Family history research surprises...

[wheresmymojo]

I'm researching the family history on both my side and DH's.

I've come across quite a few surprises/interesting things and wondered if anyone else had anything they've found in their family trees that took them by surprise?

The ones off the top of my head in my tree are:

• I have a 4th Great Uncle who was a civil war hero in the US (he even has a Wikipedia page); I had no idea we had any ties to the US at all

• DH's family can be traced back to the 1000's because one of them was mates with William the Conqueror

• DH's family is full of Barons, Sirs, Lords and Sherriffs of Nottingham. Some of them have marble tombs and oil paintings

• Mine were poor as fuck, many died in the Irish famine, some lived in Liverpool slums, some died in workhouses. The ones that had a 'good' life still worked down the pits and raised lots of children in just two or three rooms

• In one branch mine eventually trace back to Scottish crofters near Aberdeen (also poor) trying to make ends meet for 10 kids off 7 acres of land

• One very sad suicide with that I think now would've been PND

• Lots of deportations to Australia and time in prison for petty crimes like stealing a chicken (probably to eat) on my poor side

Anyone else?

Does anyone else find they identify with certain characters or names than others? "Ooo, I'm a [insert marginally more interesting name than my own here]". Despite having 16 gg grandparents, I seem to completing ignore some.

There are persons / branches that are more challenging and interesting to research than others.
Occasionally I've found that a family legend is actually true or discover the path certain talents / interests / illnesses took through the ages.
But I don't identify with any of them. They are in the past and to claim that I am Frisian because I carry a certain name and one GGF came from that region would be ridiculous.

I have found some that are more challenging, but really like one line that just keeps giving with brilliant characters.
I just don't seem to have enough time to do as much as I'd like.
Now, I'm using the info I'm finding in a new project that will hopefully provide a new business and income, so I don't feel too guilty spending time on it as long as I also achieve the daily necessary general research.

I don't find it ridiculous at all, I find it fascinating. I like looking up birthplaces on Google Maps to get an idea of where they lived. And, yes, Romany, I certainly feel I like some more than others. Which is probably why I'm not particularly interested in meeting present day relatives - they might turn out to be that awful woman from work!

The thing I find most interesting ito the DNA testing, I've spoken to so many people who were surprised at the results.
Mine completely floored me, as I thought it would be all UK, as no other ancestors within at least 5 generations were born outside the UK.
Finding all the countries that followed the Romany migration was fascinating.

Yes, I can imagine surprising DNA results could be quite exciting (or shocking). I'll never do it though.

I love the migrations so much, one of the best parts of the ancestry.com dna results are the genetic communities it puts you in. Having both my parents on there has been a massive help as they’re in further additional communities that I’m not matched with but must share common ancestry with the other members?

I definitely have some specific ancestors I’m less keen on than others - and genetic roots in some general regions (like Mesoamerica) I’m intrigued by. I don’t know what I was expecting beyond finding my dad and figuring out which European countries his original ancestors migrated from ✅ and tracing my maternal grandparents, still a work in progress.

I am vary of handing over my DNA to commercial enterprises, because they are ... well, commercial. Though I need to have genetic testing done because of an illness. It's difficult.
And I dislike the regrettably very common ecquasion of a biological factor like DNA / genes with artificial and comparatively young structures like nations / countries (which can lead people down a path they absolutely should not go down).

What do you mean prokup, if dna links you to Irish or Swiss immigrants you shouldn’t look for your original Irish or Swiss ancestors?

@AyahuascaTrip
it is one thing to say: according to my DNA the carriers of that DNA migrated accross these geographical areas, which in their time linked them to this or that political / cultural entity (in my case French, Dutch, Prussian, Spanish all in the same region but different centuries).

Another thing is to say: This aspect of my genetics makes me Irish / German / Russian etc. Irish-ness / German-ness / Russian-ness is a cultural / political concept not linked to DNA. An affiliation to a culture is not something you find in your genes, it is a historical accident.
My ancestors had to provide their family tree, which decided about their survival - so I am a bit touchy on the subject.

Okay, I think I understand you. It’s all still part of your heritage though even if you don’t identify closely with it today?

My ancestors life experiences certainly are part of my heritage - experiences of (sudden or inherited) poverty, a leaning towards acting and singing, the Autism and ADHS traits, the depression, the mining culture etc. - Yes, they are a part of me handed down over the generations.
But my greatgrandfather being (culutrally and politically) a Frisian from the Netherlands does not make me Frisian (apart from liking the language) and his genes are not linked to that.

Me too Cuppatea! Hi cousin 👋

I discovered that my great-great aunt on my dad's side had murdered her oldest child. The scandal it caused was covered in newspapers all over Scotland. She had a child while in prison, too and another when she came out, all to different fathers, I think. Nothing to suggest otherwise.

I was astonished to learn that my great-great grandparents on my mother's side were Romany. I am still trying to track down the name change documents and naturalisation certificates, but one of my cousins thinks she has managed to do that, so I hope to get copies from her.

Via DNA, I have reconnected to a couple of cousins I have not seen in decades, which is wonderful. I have also connected to a couple of 3rd cousins on my dad's side (I know very little about his family, as they wanted nothing to do with me after I was born - long story) and one of them provided me with a photo of my great-grandfather and that answered a question I had, as he was illegitimate and I wondered if he knew his half-siblings. Turns out he did, which is very pleasing.

I use ancestry. I do have a tree on findmypast, but I cancelled my subscription, as I didn't like the format they use. I don't know why, I just didn't. I have discovered a famous footballer, too, who I thought was just a legend. Its been great fun, even when I have been hitting my head off brick walls.

Oh yes, I get you! But I’m still tempted to identify as Visigoth or ancient Mayan 😀

Having recently done an Ancestry DNA test i have just discovered my brother and I do not have the same father.
The dad we think is ours is in fact only mine.
Still coming to terms with his to handle this info.
#birthday presents gone wrong

• how to handle

@AyahuascaTrip

Fuck Brotherly! That’s a big shock, you had no idea beforehand?

I haven’t told any of my siblings about my dna results, partly because I’ve always known. I can’t remember a time when I didn’t know at some instinctive level that I didn’t quite belong in the same way as them.

How do other people deal with brick walls or dead ends in some lines? I wish I could pay someone to investigate ☹️

Yes.
Very working class me and my parents and grandparents .. but , a longgg time ago we were descendants of the Hesketh family, whom built Rufford Old Hall in Lancashire.
Going even further back, to Hastings, I found a French born descendant and my Great Grandfather on the paternal side was a Prussian army officer .

@AyahuascaTrip It depends on when the brick wall is from. If it's before the official BMD records occurred, I kind of accept that I might never know for sure unless I can find parish records and even then I might not be confident whether an entry is the correct one (lots of boring names in my tree!).

Otherwise, DNA matches can be fantastic if you can work out where they tie in and can help you to go back another generation. Also I've found Rootschat a great group of people that are happy to help look into things for you.

Thanks for reply, will take a look at Rootschat. Only a couple of generations ago, it’s driving me crazy! Particularly as it should be the easiest - I live not far from where my grandma’s birth was registered, my only British line. It’s taken me a while to realise parish records don’t include non conforming, Catholic, Jewish and so on. DNA matches have helped me identify maternal grandfather (Swiss/German American) but all silent on the grandmother front ☹️

AyahuascaTrip do come on over to Rootschat - it’s fab

Ahhh I’m in, amazing! Thank you both so much!