Ancestry anyone?
 

Has anyone joined a site to trace their ancestry? What did you discover?

I am having so much fun! I can get back to the 1500's on my French Canadian side, and even further on my England/Scotland side!

Found some 'Sir' and Lady' titles back in the day of Queen Elizabeth the first. Otherwise my family is mostly made up of hard working people!

Yes, I have done ancestry research on Ancestry.com in the past. I can't go back as far as you, though. It is very interesting and sometimes confusing when you can't be sure the person you found belongs in your family tree. It takes alot of time, and sometimes some money, making copies of documents, applying for copies of marriage licenses, death certificates, etc. I have only searched one pair of grandparents' lineage.

Have you done your DNA?

Both of my parents were genealogists. I am English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh, French, German, Mohican, Finnish, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish. Whew!

Distant ancestor - Benedict Arnold.

I am but hardly use it right now. years ago i did all my family history searching and got tons of results. this was before Ancestry took over all the other places one could find family history info without paying for it.
got DNA done but didn't learn much at all. nothing new that is.

I found out recently that many libraries have accounts with Ancestry so you can log into your membership that way for free. A relative says when she finds something(birth-death certificates, etc) that she wants to save she emails it to herself from her logon at the library. Haven't tried it myself but found a nearby library with it and plan to do it soon.

Absolutely! In addition to quilting, I spend hours tracing family history. There are many available sources of information out there. You do have to be careful that you don't just pick up and run with info posted, because in many instances it is incorrect. I have been able to dispel some myths and lore that had been passed along in our family, and answer questions and find "missing" family members. I've had my DNA done, and was a bit surprised by one finding. I find the connection to the past fascinating, and was able to locate and visit the burial sites of both sets of great-grandparents on my dad's side. There also was a previous thread here on DNA. Very interesting!

Ancestry does charge, but FamilySearch is free, google, and your state historical societies have a ton of info. Ours has a library dedicated to records. Death certificates usually have a lot of info. Ask family members for info. Check census info. Church records may give you info. Happy searching!

I would love to do it on my Dutch side, and my DH's Irish family too. We know by his last name that there was noble Irish blood.

I had an Aunt would followed up on my family's American side and she found that we are something like 33rd cousins to Abraham Lincoln. (My hubby says that's nothing to be proud of though! LOL!!)

I have ordered my kit!

My cousin is a genealogist and she has traced my fathers (her mother) side as far back as she can get. She has found relatives that have settled all over the world. No one has done my mother's side but they all came from around the same place in Russia and fled the pogroms so probably no surprises. Mr Stitchnripper did his DNA because there were some mysteries in his fathers side and the results confirmed a few things. He won some hours at an auction with a genealogy company and had them look into his mother's side. No surprises there. All very interesting.

I did Ancestry DNA a couple of years ago and found I am so British/Scottish/Scandinavian it's almost embarrassing. There is a small amount of western European and smatterings - virtually negligible amounts - of Mediterrean/eastern European genes for me. I am Viking to the core, LOL!

I did find out lately that my Scottish family lines (numerous on both my parents' sides) are directly traceable to Robert The Bruce, whose original name was Robert VIII de Bruce. He was also called Robert I. Born in 1274 he became King of Scotland from 1306 to 1329 (when he died). He freed Scotland from English rule.

Always "knew" I was 'somebody', LOL!

Jan in VA

For privacy reasons and concerns about how the DNA would be used, I have no interest at all in having DNA testing done.

About 30 years ago a distant family member did a family tree, back before the internet, on my maternal grandfather's side. It went back about 300 years in Canadian (Nova Scotia) History. Other than that I know when my maternal grandmother's family came to Canada. Dad's parents were both immigrants. I do not need to know more.

I am more concerned about the actions of people today than laying claims on people from the past.

Thanks for the tip about library logons to ancestry. I'll have to check into that.

I've dabbled with genealogy for years. Initially for DH's family as they are rather extensive and pervasive locally. A cousin of his has done a tremendous amount of research that used to be online but I haven't been able to locate it lately. I have old printouts thankfully. Recently one brother has become very interested in our family and have been working with him and one of our cousins on our family. Very frustrating that ancestry has sucked up most of what used to be free sites.

As someone else mentioned, no interest in doing DNA as I don't want them to own it. Who knows what they ultimately may do with that info.

Not wanting to lay claims on people from the past! Just find it interesting to know the names of my 'people' and wonder what life was like for them in the time that they lived. I am sure that there are less than 'savory' people in everybody's genealogy! No worries!

I have more of an interest in world and Canadian history now than I did in school (way back when!).

I too am interested in peoples actions, and that is why I pray for my kids and grand kids everyday! That will influence the present and the future!

Just sayin'!

