Research your family history with a method, then share it as a book and a reunion
Everything you need to trace four generations and share them with care: a workbook, fillable forms, letters, templates, cheat sheets and an e-book that shows one family's project from the tin box to the reunion.
- A 19-sheet Family History Workbook: people register with a living-person privacy flag, research log, sources with calculated citations and quality scores, conflicts, record plan, interviews, archive, DNA matches, brick walls, book plan, budget, calculators and a traffic-light dashboard
- 5 fillable PDF forms (15 pages): pedigree chart and family group sheet, research plan and source analysis, elder interview and consent, brick wall solver, DNA test decision and consent
- 33 ready-to-send messages and 6 letters, story and family book templates, a 12-slide reunion plan, a family privacy charter and 27 AI prompts with a human review rule
- A 9,800-word e-book with 23 figures and a 6-page print pack: wall chart, interview cards, archive labels, scanning poster, brick wall ladder and reunion cards
The Family History Project Kit · Bodhih Pro Kits · 306 by Bodhih Training, trainers to 2,000+ companies since 2008.
How do I start researching my family history?
Start with yourself and the papers, photos and memories your family already holds. Ask one question at a time about one person and one fact, log every search, cite every record and weigh it, and interview elders with consent. The Family History Project Kit from Bodhih Training gives you the workbook, forms and templates to do each step.
Want the full free guide first? Read How to Start Researching Your Family History: A Step-by-Step Method.
You already feel the problem. Here is what it is costing you.
Forty tabs and no answers
Searching for 'the family' produces tabs, not facts. Without a question and a log you repeat searches, lose finds and cannot say where a date came from.
Stories, trees and facts all mixed up
Family stories, copied online trees and real records end up in one list. When a cousin asks 'how do you know?', there is no answer.
Elders, photos and DNA need care
Interviews need consent, fragile originals need handling, and DNA tests can reveal things nobody was ready for. The right habit at the right moment prevents hurt.
Picture the next few weeks with the kit open beside you.
Picture the first evening with the kit. You open the Start-here map, type your project name and deadline on the Settings sheet, and add yourself as P01. Within the hour your parents and grandparents are on the People sheet, the gaps are visible, and the first research question is written down.
As you log each search, the nil results stop being wasted evenings and start telling you where the answer is not. As you cite each record, the score shows how much weight it can carry, and when two records disagree you write down both and your reasoning.
Imagine the afternoon with an elder: tea, two photos, the consent page read aloud, a story you have never heard. A week later they read the transcript, correct a spelling and tell you what may be shared.
And picture the reunion: a wall chart where cousins find their place, a twenty-minute talk with old photos, and a family book where every fact has a source and every gap is marked honestly. Whether you start with the workbook tonight or the interview kit this weekend, the method is the same.
20 files that do the work for you
The e-book shows you how. The tools make it happen. Here is exactly what you download.
The Family History Project Kit (e-book, PDF)
The guide: methods, worked examples, scripts and exercises
Start here: the family history project map
The whole job in nine steps with the file to open at each, your first hour, the five-minute brand step, your first week and a 30/60/90 day plan.
Family History Workbook
19-sheet research file: people register with a living-person privacy flag, generation progress, research log, sources with calculated citations and quality scores, evidence conflicts, record plan by country, interviews, photo and document archive, DNA matches, brick walls, book plan, budget, three calculators and a traffic-light dashboard.
Pedigree chart and family group sheet
Three-page fillable set: a four-generation pedigree chart with person IDs, a family group sheet for one couple and their children, and a what-we-know summary to copy into the People sheet.
Research plan and source analysis worksheet
Three-page fillable worksheet: a focused research question and plan, a search log that records nil results, and a source citation and evidence analysis with a conflict box and a written conclusion.
Elder interview record and consent
Three-page fillable kit: invitation and consent with sharing choices, a question plan by life stage with memory prompts, and an after-the-interview record with follow-ups and a transcript check.
Brick wall problem solver
Three-page fillable worksheet for a stuck question: restate the problem, timeline and assumptions, a ladder of 12 strategies, a FAN club table and a decision on what to do next.
DNA test decision and family consent sheet
Three-page fillable sheet: is a DNA test the right tool for this question, a privacy and settings checklist, an informed-consent record for each person tested, and a plan for unexpected results.
Family history messages and letters
33 ready-to-send messages for family, elders, archives, churches, registries, DNA matches, helpers, the book and the reunion, plus 6 letters: record request, interview invitation and consent, photo permission, first contact with a new relative, reunion invitation and a book covering note.
