Anyone Traced their Family Tree ??
- Thread starter Val & Frank
- Start date
Frank,
My father in law is into the family tree and family history thing. I think alot can be found on the internet on how to start etc and also there are many books available.
Once you start though it is hard to stop....................
My father in law is into the family tree and family history thing. I think alot can be found on the internet on how to start etc and also there are many books available.
Once you start though it is hard to stop....................
Start with your parents and aunts and uncles if they are still alive. Find out where your grandparents lived for instance.
Then try the Census records website for the area they lived in.
Records in your local county archives are good places to look also.
Trouble is that you start researching one line of the family then you accidentally find something out about another one and you just go on and on...... its very addictive.
You will be amazed what you might find, for instance my great grandmother was illegitemate and not only that but her mother was only 12 years old according to the Census records!! At least the family stood by her as she was living with her mother and father for several years more as shown by the records. Then she married a much old man and went on to have 4 more children, and all this in the mid 1800s
Then try the Census records website for the area they lived in.
Records in your local county archives are good places to look also.
Trouble is that you start researching one line of the family then you accidentally find something out about another one and you just go on and on...... its very addictive.
You will be amazed what you might find, for instance my great grandmother was illegitemate and not only that but her mother was only 12 years old according to the Census records!! At least the family stood by her as she was living with her mother and father for several years more as shown by the records. Then she married a much old man and went on to have 4 more children, and all this in the mid 1800s
Our families trees tend to stay in one place. We have some nice Willows,Pines, Apples, pears and Plum trees ;-)
On the other hand ITV spent a fortune buying Friends Reunited and have been advertising the sister site Genes Reunited like crazy.
http://www.genesreunited.com/
On the other hand ITV spent a fortune buying Friends Reunited and have been advertising the sister site Genes Reunited like crazy.
http://www.genesreunited.com/
My brother-in-law has traced our family tree. It seems our ancestors came from Spain via the Armada, and consequently alot of relations have been traced around the Devon/Dorset areas.
We have done a couple of trips doing a bit of research ourselves, and have found the exact house where one of my husbands forefathers lived, with our surname as the name of the house. We approached the then occupants and they had no idea of the origins of the name of the house at all! Strangely, the house was also near to a cross roads, which also had our family name on it as well!! This goes back to the 18th century!!
Really interesting!!:O)
We have done a couple of trips doing a bit of research ourselves, and have found the exact house where one of my husbands forefathers lived, with our surname as the name of the house. We approached the then occupants and they had no idea of the origins of the name of the house at all! Strangely, the house was also near to a cross roads, which also had our family name on it as well!! This goes back to the 18th century!!
Really interesting!!:O)
My mum researched into our family tree about ten years ago, she did most of her research at the library.
She was really excited and obtained copies of birth certificates etc. Sadly, when she discovered that her ancestors were itinerant Irish tinkers from Southern Ireland, she stopped.
Apparently, I'm some sort of throwback LOL.
Lisa
She was really excited and obtained copies of birth certificates etc. Sadly, when she discovered that her ancestors were itinerant Irish tinkers from Southern Ireland, she stopped.
Apparently, I'm some sort of throwback LOL.
Lisa
Hi Frank,
There are dozens of websites for family tree research.
www.find my past.com
www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk
The Mormons also have vast records as they are trying to document everyone.Their web site is www.familysearch.org
It's very addictive once you have started but fascinating seeing all the different professions.
Some people say leave well alone as you might find a few skeletons in the cupboard.....so what....it's all in the past.
There are dozens of websites for family tree research.
www.find my past.com
www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk
The Mormons also have vast records as they are trying to document everyone.Their web site is www.familysearch.org
It's very addictive once you have started but fascinating seeing all the different professions.
Some people say leave well alone as you might find a few skeletons in the cupboard.....so what....it's all in the past.
My son researched my wifes fathers family. It was because his name was Wargen I personally didn't think he would get very far because it sounded either Dutch or German. He never had to go anywhere except the Records Office in Hereford and he went back as far as 1532. None of my late father in laws direct decendants had moved more than about 8 miles from Hereford. The Records Office people are always pleased to be of assistance if you have any queries.
