How do I start researching my family history when I have no documents?

I understand that blank space—it can feel like you're starting from nothing. But you already have something valuable: the people around you and what they remember. Begin by sitting with the oldest person in your family and simply listen. Ask them about their parents, where they lived, what they did, even small details about daily life. Write these down, not as a formal interview, but as a conversation. These oral histories are documents too, perhaps more honest than paper ones. Then cross-reference what you hear with free resources—census records, ship manifests, church registers online. You'll be surprised what emerges when you start with story rather than proof. The genealogy becomes real when you understand the person behind the name, not just the dates. That's where the real work begins: connecting the fragments into a coherent sense of where you come from and why it matters.