The dictionary describes genealogy as "A record or table of the descent of a person, family, or group from an ancestor or ancestors; a family tree." But it is actually much more than that. It is really the search for roots, your ancestors and the stories that they could tell if they were still here.
Uncovering the family ancestry, including the name of each ancestor, their dates and places can lead us right next door and around the world. Meeting with long lost relatives to discuss your roots, ancestry and history often provide real clues to your past and much of what you take for granted today. These stories can take you back to life as it was like fifty, one hundred or even five hundred years ago. The journey that your ancestor took; the excitement and fear that they must have experienced when they packed up everything and moved to a new town, county, country or even continent all come alive with the ancestry and history that you uncover.
Searching for your ancestor's name in the Family Bible your grandmother had in her living room; researching a name in a local library or the large research library in a nearby town; or traveling to other countries to search for more details about your family's ancestry tree and history can be a very rewarding hobby.
Searching for your roots is much easier today particularly with the access to computers and with the dramatic increase in information on the world wide web. There are numerous family tree programs that you can download to your computer and start almost immediately. Some roots search software is available right on the web. You simply type in your name and hit 'Enter'. Almost immediately your ancestors, their name and dates appear in front of you. You can even store important tree information and history safely on the web, available to any of your family to view at the click of a button.
What's your story? Join our "Chat in the Forum" group and share it with us....
