START YOUR GENEALOGY JOURNEY
According to FamilyTree . com , genealogy is the second only to gardening as the most popular hobby in the United States .
People explore genealogy for many reasons , including learning about their ancestry . A rundown of the basics of genealogy can make such pursuits more enjoyable .
Genealogy and family history are subtly different
Genealogy is a line of descent traced continuously from an ancestor , while family history is defined as the history or narrative of a family . They are intertwined but not synonymous .
Vital records are key
Genealogists explore vital records to obtain information about their ancestors . Vital records include documentation of ancestors ’ life events , including births , deaths , marriages , and more . Civil registration began at different times around the world , and even across North America , so it ’ s often challenging , though entirely possible , to develop an accurate history .
Surnames may be different
Surnames were not commonplace until around the eleventh century in Europe , according to S . C . Perkins , who is the author of a mystery series featuring a Texas genealogist as the protagonist . Surnames fall into four general categories :
1 . Place or geographical features ( i . e ., “ Hill ”) 2 . Nicknames or appearance (“ Little ”) 3 . Occupation (“ Baker ”) 4 . Father ’ s name (“ Peterson ”)
Some names may not have been recorded correctly , so a person ’ s last name actually may be a derivative of the real name or a misspelling . Often immigrants changed their own surnames to make them sound more American or more native to wherever they were emigrating to .
Cities change
Discovering records of ancestors can be even more challenging because of shifting borders or municipalities , which change over time . The Family Tree Factbook provides European maps from throughout history and a timeline of European border changes that can help with research .
Preserve family history
In addition to uncovering mysteries of one ’ s heritage , dabbling in genealogy helps to preserve family history by confirming tales and tracing ancestors ’ journeys . It also may help shed light on the history of artifacts or jewelry that ancestors owned and passed down .
Connect with others
A motivator behind genealogy research is to uncover relatives . Cousins from all over the world can discover they are related and bridge the gap between them through shared genetics and history . This may be particularly important to those who were adopted and hope to understand more about where they came from for personal or health-related reasons .
Genealogy is a growing hobby that can be quite rewarding . Thanks to the internet and growing databases of civil records , it ’ s now easier than ever to trace family histories .
SPRING 2023 | ILLIANA MAGAZINE
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