Now that you’ve decided to go searching, it’s time to ask yourself some questions, like “how many generations back do I want to look?” Better yet, “which side of the family am I interested in?”

To help you figure this out, or to simply be inspired, read through this website and find out how to get started. The staff at your New Brunswick public library and bookmobile are waiting to help you. Join the search today!

Family history is all about gathering personal historical details about a family, including occupations, significant or amusing facts, or memories. Someone doing a family history will include biographical information, stories and anecdotes, family connections and ties. They will generally do more detailed research and go into greater details than for a family's genealogy.

A family history looks at people, places and events and while it offers more information on the family and its members, it does not trace the family name or line back quite as far as a genealogy would.

Genealogy is less focused on personal histories and concentrates more on the people and basic facts – it is tracing the ancestry or lineage of families and individuals. A genealogy traces a family line, and sometimes other branches of the family, back for many many generations, often going back as far in time as records permit.

If you’d like to see how it’s done, check out our start on Richard Hatfield’s genealogy.

New Brunswick’s public libraries have compiled a list of resources to get you started on your way to genealogical research. And don’t forget, we’re always here to lend a hand if you are stuck and asking “now where do I go?” or “what do I do?”

So let's get started!

If you are wondering where to find genealogy resources, then you’ve come to the right place!

We can help point you in the right direction on your journey through genealogical research. You can explore the tools that New Brunswick’s public libraries offer you on the Library Resources and Local Collections pages. The tools we can offer you come in the form of books, magazines or microfilm, and web-based services.

You can also discover the most popular websites, such as the Canadian Genealogy Centre, and uncover a multitude of free tools.

Find it all here, whether “it” is a specific resource, a nudge in the right direction or the creative spark you were looking for!