Family story, book and reunion templates
Six story templates (ancestor profile, migration story, a day in the life, house or village, recipe or object, captions and 'not known yet' boxes), a nine-part family book skeleton and a 12-slide reunion presentation plan with a script.
Family archive and privacy charter
One-page charter a family agrees together: living people, sensitive finds, photos and recordings, DNA, sharing and corrections, and who keeps the archive.
Worked example pack: Ngozi's four generations
The main forms and sheets filled in for one composite case, Ngozi tracing four generations between Lagos and London: pedigree summary, generation progress, a brick wall plan, a source conflict, an elder interview, a DNA decision, the archive, the October review and the book plan.
AI prompt pack for family historians
27 tool-agnostic prompts grouped by step of the project, each with what to paste in and what to check before you use the answer, plus the human review rule and privacy rules.
Numbers that matter: family history KPI card
Fourteen numbers the project runs on: plain words, exact formula, where each lives in the workbook and what to do if it moves.
Family history decision card
Fifteen 'if this, do this' rows for stories, conflicts, indexes, same-name people, nil results, interviews, fragile items, online trees, DNA tests and surprises, brick walls, foreign records, painful finds and book deadlines, plus the never list.
Family history mistakes to avoid
Twenty common mistakes, each with what to do instead.
Records by country and privacy rules (correct at November 2026)
Dated orientation on certificates, censuses, passenger lists, US, Nigerian, Indian and other records, DNA privacy, archive care and file formats, with the official sources.
Family history print pack
6 printable pages for the desk, the archive box and the reunion: a five-generation wall chart, interview question cards, archive box and folder labels, a handle-scan-name-copy poster, the brick wall ladder poster and reunion name and memory cards.
Family history project calendar
33 events over about six months: set-up, first searches, interviews, scanning, monthly reviews, fortnightly research sessions, a brick wall clinic, the book and the reunion. Move the dates to fit your own deadline.
Family history task board (CSV)
41 tasks with stage, week, line and the kit file to open. Imports into Trello, Asana, Notion, Planner, Jira or a spreadsheet.
Chapter by chapter
Each chapter opens with a real situation, gives you a method and ends with something to do today, using the tools in your kit.
- Format
- PDF e-book + XLSX + fillable PDF + DOCX + printable PDF + ICS + CSV
- Files
- 20 files plus a one-click ZIP
- E-book
- 69 pages
- Works with
- Excel, Google Sheets, LibreOffice, Word, Google Docs, Acrobat Reader, GoodNotes, Google Calendar, Outlook, Apple Calendar, Trello, Notion
- Best for
- A four-generation family history project, a family book and a reunion
The Tin Box Under the Bed
Why family history needs a method, the ten-step loop and how the kit fits together.
Start With What the Family Already Holds
Gather papers and photos, give every person and item an ID, draw the first chart and agree a privacy rule for living people.
One Question at a Time
Research questions about one person and one fact, the record plan, the research log and why nil results matter.
Where the Records Live, Country by Country
Record types by place and period, who holds them, how practice differs by country, and checking before you pay.
Cite It, Weigh It, Prove It
A five-part citation, a 0 to 5 source score, recording conflicts and writing a short proof note.
Interviewing Elders
Consent, sharing choices, open questions, photos as prompts and a transcript the person checks.
Photos, Papers and the Family Archive
Handle, scan, name and copy, storage, damaged items and permission to share.
DNA Tests, Explained With Privacy Cautions
Test types in plain words, privacy questions before buying, informed consent, working matches and planning for surprises.
The Brick Wall Problem Solver
Restate the question, build a timeline, list assumptions and climb a twelve-rung ladder of strategies.
Writing the Story: The Family Book and the Reunion
Story templates, the book plan, printing costs and a 12-slide reunion presentation.
AI, Money and the Monthly Review
A 45-minute monthly review, the budget, and where AI helps and where it must not decide alone.
Four Generations, One Honest Book
Ngozi's results with the workbook's numbers, and the method in one paragraph.
Not just reading. Tools you will actually open again.
