Finding People, Stories, and Records
MyCousins contains many kinds of pages created over time. While the site continues to evolve, several consistent tools make it easier to find people, stories, and records.
This page offers a simple overview of how to move through the site.
Using the Main Menu
The main menu provides access to key sections of MyCousins, including family pages and hubs, obituaries and profiles, topic areas, and research reflections. Menu items are designed to point toward major entry areas rather than individual stories.
Family Pages as Entry Points
For many visitors, the easiest place to begin is with a family page. Family pages gather related people, stories, and records into one place, helping visitors understand connections without needing prior knowledge.
From a family page, it is often possible to follow links outward to individual profiles, obituaries, and related families.
Using Search
The site search can be helpful when looking for a specific name, surname, place, or topic. Because names may appear in multiple spellings across records, trying more than one variation can be useful.
Exploring Topics and Essays
Topic pages and essays explore broader themes such as immigration, work, faith, identity, or research methods. These pages often link to related families, individuals, or documents.
Records and Documents
Records and document pages focus on original sources such as census records, church registers, and historical documents. These pages often explain where the record came from and how it is used in research.
No Wrong Starting Point
There is no single correct way to explore MyCousins. Some visitors begin with a name, others with a story, and others with a family line. Following curiosity is encouraged.
If something feels confusing, it may simply reflect the complexity of family history itself.