How to document your family history step by step

Why document your family history

Every family has stories that only those who lived them know. The grandfather who emigrated with a suitcase and two photographs, the grandmother who raised six children on her own, the uncle who taught half the neighborhood to play chess. These are stories told at dinner tables but rarely documented.

When those people are gone, their stories disappear with them. In two or three generations, nobody remembers their names or what they did. Documenting your family's history is the way to prevent that from happening.

Step 1: Collect the stories

Start with what you already know. Talk to the older members of your family and ask specific questions:

Where they came from and what their childhood was like.
What the most important moments of their life were.
What work they did and what it meant to them.
What values they would like the family to continue upholding.

It doesn't need to be a formal interview. A relaxed conversation during a family meal can provide more material than you imagine.

Step 2: Gather visual material

Photographs are the perfect complement to any story. Search through albums, boxes, and drawers:

Childhood and youth photographs.
Images of key moments: weddings, graduations, trips, family gatherings.
Significant documents: letters, diplomas, newspaper clippings.

Digitize everything you can. A scanner or even your phone camera can turn physical material into permanent digital files.

Step 3: Organize the information

Once you have stories and visual material, organize it chronologically. For each family member, create a basic outline:

Biographical data: full name, dates, place of birth.
Main life milestones.
Photographs associated with each period.
A personal description: what they were like, what defined them, what mark they left.

Step 4: Create the digital profiles

With all that information, you can create profiles on Vestigia for each family member. Vestigia allows creating managed profiles for people who have passed away or who cannot do it themselves.

Each profile includes:

A complete biography.
A timeline of their life achievements and milestones.
A gallery of photographs and videos.
Even a space for the pets that were part of their life.

Once the profiles are created, share them with the rest of the family. Other members may be able to contribute more data, more photographs, or correct a detail. A family legacy is a living project that can grow over time.

An archive for always

The advantage of documenting your family's history on a platform like Vestigia is that the content is designed to last. It doesn't depend on a social network changing its policies or a hard drive breaking down. It's a public, accessible archive that your grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and the generations after them will be able to consult.

Start documenting your family's history and make sure their stories aren't lost.