Guides for everyday family historians
KithMaker is more than a chart-builder. These guides are written by hand for parents, students, and amateur genealogists who want to do the work themselves — without subscriptions or jargon.
Every article on this page is original, written in-house, and updated as new free archives and best practices become available. We focus on the practical bits other genealogy sites skip: how to actually finish a family tree, how to interview an elderly relative without making it awkward, how to handle blended families on a school assignment, and which free record sets push your research the furthest.
The guides are designed to be read in 7–11 minutes and to leave you with a clear next step. If you are brand new, start with How to build a family tree from scratch. If you have hit a research wall, jump into the genealogy research playbook.
How to build a family tree from scratch
A complete walk-through — from gathering names at the kitchen table to producing a clean, printable chart you can share with the whole family.
9 min read
Genealogy research: a beginner's playbook
Free archives, smart search tricks, and the records that actually move your tree forward when you hit a brick wall.
11 min read
Family tree for school: a parent's guide
What teachers usually want, how to handle blended and adoptive families with care, and a stress-free workflow for the night before it's due.
7 min read
How to interview older relatives (without making it awkward)
The 20 questions that consistently unlock the best stories, plus how to record, transcribe, and preserve what you hear.
8 min read