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UNDECIDED ABOUT RESEARCHING YOUR FAMILY HISTORY?

If you enjoy a good murder mystery or like jigsaws you will love family history

Most of us are living busy, sometimes insular, lives so it is easy to forget the family things that matter as we concentrate on our daily lives. It is all too easy to forget about our ancestral roots. But remember, our lives have been shaped by the characteristics and experiences of our ancestors so if we become disconnected from our roots, we miss out on so much of what makes us who we are, not knowing much about our forebears, their experiences or the stories that make you who you are. Researching your family history is extremely rewarding as we learn about our ancestors' experiences and stories, all of which contribute to who we are today.

Preserving your ancestral legacy

One of the most fascinating elements of exploring your family history is to preserve your family’s legacy for future generations. Most of us will only think about researching our family history when a death of a loved one occurs. This often means it’s too late because all they knew about the family now rests with them in their grave.

As you undertake family history research, you collect valuable, sometimes lost, information that can become your legacy for future generations by ensuring that the invaluable memories and experiences encountered by our ancestors remain alive in the documents, stories, photographs or even oral histories they generated.

Connecting with our ancestors

There is absolutely no doubt that as you undertake family history research, you will develop a deep connection with your roots. Understanding where your family came from, their social environment and influences and the challenges they encountered gives us all a sense of belonging and identity.

An inimitable perspective on life

As you research your family history some things give an inimitable perspective to your own life. By discovering all there is to know about an ancestor's life you will find out about their strengths and struggles, many of which will be akin to your own. These experiences can help resolve your own challenges because you will find that the situations they encountered are basically the same as your own today.

Discover family gems

Every family is unique but as you discover their fascinating stories about migration, family unity, hardships and loyalties, as well as revealing hidden gems or skeletons, your desire to know more increases. You may even discover family members you did not know existed. Researching such discoveries helps you to remain motivated to find out more and by doing so you will become absorbed in your research.

The more involved you become with your family history, the more likely you are to find “new relatives” some of whom are also researching your family. Such discoveries can lead to building new relationships with extended family members who may know other family members, and have stories, and connections than you do not have. Such relationships provide the opportunity share your passion for family history.

Understanding your past

As well as being extremely rewarding, family history research is very educational because it enables you to develop valuable research and problem-solving techniques by learning how to analyse records, read old handwriting, understand obsolete words and phrases and piece together information from various documents to build a picture of an ancestor's life. This alone makes it a really fulfilling hobby. You are never too young or old to begin!

Health and well-being

As you research you will uncover much about your family’s health which can often provide an understanding about your own well-being. Information found on death certificates or medical records, even outbreaks of epidemics in the area where your ancestors lived, can easily be uncovered. Certain medical conditions may be hereditary so discovering your ancestor's ailments, diseases etc. may allow you to make more positive decisions about your own health. Dietary traditions or cultural customs may help you make positive lifestyle choices.

Why start researching your family history?

Maybe you are just curious about where you came from, but family history research is very rewarding. It is your opportunity to explore your heritage and connect with family members both past and present. Your character, temperament and quirks have all been inherited from your ancestors. Why travel this path? Simply to discover your family’s past and to ensure that your ancestors are not lost to time. You will not regret it nor will future generations. Don’t leave it until it is too late.

This article was contributed by Ian Waller from Family History Federation.

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