Family Tree[s]

[Gray]

Im curious about actually making one at the moment since it was brought up a few days ago, but its something i have never looked at before.

What type of tools would you need, i know the internet would be a great way to kick things off - I checked on the GenesReunited site [ala FriendsReunited] and it did seem to have a bit of data on there, but looks like it could turn out quite pricey.

Something to do with my spare time that i seem to have at the moment! Even though i havent looked deeply into it, apparently i could have links to Ireland and Scotland, so could be cool to see!

 

[caLLous]

You need a phone to talk to relatives and a piece of paper and a pen to write it all down...

Chances are one of your older relatives already has a basic family tree or has attempted to make one at some point, this cuts a lot of the legwork out!

 

[Lazarus]

mine would be HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGE

 

[Wonk]

You need a phone to talk to relatives and a piece of paper and a pen to write it all down...

Chances are one of your older relatives already has a basic family tree or has attempted to make one at some point, this cuts a lot of the legwork out!

What he said. Ask your relatives first if you haven't already.

 

[Wazzerphuk]

It's expensive, it requires a LOT of time trawling through record offices and reaching dead ends... unless your family have spent their life VERY close, then it is a process that takes years.

 

[Nate]

hehe I thought Swift^ said time travelling! I'll go now.

 

[Wazzerphuk]

You could time travel, it would probably be quicker

 

[tris-]

mine is pretty simple to track actually. my surname is singh and my dad is indian, so i conclude i am a descendant from the lower classes of ye olde india

 

[Raven]

Depends how far you want to go back and where your ancestors came from My Granddad spent about 20 years tracking ours back to the year 14xx, and unverified to 12xx. He even went as far as hiring a professional genealogist.

Best start is to talk to older relatives, then move onto birth/deaths/marriages etc which are stored in record offices or churches.

 

[xane]

About 20 years ago, my father had to prove probate on his father's will, difficult seeing as he wasn't even sure how many brothers and sisters his father had ! It took a lot of time but shortly after he completed it, he was coincidently contacted by a more distant relative he'd never heard of for more information on his family, and it just so happened ...

The upshot is they exchanged complete histories and I now have a confirmed family tree going back to the late 1700s. Going before 1800 is difficult as the registration of births, deaths and marriages only became mandatory in 1827 in the UK.

In the meantime, see how far your surname has spread.

 

[dysfunction]

In the meantime, see how far your surname has spread.

Hehe...A lot of places in the Blackpool, Liverpool, Bolton, Leeds and York Area have my surname...

 

[TdC]

hehe there are about 50 squillion Scots with my surname common as muck, me

 

[SilverHood]

One of my very distant relatives, whose family emmigrated to the Candadas in the 1800's, spent 12 years doing a family tree, tracing our relatives back to the Norman Invasion of England, where it seems, the last trace is one of William the Conqueror's minor lords and men at arms.

The family was minor nobility until around the year 1500, when Silken Thomas was hanged, and my family, as one of his allies, were stripped of their titles, lands and office. My branch of the family then migrated to Ireland, following persecution from the crown, and that's where they are today, though some moved back to England in the 1800's.

Pretty cool huh? Not sure I'd want to spend 12 years of my life finding out about it though.

 

[Opt1]

Groovy.

Unfortunately, it won't let me see how far my surname has spread, as there's fewer than 100 of us in GB It won't let me select any other countries though, which is annoying.

I know there's a couple of us in the US, but no clue otherwise..