After observing physical traits and "looks" in my family, both sides, I have concluded that in my grandparents' generation, hard times called for desperate measures. I don't think it was unusual for a child to be conceived by someone other than the husband. Maybe the husband was aware, maybe he wasn't.
Both my grandmothers bore a child that did not look like its siblings in the least. And definitely not like Grandpa. I do know my maternal grandfather had to be gone for long periods of time, following the timber trade, and Grandma was left with a bunch of kids to support. What would she have done if a "better off" neighbor man asked her to do "work" for him? Her kids were hungry.
The other grandma actually left Grandpa for a few months. She bore a "not like the others" child after she came back home.
Just saying, getting a DNA test might open up a can of worms.
In my DH's family, DNA testing revealed a different branch of the family that probably caused the patriarch to roll over in his grave. Hehe!

I have accounts on Ancestry and My Heritage. I've traced my father's side of the family back to the 1200's. Mostly English, Irish, and Scottish on my father's side. I'm having trouble finding out anything past my great-grandfather on my mother's side.

On a recent radio talk show there was a discussion about the Mormon religion and ancestry.com which they "own". In the discussion it was mentioned that all names brought up for search are then "proxy baptized" in the Mormon faith.....no permission is needed from anyone is needed I guess.....
like tothill, can't change my past....but can work on my present! For the future....

sounds familiar. My great grandmother came over in steerage to connect with her husband who came first to get settled. My grandmother was the oldest child and I think there was one after her who made the trip. They were very poor. My great grandmother got off the ship pregnant. She was no glamour girl. My grandmother remembers that there was no food and her mother did what she needed to do to feed the children. They always referred to that daughter as "the ship's". The great grandparents went on to have 3 more daughters.

Tracing family history is looking to people in the past. Where did I come from? Who was my father's father, or grandfather? What hardships did they flee Europe from? How did a man who spoke no English come here, serve in our Civil war, and raise 17 children? Unlocking these mysteries is fascinating. Following their journeys, through famine, wars, death and hard work makes me proud to lay claim to them. I came from them!

I had my DNA done, and I personally don't care what "they" do with it. I authorized use of mine for additional medical research anonymously. My DGS is moderately deaf, which they have determined to be genetic in nature. If research can help, I'm in.

My point is, it is what you make it. I have loved and embraced everything I have found...the good with the "bad". It's my history, unique to my family. I make new discoveries every day!!

Great attitude, Anniedeb!

I have tried ancestry.com out a few times when they offered a free trial. Found virtually nothing. It seems you need a lot of family info to begin with, to search. In my gut I feel most of the info is bound to be hogwash... how could anyone substantiate it? Like virtually all Scots thinking they are descended from Robert the Bruce. I heard that one all my life too, from my Dad's Scottish side.

I've decided that life is too short to spend it looking backwards!

My husband and I are 32nd cousins. HaHa

I see that this kind of project is NOT for everybody. But I like it... and I am with Anniedeb. They can have my DNA and use it however. If some good comes of it - great. I have nothing to hide.

If there are skeletons in the closet, and some relatives don't match up who cares! Maybe looking backward with help us understand the future!

Just sayin'

Our Daughter has traced mine and my Husbands families. She has gotten me pictures I would never have if not for her connecting with one of my distant cousin. I remembered names I had heard most of my childhood and that helped. My Husband and I did the DNA. I found my Mom was not right, she had told my late youngest Brother and I different things we were suppose to be. Years after she gave up ancestry membership one of my cousins on my Dad side contacted her. Some of the men on his side were not very nice men.

Since my parents and siblings are dead I had no one but my kids to share the findings with. It wasn't important to me but the Daughter cared about it. I am not worried about usage of our DNA results.

A cousin of my father's did his family and traced them back to Robert Bradford and the Mayflower and DH has a relative who traced the family back hundreds of years in Germany and published a book. DGS has twice had to do a project on his ancestors and both times chose to use the Mayflower connection (there are millions of us related to the Mayflower folks floating around). I was using a program but got frustrated when I found that when I updated the program it started uploading info to Ancestry without my permission and then Ancestry started sending me emails that I had to access their site to look at my info so I quit.

lol.... I have relatives who have done the research and share but I spent my entire career in front of computer before I became a counselor...have no desire to do it now. And, it seems everyone is related to someone famous. My cousin found a distant relative was a bank robber and was hanged. I'm pretty sure this is reliable since the majority of my family and descendents are/were a bit on the wild side with questionable reputations. I enjoy hearing about what everyone finds out, though. Just not interested in doing the work. And, I love sitting around the table hearing stories of days gone by. Bought my mom a tape recorder this year. We are starting to record her stories. Fun..

Have fun with this hobbie... I received a copy of my great-great grandfathers immigration paperwork from a family member doing the research. So cool to actually see this documentation to validate the start of my family's American adventure.

