The journey to find your roots begins at home. Start conversations with your relatives to learn more about your family lineage! Rifle through old documents and photos, or search for archives at the local library. You can find out all about who your ancestors were, where they originated from, and what happened in their lives. It’s like travelling through time!
Learning about your ancestors and their lives in a meaningful and intimate way can make you feel closer to your roots. It can be a truly moving experience, especially for those looking to find deeper meaning in their lives.
Here’s all you need to know about tracing your ancestry:
Get organized
It’s easier to collect facts about your close relatives, so you’re more likely to stumble upon loads of information in the first couple of weeks. Organize and save everything that you find, and pick out an online genealogical database to input your findings
There are many apps and sites available online with millions of existing family trees; perhaps some branches might connect with yours!
Go treasure hunting at home
Professional genealogists have amazing detective skills. They notice patterns, look for clues, collect data, and conduct research to solve mysteries and reveal family histories. These experts are also aware that the most important clues would be hidden in plain sight.
Start hunting for clues in your basement, attic, drawers, or any place that would contain documents, photos, or personal correspondences. Dated items are extremely helpful, and you should keep an eye out for military records, diaries, or letters.
Involve your relatives in the process! They might be just as interested in their ancestry as you are, and it’ll help you to look for memorabilia together.
Communicate with your elders
Older relatives are like living libraries; they’ve got family history stores in their heads that can help you out in your journey. You might have heard about family facts or legends your whole life, but it might refresh your memory to really sit down and interview your elders while asking new questions. You should record your interviews to go over later or leave the recordings as a piece of memorabilia for your own generations to come.
If you go treasure hunting before the interviews, you can even talk about artifacts with your relatives, or ask them to identify the places and people in old pictures. They might even serve as a catalyst for new stories and leads.
Expert Genealogy Research Services in Ireland
My Ireland Heritage can make the research process easier for you by helping you trace your Irish roots with our top-notch ancestry research experts. We leave no stone unturned in finding records of your family’s house, lives, and church. We also provide guided genealogical tours to famous heritage sites in Ireland to help you learn more about your ancestors’ daily lives.
Contact us to book a tour!
