Why Would You Want to Trace Your Family History?

Everyone has special reasons for the efforts they make to learn more about their family history. Do any of the reasons below resonate with you?

1. I want to learn about an ancestor. For some, family was never discussed while growing up. Others are trying to make connections because they never knew a parent or grandparent.
2. I want to be able to share my history with my children. Many have made a commitment to find, preserve and share family history with future generations because they feel a moral obligation to do so.
3. I love discovery; it’s a fun thing to do. You may have begun researching because you love the hunt, and you are curious about what you may dig up.
4. I want to understand more about myself. Do you suspect that some of the qualities that make you who are can be attributed to an ancestor? Do you wonder which decisions they made concerning education, where to live, or employment had the most effect on your life? Do family members say that you remind them of an ancestor?
5. I want to learn about the place where my ancestor lived. It is wonderful to be able to pass on the traditions that your ancestor brought from their native land.
6. I want to know about the challenges my ancestor faced. Did you grow up hearing family stories about the war or the depression that make you want to know more about how your ancestor was impacted? Delving into the past helps you understand more about how they handled struggles.
7. I am looking for living relatives. Some researchers are looking to connect with living descendants to discover what they can share about ancestors. They invite the newly discovered to family reunions and share stories and photographs with each other.