It is fun! So far my closest brush with fame is my grandfather's cousin, Maude Lambert, was a vaudeville performer, married to Ernest Ball... he wrote the music to "When Irish Eyes are Smiling"!!

I have no need to know my ancestry, good or bad. The people that do it casually or just for a hobby, I guess I get that, if that’s your interest, although it’s not for me.

I once heard a speaker say that she had found out as an adult that she was adopted and it had been such a devistating blow! She no longer knew who she was because she no longer knew where she came from. That’s the part I totally don’t get.

I did mine on both of the major companies. The 23 and me came back that I traced to Greece!!!!!!!! I was shocked. The family history says we started in Northern Austria. But after the Greece link came back, I thought ok, where did these folks in Austria come from?

This is the migration pattern, from Italy (Roman) across the southern European continent, then northward into Austria and Germany, eventually to Scotland, then America. Well, yes, I probably am a little Greek.

Marcia

I did search my great grandmother. We had no info on her prior to her coming into Canada. I was very excited to find her and family info in France. Translating the French has stopped me. One day I will continue. I want to learn more. It is a facinating puzzle!

Yes, I have been a member of Ancestry for a number of years. I so much enjoy finding my roots. I have done several differant branches of my family and found so very interesting things. And on some have went back to the 1300's. I also just done my DNA and I can't wait for the results.

Our three children are adopted and are not blood related. Our youngest daughter's MIL gave her a DNA kit for Christmas. She threw it in the garbage and told her, "My family is not in my mouth." I feel the same way. I am who I am and don't need to take a test that gives dubious results at best. Her husband, an identical twin, did the test as did his twin and they received different results. Be proud for who you are regardless of famous or infamous forefathers/mothers. It may be a fun project, but in the end it does not really matter who was your relative hundreds of years ago. Just fun and sometimes interesting facts to pass along to other family members.

My husband and I have done some research, both in the past and more recently. He has connected with "lost" relatives who have shared photos of ancestors they had which my husband did not. It can be very interesting to solve "mysteries," too. Like others who have commented, it is a good hobby for some, but not for everyone.

I worked in IT for years and lean towards the cautious side (have the tin hat to prove it) before giving out any info and especially DNA.

This is suggested reading
https://gizmodo.com/what-dna-testing...ies-1819158337

According to the article, for those who allow their DNA for research purposes...
Essentially, you are buying a test from genetic testing firms so that they can then make more money by selling your DNA for research purposes. The hope is that important discoveries—say, a gene responsible for Alzheimers—come from all this information. But if your DNA is the golden ticket, all of the companies have terms that say you get zip.

My worry is that eventually these companies will link up with insurance companies.

Also, remember that Irish, French etc are nationalities not ethnicity. And the tests are not as accurate as they claim to be.

I entered info on Ancestry.com. Went back some time later to update info and found someone had changed my father's name. So corrected it. Found my mother's birth info had been changed. I corrected that. Went back to update after another family change. Oh yeah you guessed it. I found my parents info was changed to incorrect names for both of them the 2nd time. Mother's birth I fo wrong again. So I left it and Ancestry.com completely.

Cautionary tale. If you use that site may I suggest you confirm info with outside sources.

Yes, we had our DNA tested and found many relatives. It has been wonderful! "If you don't know where you've been, you can't know where you're going" to paraphrase a well known quote. It was so interesting to learn our biological roots. You can have a familyline going back generations to France, and not be French; or any other country. Borders are lines drawn from battles, take overs by royalty, disease, wars, migrations, etc. We call ourselves Americans but we all came here from other countries. Unless you are Native American. Have connected with many of our cousins and greatly increased our big family tree. I highly encourage all to try it. Find info on what factors are present, this is scientific, maybe not what your family history thinks, or maybe adds to it. We especially were interested in my husbands line as his father was adopted, and we had not knowledge of his actual parents. Seems accurate records were not kept back there. Now we have some knowledge.

Similar story here. Received legit info from a relative that has been doing family history for many years. I found her only because of Ancestry. She gave me immediate family info only, not generations of lineage. I understood as she took the time to do all the work, guess I was should do the same. Went on the site after some time, and found out a niece had copied info from an entry by someone who 'believed' our relatives were his, so she entered all his info into our family tree. Made quite a mess. You have to dig deep to get the real facts. Many merely click a link and if some of the info is correct, enter it into their family tree. I would never rely solely on Ancestry.com. Find dates, locations, names, and check libraries, churches, cemeteries etc. closest to that info and if info matches up, you are probably on the right track. It takes many many hours of digging and searching and recording. I put my searching on hold until I can find several hours straight in a day for months to get more info that I know will be enlightening and beneficial for generations to come.

This is pretty cool to discover a history of helping profession/medical careers. My family descended from scoundrels....some are still scoundrels. Lol... Oh well....