Names and dates
Collect full names, nicknames, maiden names, and spelling variants. Approximate birth, marriage, and death dates are helpful; label estimates and explain their origin.
Places and relationships
Write down residences, occupations, churches, spouses, parents, siblings, and children. Distinguish what you know from what you suspect.
Records and existing work
Gather URLs for census entries, certificates, obituaries, family-tree profiles, and prior research. Check that shared links can be opened by the intended recipient, and avoid sharing passwords.
Your question and context
Explain what you want to learn and what you have already tried. Share family stories as clues, including who told them. Avoid unnecessary sensitive information about living people.