When Genealogy Became You

One thing you probably don’t know about me is that I am super into genealogy. The stories and the history are not only fascinating to me but downright strange.

While both Claire and I recognize bilateral kinship in describing our kin groups, the relationship she has with her immediate family is far closer than what I share with mine. Due to residence patterns in recent generations Claire has had the opportunity to grow up with her grandparents as if they were four extra parents. The relationship between her nuclear family and grandparents is very unique to me. Growing up in Florida with my nuclear family and my grandparents living a few states away, I only saw them on special occasions. I also see a very strong relationship within her nuclear family and I feel jealous of it. My nuclear family was not like hers, my parents argued and did not get along very well and eventually divorced mid way through my senior year of high school. Now my brothers and I live with my mother. Her family seems to be involved and tied into everything about her, and that is something that I have not ever seen

So, I started doing research on Ancestry Classroom at school and I found her birth, marriage, and death records and her husband, kids, and parents. Next I searched up her parents. Then I found they’re kids and found out my grandma had siblings she never told me

Where we are from, our own personal history contributes to who we are. Each of our own stories are unique and make up a part of ourselves. We all have a knowledge of our own, customs, traditions, a family, and a history.

This is part four of the series "Where Do I Start as a Beginning Genealogist?". Glad to see you! If you haven't read parts

Culture, race, ethnicity, religion, and even family are key elements to our identity. Our experiences and surroundings help us determine who we are as a person. As for me, I come from a Mexican family of six members; my mom, my dad, my three brothers and me. The absence of a sister and the interaction with three brothers made it easier for me to socialize with boys rather than with girls.

Family history is something most people do not know much about. This is unfortunate because some people do not or are unable to value their families past. Family history is important for many different reasons. It can be used to meet family members a person never knew about and for educational purpose. I was fortunate enough to have my grandparents still alive to tell me about their great-grandparents and grandparents. I never truly understand how interesting and important it is to know about where my family came from until I did this project. My family consists of Polish and German immigrants.

We are often shaped by our race based on common ancestry in which we are born and the culture in which we are raised which ultimately can have an impact on how we are treated in our society. For example, we may dress in a certain fashion, celebrate certain holidays or festivals or listen to certain types of music. The people who raised us and the people we were around growing up will affect the way we think, act and conduct ourselves later in life. Our social status is shaped by our shared customs, heritage and upbringing. Our identities are commonly supported by our

Learning about your family tree can be fun and exciting. I can also raise more questions when you come across a surprising discovery, which is exactly what happened to one woman while she researched her family's history.

Genealogy Started historically, in Western societies the focus of genealogy was on the kinship and descent of rulers and nobles, often arguing or demonstrating the legitimacy of claims to wealth and power. The term often overlapped with heraldry, in which the ancestry of royalty was reflected in their coats of arms. Genealogical research in the United States was first systematized in the early 19th century, especially by John Farmer (1789–1838). In modern times, genealogy became more widespread, with commoners as well as nobility researching and maintaining their family trees. Genealogy received a boost in the late 1970s with the television broadcast of Roots: The Saga of an American Family, Alex Haley's account of his family

Family traditions and cultural legacies contribute to an individual’s self-identity since it is the fabric of where they came from, who they are, and where they’re heading. How do family traditions and cultural legacies contribute to and/or inhibit an individual’s self-identity?

I’ve always believed that life’s experiences shaped personalities. Things like being the youngest child of four, an athlete or living in a rural middle-class area. But the more I reflected on things that have happened to me the more I came to believe that who I am might have nothing to do with external stuff, maybe it was all predetermined.

Family history is very important to an individual. By knowing where you come from, you can have a better perspective of your life. Having a clear understanding of your family background allows you to better appreciate the things that you would normally take for granted. The house, the car, and the average clothing may look better when one sees the sacrifices their family has made. They will see that their family has worked very hard just so their family can experience the better things in life. A persons roots and origin is one of the most important things to explore. It alone can bring you closer to self-discovery.

It’s crazy to think that the way you were raised is what has made you become the person you are today. Everyone has their own story about how they were raised, where they were raised, and who they were raised with. Each person has their own type of heritage with how they are raised based upon their family, where they were raised, religion, family traditions, values, and beliefs. The way you were raised in life has influenced your personality. The way you act and the way you are viewed as are both influenced by your family’s heritage.

“I’ve learned that our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are.” These were the words of a poet, Omer B. Washington. However, they would only apply in