Questions about the individual being interviewed:

What is your full name?

Do you have any nicknames?

Have you ever changed your name?

When were you born?

What is your place of birth?

If the individual was born in another country, ask why he/she immigrated to the United States?

Have you been married? 

If so, when and where?

How did you and your wife meet?

Where do you currently reside?

Do you live in a house, condominium, apartment, retirement home?

If the answers to this question is a house, you should establish if the interviewee is the owner or a renter.

In what other places have you lived?

Have you owned residential property in the past?

If so, try to establish where and when.

What professions/jobs have you worked at during your lifetime?

What is your current profession?

What schools have you attended and where are they located?

Are you a member of any religion or church? 

Have you served in any branch of government?

If the answer to this question is yes, follow up questions should be:

In what branch(es) of government have you served?

When did you serve?

If the answer to this question is yes, follow up questions should be:

In what branch(es) of the military have you served?

When did you serve in the military?

Where did you serve?

If the answer to this question is yes, follow up questions should establish where and (if possible) when such travels took place.

If the answer to this question is yes, follow up questions should establish how long the person has been driving and at (roughly) what age he/she obtained a driver’s license.

Do you have any sports, hobbies or other activities that you enjoy doing?

Are you a writer or an artist?

Have you ever won any awards?

Have you ever written or otherwise created material that might shed light on you or your family?

Do you possess any items such as family documents  (wills, land deeds, letters, mortgages, inventories) or heirlooms that might shed light on the family?

What are some of your favorite memories?

Questions about his/her knowledge of other family members:

What are the full names of your parents?

Where and when were they born?

Do you have siblings?

 If the answer to this question is yes, follow up questions should establish their names, ages, birthdays, places of residence.

Do you have any children?

If the answer to this question is yes, follow up questions should establish their names, ages, birthdays, places of residence.

What are the full names of your grandparents?

Where and when were they born?

Do you know how any of your married relatives met their spouses?

Who is/are your oldest living relative(s)?

In what country or countries did your family originate?

Why did your ancestors leave the "old country"?

Do you know of any relatives still living in your home country (or countries)?

Is your current religion the same that your ancestors practiced?

Are there other religions represented in the family?

Do you know of any famous or well-known relatives in the family?

Do you know where any of your family members are buried?

What family stories do you remember hearing when you were growing up?

Do you know of any member of the family who has been estranged or mysteriously vanished?

Are there any stories of misfortune or tragedy in the family that you might wish to share?

Is there an illness that runs in the family?

Do you know anyone else who should be interviewed for information concerning the family (either relatives or non-relatives)?