Free guide
Free genealogy research log template
A research log is a list of every search you make: where you looked, what you searched for, and what you found, including the searches that found nothing. Download a free one-page log below, in US Letter or A4, to print or type into.
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Download the free research log
Free to print and share. No email address needed. Print at “Actual size” or 100%.
What goes in each column?
| Column | What to write |
|---|---|
| Date | The day you searched. |
| Where I looked | The website or archive, and the collection if it had one: “FamilySearch, Ohio county marriages”. |
| What I searched for | The exact names, spellings, years and places you entered. |
| Result | Found, Nothing found, or Possible. |
| What it says | The key details, copied exactly, and how to find the record again. |
| Next step | What the result suggests you do. |
What does a filled-in log look like?
Illustrative example This log belongs to the kit’s fictional example family. The question was: “What was Grandma Anna’s maiden name, and when and where was she born?”
| Date | Where I looked | What I searched for | Result | What it says | Next step |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 May | Find a Grave | Anna Novak, died 1978, Cuyahoga County, Ohio | Nothing found | No matching memorial. | She remarried — try Kowalski. |
| 9 May | Find a Grave | Anna Kowalski, died 1978, Cuyahoga County, Ohio | Possible | Memorial with a photo of a stone: “Anna Kowalski 1902–1978.” No parents listed. | Matches the funeral card. Look for a death record. |
| 10 May | 1950 U.S. Census (National Archives website) | Frank Kowalski household, Cleveland, Ohio | Found | Anna, wife, age 48, born Czechoslovakia. Daniel, stepson, 21, born Ohio. Helen, daughter, 11. | Age 48 in April 1950 means born about 1901–1902. |
| 12 May | FamilySearch — Ohio county marriage records | Jozef/Joseph Novak, Cuyahoga County, 1925–1930 | Found | Joseph Novak and Anna Hudak, 1927. Bride’s age given as 25. | Maiden name confirmed in a record. Save the image. |
Why write down searches that find nothing?
Because six months from now you won’t remember which spellings you tried. The FamilySearch Research Wiki suggests writing “nil” or “nothing found” rather than leaving the line blank, because a blank looks like a search you haven’t done. A search that finds nothing also tells you something: perhaps the family had moved, the name was spelled differently, or they were counted in someone else’s household.
Not keeping a log, and repeating the same searches, is on FamilySearch’s list of common beginner mistakes.
How do I note where a record came from?
You don’t need a formal citation style. You do need enough detail that you, or a cousin twenty years from now, could find the same record again. Answer five questions:
- What is it? (Marriage record of Joseph Novak and Anna Hudak)
- When was it made? (1927)
- Where is it kept? (Ohio county marriage records, on FamilySearch)
- Which page or image? (The number shown on screen)
- When did you look? (12 May)
Or copy the web address of the record page. Many record sites, FamilySearch among them, offer a ready-made citation to copy.
What’s the difference between a research log and a research plan?
A plan comes before you search; a log is kept while you search. A research plan names one question about one person, what you already know, and the places to look, in order. The log then records each search you carry out from that plan, and what it found. When the log answers the question, or runs out of places to look, write your next plan.
How should I organize my family history papers?
- One folder per family. Keep a folder or binder section for each couple on your chart, with the chart at the front.
- Work from copies. Keep originals together in a box, in a cool, dry room, not a damp basement or hot attic (National Archives).
- Label in pencil, not ink, and leave off paper clips, rubber bands and tape, which damage paper over time (Library of Congress).
- Name digital copies clearly: what, when and who, such as “1927 marriage – Joseph Novak & Anna Hudak”. Keep a backup somewhere else.
Questions people ask
Do I need a research log if I use FamilySearch or Ancestry?
Yes. Websites save your tree, not your searches. A log records the spellings, years and collections you tried, including the searches that found nothing, so you don’t repeat them months later.
Should I keep my log on paper or in a spreadsheet?
Either works. Paper is easy to keep beside the computer; a spreadsheet can be sorted and searched. If you keep it on a computer, keep a backup or a printed copy.
What should I write when a search finds nothing?
Write “nothing found” (some researchers write “nil”), with exactly what you searched for. A blank line looks like a search you haven’t done yet.
One log per person, or one for everything?
One log per research question works well for beginners: it keeps related searches together. Number the log pages, so a note on your chart can say where the evidence is.
Sources
- Research Logs, FamilySearch Research Wiki (edited 9 Feb 2026). Read 8 October 2026.
- Rookie Mistakes, FamilySearch Research Wiki (edited 9 Feb 2026). Read 8 October 2026.
- Care, Handling and Storage of Works on Paper, Library of Congress Preservation. Read 8 October 2026.
- How to Preserve Family Archives, U.S. National Archives (reviewed 1 Aug 2024). Read 8 October 2026.