It is important to be as accurate as possible in genealogy. The two essential tools are the primary and secondary sources or documents. Primary sources are records close to the time of any event. For example, the marriage date of your grandparents is a primary source. A copy of the marriage license, a church parish registration or even a newspaper clipping at the time of the wedding with the exact date gives the proof of the marriage along with full names and location.

A secondary source was generally created long after the event occurred and is not as reliable because of a span of years. For example, on a death registration there might be a birth month, day and year information for the deceased. However, that information was provided years after the birth by someone who may not have been at that individual’s birth. An informal source that is also secondary might be an uncle’s writing in later years about when he attended his sister’s wedding. He could be off on his dates or even where it occurred. Secondary sources are still useful, but not as acceptable as primary sources.

Research and verifying information are the keys to genealogy. Never accept someone else’s written lineage as being 100% truthful, especially the hundreds that are placed on Internet web sites. If the submitter did not use primary sources and verify each bit of information with as many different sources, there could be mistakes. When you find similar family lineages, use them as a guide, a springboard to point you in the right direction.

This is where a high level of patience is desired. Even primary sources can have errors. A marriage registration clerk might have misunderstood the spelling of a name or other information verbally given by the bride and groom. That license then could have the wrong information on it forever.

The most important aspect is to maintain a list of where you acquired the information. Nothing elaborate, just a record of where the information came from so anyone else can go to those sources to investigate. Any researcher wants the most accurate information by using both primary and secondary sources.