Sharing A Genealogy Book

Family histories come in varying shapes and sizes. No family history book is exactly like any other family history book.  Your own family history book may contain a variety of elements, but even with those elements, it still won’t be just like anyone else’s family history.

Here are some common elements that appear in many family history/genealogy books …

  1. table of contents
  2. title page
  3. copyright page
  4. acknowledgments (or “thank you”) page
  5. pages of numbered listings for family members
  6. family tree charts
  7. family group sheets
  8. photos
  9. documents (birth records, marriage records, death records, service records, SS records, etc.)
  10. family stories
  11. index

If you are working on your own book, it is a good idea to include the first 4 items on the list.

We have worked on family histories with various elements arranged to the liking of the author, and there is no one right way to do it; however, the first four items really should be included in every family history book.

If you’re working on your own family history, it’s never too late to add items as you think of them, until you have added everything you want to include.

Of all the items you can include in your book that will make it unique and memorable, stories and photos are probably two of the most popular.