When researching ancestors who immigrated aboard ocean liners, you may have thought about their lives and experience—but did you ever wonder what they ate? Even for third class passengers, the food was much better quality than what you're probably imagining. Read More
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Take your research to the next level with our consultation service! You (or your recipient) will be paired with a genealogist with expertise in your line of inquiry. During a one- or two-hour session, your expert will review your question and explore possible avenues for continuing your research. Online sessions include a recording for you to review later at your convenience. Learn More
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Save $30 on a New Individual Membership
Become a member today and save $30! Unlock over 1.4 billion searchable names from the nation's leading resource for family history. You'll also receive the award-winning print magazine American Ancestors, plus online access to all past issues. Your membership helps further our mission, to inspire, educate, and connect family historians everywhere! Sale ends December 2.
Share your thoughts about the survey! Please limit submissions to 150 words or fewer. Your submission may be featured in an upcoming newsletter or shared on social media; please note in your email if you do not want your story to be shared. Published responses may be edited for clarity and length.
Last Week's Survey:
How Genealogy Has Influenced Your Life
Total: 2,797 Responses
82%, Yes, I have contacted relatives I hadn't previously met or known about.
55%, Yes, I have established close relationships with people (relatives or non-relatives) through genealogy.
14%, Yes, I have studied a new language.
76%, Yes, I have studied history or other subjects relevant to my genealogy.
30%, Yes, I have mastered a new technology.
29%, Yes, I have written an article or book.
28%, Yes, I have given a talk.
68%, Yes, I have "rescued" family papers, artifacts, or photographs (that belonged to my family or another family).
33%, Yes, I have donated items to a museum, library, or historical society.
66%, Yes, I have become involved in a genealogical or historical organization.
71%, Yes, I have taken a trip.
53%, Yes, I have attended a conference.
48%, Yes, my life has been enriched by genealogy in a way not mentioned above.
1%, No, my interest in genealogy has not prompted me to do anything I wouldn’t have otherwise done.
Readers Respond
Carol Austin, Garden Grove, California: Since inheriting my grandmother’s collection of charts and letters over fifty years ago, I have explored my own ancestry. In the process, I’ve published books on some of my difficult lines, traveled across the country meeting relatives at reunions and conventions, and done research in libraries, courthouses, cemeteries, and living rooms. I joined the Austin Families Association of America and now I am the organization’s genealogist. I’ve given talks in churches, clubs, and conferences. I started with paper charts and learned to use software, deciphered old Latin records and German script, and now must deal with Y-DNA, atDNA and even mtDNA. There’s always something new.
Mary Anne Hamilton, Chicago, Illinois: My genealogical research has affected my life in ways I would never have imagined when I began constructing family trees as a teenager. Traditional paper documentation allowed me and my family to claim Luxembourg citizenship through my mother’s line. This dual citizenship will provide my grandchildren with many more educational and cultural opportunities. On my father’s side, DNA testing revealed an unknown grandfather. I’ve been searching for this man for six years now and have learned a great deal more about DNA testing and analysis. I may never find him, but the search continues to expand my skills and contacts.
Daniel J. F. Lupia, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania: I met my husband through genealogy. The conversation on our first date was stilted and we could both tell the date was not going well. Then he mentioned a genealogical project he was working on related to his Civil War soldier ancestor, Tilghman Henshue of Allentown, Pennsylvania. I shared some of my research stories and we learned that we had both been researching our families since we were young teens. This past September—six years after that first date—we got married. Over the years we have supported each other in our research and taken trips to visit genealogical sites and meet distant relatives. We even incorporated genealogy into our wedding by naming all our tables after families we descend from and providing descriptions of the families’ origins. I descend from an armorial family, and my husband's family recently filed arms with NEHGS's Committee on Heraldry. We included our arms in our wedding materials as well, in line with good heraldic practice.
Diane Bazella “spent nearly 40 years convinced that two people she tracked down in the 1980s—including the woman whose name was on her birth certificate—were her biological parents.”
Spotlight: Cemeteries in Raleigh, North Carolina
by Valerie Beaudrault
The city of Raleigh, located in central North Carolina, is the state capital and seat of Wake County. Raleigh City Cemeteries Preservation, Inc. (RCCP) is a non-profit organization which has partnered with the city of Raleigh to promote, preserve and restore the city-owned historic cemeteries. These include City Cemetery, the oldest public cemetery in Raleigh; Mt. Hope Cemetery, an African American cemetery established in 1872: and O’Rorke Cemetery, a Catholic cemetery established in 1858. Click the READ MORE link at the end of each cemetery description to access its burials database and maps.
As a family historian, you know that wills are important in your research—but have you created a will for yourself? Free Will, an easy and free online will creation tool, will guide you step-by-step through identifying beneficiaries for your assets, supporting the causes that are important to you, and planning for the preservation of your research. Learn More
