to think family history isn't dull or irrelevant??

[GenieGenealogy]

So my user name probably gives it away - but I am interested in family history / genealogy and have been for years. Decades probably. Have lots of friends and connections who are interested too, from across the world.

Recently met a new person through an unrelated social group and we got chatting about what we did in our free time, I said I was interested in researching my family history and she went into a rant about how dull that must be, how it's completely irrelvant to anyone's life, why on earth anyone would be interested in Sarah who died in 1855 or John who went to America in 1899 and so on.

So do you find it interesting or dull or why? (Or is it something you just don't give any thought to?)

It's my full time job and has been for thirty years! Endlessly fascinating. All those millions of families, each with a story. I could never get bored of it.

I find it interesting, but then I’m interested in WC history, women’s history and migration studies — plus, although researching family history in Ireland is very difficult because of record loss, even throwing an eye over comparatively recent documents, like the loss of the family farm, the death of my mother’s father’s first wife and his marriage to my grandmother, plus the birth date of their first child, is very illuminating on family dynamics within my memories.

I always thought you were an academic (if not actually an Austen specialist chomping on a cigar!)

I've just recently got into it, and it's been for want of a better word, healing.

My immediate family are mostly nasty, abusive people so I've always viewed family as something dangerous to stay away from.

But when I look back several generations it feel safer and kind of nice, like a sense of having roots and a solid identity, which I really like.

I think the issue isn't someone else finding your hobby dull and irrelevant but rather they were very rude to voice it.

I think my personal family history runs to many generations of grinding poverty in different places. Unless it revealed some unclaimed pot of money then it really doesn't inspire any interest or enthusiasm. I'd never be rude enough to throw any shade on your hobby though, op.

I did an MA in Historical Research so I can understand the interest.

I'm not sure there is much relevance in genealogy to the researcher. For the majority of people it will just be birth / marriage / death certificates and the odd archive of poor house entries and criminal records. There's rarely any real flavour to an individual.

Each to their own though, I'd never be rude enough to dismiss someone else's hobbies. Differences are what make us interesting.

Ancestry now have all released censuses from England and wales. They released the 1921 one the other day.

They don't have the latest Scottish census released (1911) as it's still exclusive to scotlands people

I am equally fascinated and have traced ancestors to the 1750s so far, discovered that a collateral ancestor was a quite well-known artist, discovered many of my family and late DH's travelled all over the UK/British Isles, were deported to Australia (my DH's several times great-grandfather twice!), that a large section of my family were Mormons and that my several times great-aunt wrote an expose of Mormon polygamy: Tell it All, by Frances Warne Stenhouse, written in the 1860s (she had been on the trek to Utah in a covered wagon - she also almost married a French count because her parents had lived in Jersey for many years and spoke good enough French for her to be a governess in France) and that it's a myth that most people stayed in one place for generations. At least our lot didn't.
Family history is the bedrock of historical research, including the use of diaries and obituaries. I volunteer at a local history exhibition and constantly meet people from all places and of all types who have researched their family tree, have found one of their ancestors forced King John of England to seal Magna Carta, that they are descended from Cecily Neville - and are immensely proud and interested.

My late DH was at first sceptical. He opined that we'd only find dates of birth and death, and was amazed and pleased by the amount of information we discovered. Such things as that my ancestors were cabinet makers - which interest had come down to me and both my brothers, not as carpentry skills but as interest in furniture and collecting it - and that DH's family included many people who might be deemed 'eccentric', an ancestor who refined the stop watch, and one who was an ocean going card sharp! Exploring ancestry can explain a lot about why and how we are now.

Sometimes it can be boring or seem like just dates, but sometimes you find pieces that explain a family story.

My great-granny was, to young me, a horribly shouty rude old lady. She was constantly wiping your hands and face, even when you haven't moved or eaten.

Turned out she was one of 16 children. Only 4 made it to adulthood. Measles and influenza decimated her siblings. One influenza outbreak killed four of her siblings in less than a month.

I've still never solved the mystery that got me into it right enough. Never will.

This.

TBH most hobbies aren’t particularly interesting to hear about, unless they happen to be a shared interest. I wouldn’t want to listen to someone talk about their family history in great detail, but I also wouldn’t want to hear a detailed account about their latest cycling personal best or marathon training,

Love it and love social history in general anyway... I also find other people's family history interesting too. Everything comes from something we don't just appear in isolation!

Each to their own, but it’s not for me. We have one family
member who loves it, trouble is she juts does not get when leiple aren’t interested.

There was no need to be rude though.

It's amazingly dull but perhaps not if it's your family. Still rude to actually say it though.

Absolutely fascinating! Found quite a few unexpected things and a very sad one, a young relative who died at Flanders. Knowing about him I can give thanks for his sacrifice each Remembrance Day.

Genealogy isn't everyone's cup of tea, that's for sure, but if it is, it's quite addictive!

They don't have the latest Scottish census released (1911) as it's still exclusive to scotlands people

1921 census is exclusive to Scotland's People too. Which is a pain. But there is a 1931 census coming for Scotland at some point - it wasn't destroyed like the England/Wales one was.

I think a lot of people must find other people's history interesting - or shows like Who Do You Think You Are wouldn't have lasted past 1 series.

I struggle to be interested. In my own family let alone anyone else's!

But she was rude and that's the main thing. Unless you were monologuing - but it doesn't sound like you were.

id be intrigued to learn about my family

That's famous people isn't it though? (i don't watch it 😂)

I mean there are loads of programs about famous people doing stuff which no one would watch if it was Margret from down the co op doing it ....

no offence to Margret

I love Family History and I find it really interesting. I love the research element.
People are faciniating both dead or alive

I would not make a rude comment if you told me about your hobby, even though I have no interest in it myself. Unfortunately for me, a friend's DH is very invested in it and takes every opportunity to drone on about his ancestors (repeating the same facts). I am too polite to tell him that I don't want to hear it (again), I just try to change the subject as soon as possible.

I enjoy it so much I am doing an MSc part time! Each to their own I guess. If your family is boring and you are not interested in history or have no imagination, I guess it is dull!

It’s all subjective of course - what’s interesting to one person can be full to another.

However, she was incredibly rude to go off on a rant about how dull something is that you had said was an interest of yours!