Start here
- 00-Start-Here-Family-History-Map.pdf: the job in nine steps, your first hour, the five-minute brand step, your first week and a 30/60/90 day plan
Workbook
- Family-History-Workbook.xlsx: 19 sheets including Settings, People, Generations, Research Log, Sources, Conflicts, Record Plan, Interviews, Archive, DNA Matches, Brick Walls, Book Plan, Budget, Age Calculator, Cousin Calculator, Book Cost, Monthly Summary and a Dashboard with three charts and traffic lights
Fillable forms
- Pedigree-Chart-and-Family-Group-Sheet.pdf: Pedigree chart and family group sheet
- Research-Plan-and-Source-Analysis.pdf: Research plan and source analysis worksheet
- Elder-Interview-Record-and-Consent.pdf: Elder interview record and consent
- Brick-Wall-Problem-Solver.pdf: Brick wall problem solver
- DNA-Test-Decision-and-Family-Consent.pdf: DNA test decision and family consent sheet
Word templates
- Family-History-Messages-and-Letters.docx: 33 messages and 6 letters
- Family-Story-Book-and-Reunion-Templates.docx: six story templates, a family book skeleton and a 12-slide reunion plan
- Family-Archive-and-Privacy-Charter.docx: a one-page family agreement
- Worked-Example-Pack-Ngozis-Four-Generations.docx: the forms and sheets filled in for one composite family
- AI-Prompt-Pack-for-Family-Historians.docx: 27 tool-agnostic prompts with a human review rule
Cheat sheets
- Numbers-That-Matter-Family-History-KPI-Card.pdf: 14 numbers with exact formulas
- Family-History-Decision-Card.pdf: 15 'if this, do this' rows and a never list
- Family-History-Mistakes-to-Avoid.pdf: 20 mistakes and what to do instead
- Records-by-Country-Correct-at-November-2026.pdf: dated records, privacy and DNA notes with official sources
Print pack
- Family-History-Print-Pack.pdf: 6 pages: five-generation wall chart, interview question cards, archive labels, handle-scan-name-copy poster, brick wall ladder and reunion name and memory cards
Calendar and import
- Family-History-Project-Calendar.ics: 33 events over about six months
- Family-History-Task-Board.csv: 41 tasks for Trello, Asana, Notion, Planner or a spreadsheet
E-book
- The Family History Project Kit e-book: 10 chapters, about 9,800 words, 23 figures, following one composite family between Lagos and London
When you have worked through it, you will be able to…
Every outcome is practised with a worked example and a tool, not just described.
- You will be able to turn a vague wish into research questions you can finish
- You will be able to cite every record so anyone can find it again, and weigh it
- You will be able to record conflicting evidence and write a short proof note
- You will be able to plan records by country before you spend money
- You will be able to interview elders with consent and give them the transcript to check
- You will be able to scan, name and back up the family's photos and papers
- You will be able to decide whether a DNA test fits your question and protect everyone's privacy
- You will be able to write a family book and give a reunion talk that marks the gaps honestly
Know your starting point. Prove your progress.
People who measure before and after improve faster and can show it. AssessAll, our sister assessment platform, has AI-graded assessments that pair with this kit. Take one now, work through the kit, then re-take it.
Second Look: Research Integrity in Practice
Take the assessment →AssessAll assessmentStudy Skills & Learning Strategies
Take the assessment →AssessAll assessmentProject & Delivery Leadership
Take the assessment →JobularyUse the fresh-start effect to reset a goal (Jobulary)
Make it a growth plan →A taste of Chapter 2
Why nil results matter A nil result is information. "Searched the free church index for Nigeria, 1905 to 1915, for Josiah Eze: nothing" tells you that either the record is not in that index or it was indexed differently. Next month, when you have forgotten the details, the log stops you paying to search the same place twice. The Research Log flags any Nil with no next step as "Write what the nil means", because a nil without a reason is a dead end. Ngozi's log by the end of October held 40 searches. Five were nil, 12.5% of the total. Every one has a sentence explaining it: the index covers few eastern parishes; the Sierra Leone index has gaps for those years.
The honest comparison
| Free templates and typical advice | This kit | |
|---|---|---|
| Method | A blank tree chart | A ten-step loop with a file for every step |
| Sources | Dates with no source | Five-part citations and a 0 to 5 score, calculated |
| Searches | Forgotten as soon as the tab closes | A research log that keeps nil results and follow-ups |
| Countries | One country assumed | Record types by place and period, with a dated sheet of official sources |
| Elders | Questions only | Consent, sharing choices, question cards and a transcript loop |
| DNA | Buy a test and see | Decide the question, read the privacy terms, get consent, plan for surprises |
| Sharing | Post the tree online | A privacy charter, a family book with sources and a reunion plan |
Made for you if…
- Adults starting a family history project with a real deadline: a reunion, a birthday, an anniversary or a family book
- Families spread across countries who need to find records in more than one place
- Anyone who has an online tree but no sources and wants to put it on firm ground
- The relative who has inherited the family's photos and papers and wants to look after them
- People considering a DNA test who want to understand the privacy questions first
- Book-club hosts, history groups and community organisers running a family history evening
Probably not for you if…
- Anyone wanting a professional genealogist to do the research for them
- People looking for a subscription records website or a DNA test (the kit is method and tools, not data)
- Legal proof of descent for inheritance, citizenship or land claims: ask a qualified professional
Built by trainers, tested in real rooms.
