The holidays bring families together, which means there’s no better time to explore your family tree and learn more about your heritage. Your search can only improve by arming yourself with answers only relatives can provide.
So after the dishes are done and you cut a slice of dessert, don’t forget to grab a notebook and pen (or your favorite digital device). Then fire away with the questions you have about your family’s past. Below are five to get you started.
1. What is _____’s last name?
You may know your mother’s maiden name and even your father’s mother’s maiden name, but as people marry throughout the years, there are so many surnames to keep track of it’s easy to overlook one here and there. Keeping track of these names makes it much easier to locate records about these family members and flesh out your family tree. You may even find some distant relatives along the way if you collect information via Ancestry thanks to Public Member Trees.
2. Who served in the military?
As you build your family tree, you can start combing through military records. You’ll have an easier time if you know which members of your family served in the military. Want to dig deeper? Ask about the branch they served in and whether they were sent into combat.
3. Did ______ have any nicknames in their youth?
If you start diving through records like high school yearbooks, you may find it much easier if you know your relatives’ nicknames. You can learn more about their activities, sports, and organizations if you know you should look up “Junior Smith” instead of “John Smith.”
4. What was the religion of your parents and your grandparents?
Religion can be core to a family’s cultural interactions and may have influence on the things you celebrate and don’t. However, just because your family practices a certain religion now does not mean it’s the religion of your ancestors. Ask now, then peruse church records on Ancestry to further your investigation.
5. When and where was _______ born?
Maybe you know the exact city, hospital, and dates for the births of your parents and grandparents. But what about your great-grandparents or your great-great grandparents? This information can be invaluable when you’re combing through birth records, census records, and immigration records.
Need a place to store all your information or an easy way to search through thousands of records? Start an Ancestry free trial today, and at your next holiday meal, surprise everyone with your knowledge of your family’s history.