great for note-taking and organizing research.
Trello (www.trello.com) – Use boards and lists to track family history projects.
Google Drive (www.drive.google.com) – Store and back up digital records.
Legacy Family Tree Software (www.legacyfamilytree.com) – Helps manage large family trees efficiently.

👉 Tip: Create a backup plan—store digital files in multiple places, including an external hard drive and a cloud service.

2. Break Through a Brick Wall

Every genealogist has at least one ancestor who seems impossible to trace. Make 2024 the year you focus on overcoming that roadblock!

✅ Strategies for Breaking Down Brick Walls:

🔎 Reanalyze Old Records – Go back over previous findings for missed details.
📰 Search Newspapers for Clues – Obituaries, marriage notices, and local news may hold hidden gems.
🌍 Explore DNA Matches – A fresh DNA connection may lead to new relatives and records.
📜 Look at Alternative Records – Check land deeds, tax rolls, and probate records for more insights.

📌 Websites to Help Solve Genealogy Brick Walls:

Chronicling America (chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) – Free access to historical newspapers.
U.S. GenWeb Project (www.usgenweb.org) – Local genealogy resources by county and state.
GEDmatch (www.gedmatch.com) – Advanced DNA analysis and cousin matching.
National Archives (www.archives.gov) – Government records, military service, and immigration files.

👉 Tip: If you’re stuck on an ancestor, create a timeline of their life—listing every known fact can reveal missing pieces or research gaps.

3. Expand Your Family Tree with DNA Testing

If you haven’t taken a DNA test yet, the new year is the perfect time to start! If you have, consider exploring more advanced DNA tools to refine your research.

✅ Genealogy DNA Resolutions:

🧬 Take a DNA Test – Choose from AncestryDNA, 23andMe, MyHeritage, or FamilyTreeDNA.
🔍 Analyze DNA Matches – Identify common ancestors and build new branches on your tree.
📑 Transfer DNA Results to Other Databases – Upload raw DNA data to GEDmatch, MyHeritage, or FamilyTreeDNA for more cousin connections.
📖 Learn More About Genetic Genealogy – Read books like The Family Tree Guide to DNA Testing and Genetic Genealogy by Blaine Bettinger.

📌 Best DNA Testing Services for Genealogists:

AncestryDNA (http://www.ancestry.com/dna) – Best for cousin matching.
23andMe (www.23andme.com) – Offers health and ancestry insights.
MyHeritage DNA (http://www.myheritage.com/dna) – Strong for European ancestry.
FamilyTreeDNA (www.familytreedna.com) – Great for Y-DNA and mtDNA testing.

👉 Tip: Use the “What Are The Odds?” (WATO) tool at DNA Painter to estimate relationships between unknown DNA matches.

4. Share Your Family History with Others

Researching family history is exciting, but sharing your discoveries makes it even more meaningful.

✅ Ways to Share Your Research in 2024:

📖 Write a Family History Book – Compile documents, stories, and photos into a self-published book.
🎥 Record Family Interviews – Capture your elders’ stories on video or audio.
🖼 Create a Digital Family Tree – Use Ancestry.com, FamilySearch, or MyHeritage to share with relatives.
🌍 Plan a Genealogy Trip – Visit ancestral hometowns, cemeteries, or historical sites.

📌 Great Tools for Sharing Family History:

StoryCorps (www.storycorps.org) – Record and preserve family oral histories.
Shutterfly (www.shutterfly.com) – Print family history photo books.
Wix or WordPress – Create a family history website to share research.

👉 Tip: Set a goal to write one ancestor biography per month—this makes sharing history more manageable.

5. Learn Something New About Genealogy

Genealogy is always evolving, so make lifelong learning a resolution in 2024!

✅ Ways to Expand Your Genealogy Knowledge:

🎓 Take an Online Course – Learn from Legacy Family Tree Webinars or National Genealogical Society.
📚 Read Genealogy Books – Titles like The Genealogist’s Guide to Researching Historic Newspapers are great resources.
🖥 Watch YouTube Tutorials – Channels like Ancestry, FamilySearch, and Genealogy TV offer valuable tips.
📝 Attend a Genealogy Conference – RootsTech, FGS, and NGS conferences are great for networking and learning.

📌 Genealogy Education Resources:

Legacy Family Tree Webinars (www.familytreewebinars.com)
RootsTech Conference (www.rootstech.org)
National Genealogical Society (www.ngsgenealogy.org)

👉 Tip: Join a genealogy Facebook group or forum to ask questions and share research ideas.

Final Thoughts: Make 2024 Your Best Year in Genealogy

Genealogy is a lifelong journey, and setting realistic and inspiring resolutions will keep you motivated throughout the year. Whether you focus on organization, breaking brick walls, DNA research, or storytelling, each step brings you closer to preserving and honoring your family’s history.

Which genealogy goals will you set this year? Share your resolutions in the comments!

Additional Genealogy Resources:

📜 Free Family History Research: FamilySearch
📖 Genealogy Learning: Legacy Webinars
🧬 DNA Research Tools: GEDmatch

Start your 2024 genealogy journey today—your ancestors’ stories are waiting to be discovered! 🎉🔍