Bodhih Training has designed and delivered corporate programmes since 2008. Bodhih Pro Kits package what works in those workshops into a guide plus the exact tools we use, so you can apply it the same day without a facilitator in the room.
From here to using it in three steps
- STEP 1
Tap Get the kit
Name, email and country. UPI, card or netbanking in India; international cards everywhere else. No account to create.
- STEP 2
Download instantly
Your download page opens at once, with every file and a one-click ZIP. A permanent link lands in your inbox too.
- STEP 3
Open the first tool
Start with the quick-start chapter, then the main spreadsheet or planner. Most buyers use something from the kit the same day.
Your family's story, with its sources and its gaps, ready to share
Open the Start-here map, type your project name on Settings and add yourself as P01. Whether you begin with the biscuit tin tonight or an interview with an elder this weekend, the kit has the next file ready.
Personal licence for the buyer's own use (and use with your own family or group where the kit says so). Please don't share or resell the files. Team and company licences: solutions@bodhih.com.
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The Family History Project Kit: FAQs
Read the free guideAlready bought? Resend my linkHow do I start researching my family history?
Start with yourself and work back one generation at a time. Gather what the family already holds, write one research question about one person and one fact, log every search and cite every record. Chapters 1 and 2 of the e-book and the first-hour list on the Start-here map walk you through it.
Do I need a paid genealogy subscription?
Not to start. Family papers, elders and free indexes come first. The Record Plan sheet helps you decide whether a paid site actually holds what you need before you subscribe, one month at a time.
Does it work in my country?
The method is universal: questions, logs, citations, interviews, archiving and writing work anywhere. The dated records sheet covers England and Wales, Ireland, the United States, Nigeria, India and pointers for other countries, with official sources. Record access, privacy and DNA rules differ by country and change, so check locally.
Can I use this with my family, a history group or a club?
Yes, within your own family project or group under the personal licence: share printed forms and the print pack with the people taking part. Please do not share or resell the files. Company, school or society licences are available at solutions@bodhih.com.
Is a DNA test worth it for family history?
It can be, for a clear question such as confirming a relationship or finding which side a match is on. It also shares information about your relatives and can reveal surprises. The DNA decision and consent sheet helps you decide, read the privacy terms and plan before you buy. The kit is educational, not legal or medical advice.
How do I keep living relatives' information private?
The People sheet flags anyone who may be living as private, and the family charter sets the rule: living people decide what is shared about them. Data protection law differs by country; the dated sheet notes, for example, that UK data protection law applies to living people.
What if I get stuck on an ancestor?
Use the Brick Wall Problem Solver: restate the question, build a timeline, list assumptions and work down a twelve-rung ladder of strategies, logging every search. Many walls end with a better question rather than an instant answer, and the book shows how to write the honest gap.
Can I use AI tools for family history?
Yes, for drafting, sorting and suggesting. The prompt pack has 27 prompts with a human review rule: AI must not decide parentage, identity, unreadable words, DNA meaning or what is published about living people, and every source it mentions must be opened and checked by you.
How can I measure my starting point?
If you want to check the research and planning skills behind a project like this, AssessAll offers separate assessments: Second Look: Research Integrity in Practice, Study Skills & Learning Strategies, and Project & Delivery Leadership. They are optional and not part of the kit.
How do I turn this into a plan I will keep?
Pick a meaningful start date, such as a new year, a birthday or an anniversary, and import the calendar. Jobulary's guide to using the fresh-start effect to reset a goal explains why such dates help, and the monthly review in Chapter 10 keeps the project going.
How much does The Family History Project Kit cost?
₹799 including 18% GST for buyers in India, or $24 for buyers outside India. One-time payment, no subscription, with an automatic invoice.
How do I get the files after paying?
Instantly. Your download page opens the moment payment succeeds, and a permanent download link is emailed to you. Download each file separately or everything in one ZIP.
What software do I need?
Any of the usual tools: Excel or Google Sheets for spreadsheets, Word or Google Docs for templates, Adobe Acrobat Reader, Preview, Xodo or GoodNotes for the fillable PDFs, and Google, Outlook or Apple Calendar for the calendar plan.
Can I get a refund?
Because it is a digital download, kits are not refundable once downloaded. We always refund a duplicate charge or a failed delivery, and if a file is corrupted and we cannot fix it within 3 working days. Full terms: bodhih.org/refunds.
Can my company buy this for a team?
Yes. Team and company licences, and workshops on this topic run by Bodhih Training, are available. Write to solutions@bodhih.com or call +91 99000 11601.
