Q. I come from a large family and have relatives all over the world, including South America and Europe. I have lots of stories about our family and have been doing my best to pass them down to my children and grandchildren. Recently, my granddaughter shared some good news: I’m going to be a great-grandfather! I’m very excited and it’s got me thinking about doing an ancestry search and putting together history for future generations. I’m just not sure where to begin. Any ideas?
A. Congratulations on the newest addition to your family! This is certainly a time for celebration and reflection. Researching and documenting family history has become very popular, especially now that the internet gives us easier access to information from around the world.
Many people who embark on documenting their history find that if helps deepen their sense of purpose and belonging. It can also bring family members together and in some cases, it’s a good opportunity to collect important family medical information.
If you’d like to consider documenting a history of your family, the National Archives provides some easy, low-cost ways to get started:
- Begin with yourself, and work from the present to the past. Document your name, date and location of birth, marriage, children, and siblings. Do the same for your siblings, parents, aunts, and uncles. You’ll be surprised how much you can discover just by researching this inner family circle.
- Search national and state archives for birth, marriage and death records. Many states now have this information online, dating back to the late 1800s. The U.S. federal census has information back to the 1700s. Churches, universities, and libraries are other good sources of historical information about families.
- Consider using a resource like Ancestry.com, which compiles lots of archived information in one site. These sites also include different charts and forms that might help you keep track of all the new information you discover. Many of these tools are free, while others might include a cost.
- Don’t forget your family stories, many of which have been passed down orally from generation to generation. Your children and grandchildren could be very helpful in putting this part of your history together. As a family, you can write stories in a journal or even record them on video using your phone. This will help ensure that both your family tree and the stories that make you who you are become preserved for future generations.
Many of our local senior centers or councils on aging have resources or volunteers who might be able to help. Give them a call because they know others who have gone through this process already. And maybe even consider publishing some of your stories online or in print so that others can be inspired. Good luck!
Are you caring for an older adult or need help finding healthy aging resources? Our experienced staff is available to help. Visit us online at www.agespan.org. You can also call 800-892-0890 or email info@agespan.org.
Joan Hatem-Roy is the chief executive officer of AgeSpan, which serves the following cities and towns: Amesbury, Andover, Billerica, Boxford, Chelmsford, Danvers, Dracut, Dunstable, Georgetown, Groveland, Haverhill, Lawrence, Lowell, Marblehead, Merrimac, Methuen, Middleton, Newbury, Newburyport, North Andover, Peabody, Rowley, Salisbury, Salem, Tewksbury, Tyngsboro, Westford, and West Newbury.
