Step One
Genealogy is easy to start and a rewarding experience. Here is a basic way of starting:
 
Get pedigree charts and family group sheets.  Make lots of copies. These can be found at any good stationary, book or specialist store. Or, you can contact our secretary via email using the contact us link.

Contact all of your relatives telling them you're going to do family history.  Send them several pedigree charts and family group sheets.  Ask them to fill out and return to you. It also helps if they can supply copies of photos, articles, certificates etc.

Make a "master set" of pedigree charts and family group sheets containing all information from your family.

The next step is to start researching particular lines of the family tree.

Here are examples of the pedigree charts:

 

Here are some resource lists for you to consider...
 

 

Step two
The next step would be to enter the all the information into a database stored in your computer by using one of the many popular family tree programs. A popular and free downloadable program that is easy to use can be found at FamilySearch.org.

Step Three
This is where the difficulty begins, tracing lines back past the memorable family history. There are many methods available to the enthusiast. You can let a professional organisation assist in tracing your family history or you can do the leg work yourself. The best place to start is to know the basic background of your families origins and history. Joining a society, group or organisation where like minded people meet, like our Clan Donald Society of Queensland allows you to utilise the recourses from others in your quest.

A good method in tracing family lines is to obtain relevant birth, death and marriage certificates through the registry office or other sources such as public and church records. There are also large databases around that deal specifically with family line such as http://www.scotgenealogy.com/ or http://www.electricscotland.com/webclans/scotroot.htm.

Step Four
Share your data with your family. It is important to share whatever information you discover with everyone concerned so that the information is not lost and that your enthusiasm to continue searching is maintained through family encouragement.

The DNA Question
Because the Clan Donald genealogy is so strong, they are an ideal group of people to test because known rates of genetic mutation that can be mapped resulting in the establishment of particular family groupings. The hope is that in the future one would be able to identify which part of the clan you may belong to and possibly from which region to help target further genealogical study.

If you wish to know more on this, read Bruce Sykes book; The Seven Daughters of Eve, which traces the female mitochondrial DNA back to seven women in ancient Europe and Africa. His last book; Adam’s Curse is all about the Y-DNA. Chapter 16 of Adam’s Curse is all about the descendents of Somerled in Scotland.

Y-DNA is known to mutate every 20 to 26 generations, and is handed down from father to son. Sykes found close links between the MacDougall’s and the Macalister’s, who we know are descended from Somerled and the Macdonalds. Sykes managed to get the five chiefs of MacDonald to agree to undertake the Y-DNA test. All of the Chiefs showed the signature of Somerled. Sykes is just releasing a new book called; The Blood of the Isles, which will expand further the Y-DNA testing.

It is recommend for those interested in DNA genealogy should participate in this research. To date, the Chiefly line has being confirmed to be Nordic in origin. Furthermore DNA shows signature shows R1a1, which traces back to the Southern Ural region of Russia and is believed to be from tribes around 3000 BC.

Interestingly, many MacDonald’s are also indicating R1b1, which is Irish. The Celtic lineage and much contemporary research is being undertaken by scholars reviewing archaeology discoveries and the Gaelic records of Scotland as opposed to the Irish.

Family Tree DNA is currently conducting the research in this area and more information can be found on their web site.