In the games site where I'm a moderator someone with a nic called Wargen came in. I asked him why he had that name and he told me he was a Norwegian and Wargen meant wolf. We will never know but the surname could go back to the times when this country was invaded and settled by Norse people.
If noone is aware you can send for relatives Service records if the person and their spouse is deceased. I believe it cost about
In the games site where I'm a moderator someone with a nic called Wargen came in. I asked him why he had that name and he told me he was a Norwegian and Wargen meant wolf. We will never know but the surname could go back to the times when this country was invaded and settled by Norse people.
If noone is aware you can send for relatives Service records if the person and their spouse is deceased. I believe it cost about
My paternal grandmothers family were descended from Scandinavian fisherman who were said to have settle in East Anglia and moved into angriclture before moving on mass to the Midlands to work on two large estates we believe.
The original name was corrupted in the English spelling, I've met 4 people with the name over the years outside the UK and have amazed them by telling them the name of the village that they or a parent are connected with.
All 4 were closely related to my Grandmother who was one of 14 Children. Two others with the same name that I've met in this country were a sister and brother of two of the other four.
My paternal Grandfather also the eldest of 14 children came from a very dodgy area of the UK.
A town called Hereford!
He left home at to go into service at a young age. The rest of his siblings stayed in and around Hereford and also had numerous children.
So you know what the means Lord B ;-)
The original name was corrupted in the English spelling, I've met 4 people with the name over the years outside the UK and have amazed them by telling them the name of the village that they or a parent are connected with.
All 4 were closely related to my Grandmother who was one of 14 Children. Two others with the same name that I've met in this country were a sister and brother of two of the other four.
My paternal Grandfather also the eldest of 14 children came from a very dodgy area of the UK.
A town called Hereford!
He left home at to go into service at a young age. The rest of his siblings stayed in and around Hereford and also had numerous children.
So you know what the means Lord B ;-)
So why the NZ passport, Lisa? My uncle traced us back to 16--? which is why the family name is relatively common in Cumbria. Mt sister-in-law has also traced Emmerson back to 1742. Very interesting.
Hi emmerson
We travelled around a bit when I was younger. Parents lived in Oz, then moved to NZ (where I was born). We then lived in Guyana, Brazil, Argentina, Cuba.
Came back to blighty and lived in Kent and Notts (sometimes simultaneously) along with Hartlepool and Heysham.
Lisa
Frank,
Why oh why did you bring up this subject!! I am addicted to family tree research but recently haven't bothered.Now you have set everything in motion again and I am surrounded by papers....scribbled messages to myself.....etc...etc.However,my main problem is....do I research my own family or my husband's ?I find myself doing bits and pieces from all sides. Being English but married to a Scot at least I have found that my Great Grandfather was from Edinburgh so now I can claim dual nationality !!
)
Why oh why did you bring up this subject!! I am addicted to family tree research but recently haven't bothered.Now you have set everything in motion again and I am surrounded by papers....scribbled messages to myself.....etc...etc.However,my main problem is....do I research my own family or my husband's ?I find myself doing bits and pieces from all sides. Being English but married to a Scot at least I have found that my Great Grandfather was from Edinburgh so now I can claim dual nationality !!
)Sorry Maureen,
I know what you mean about papers every where you look, and notes all over the place. It all started with a cousin giving my elder sister a memorial card for a funeral in 1867. Since I have found an Uncle killed in the 1914 1918 war, this led me to the East Lancashire Regiment web site etc. So now I know the exact battle he died in.I wondered why my GG Grandfather died at 27, I now know he was killed in a mining accident in Yorkshire. Talk about skeletons I have a half brother I didn't know about, the odd nod nod, wink wink. is a fact !!!
Val & Frank ps This is not a cheap pastime either !!!!
I know what you mean about papers every where you look, and notes all over the place. It all started with a cousin giving my elder sister a memorial card for a funeral in 1867. Since I have found an Uncle killed in the 1914 1918 war, this led me to the East Lancashire Regiment web site etc. So now I know the exact battle he died in.I wondered why my GG Grandfather died at 27, I now know he was killed in a mining accident in Yorkshire. Talk about skeletons I have a half brother I didn't know about, the odd nod nod, wink wink. is a fact !!!
Val & Frank ps This is not a cheap pastime either !!!!
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