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Genealogy or Family History?

For many beginning genealogists, the line between the concrete facts of genealogical research and the personal lore of family history are easily blurred.  This article by Genealogy Beginner’s resident genealogist, Ramona Hartley clearly demonstrates the difference between the two related but separate fields of study. Do you know the difference between genealogy and family history? When you are a beginning genealogist; taking those first tentative steps in researching your ancestry, it can be difficult to distinguish the difference between them.

The terms genealogy and family history refer to two separate but equally significant approaches to exploring your roots. The fundamental difference between the two methods lies in the sources of information used to conduct the research. These sources consist of primary, secondary, and tertiary information.

Genealogy

The study of Genealogy refers to the fact based inquiry into your ancestry. It is the concrete process of searching for your genetic origins by gathering and documenting the names, dates and locations of your predecessors. Genealogy requires adherence to the precise information presented within public record to provide irrefutable evidence of your lineage.

A genealogist’s tools are the source materials such as Statutory Index Records for marriages, births, deaths, and baptisms, although at times family bibles and Census Records can be primary sources. To correctly conduct genealogy research you would want to use only primary source information, which means using any record showing a first hand account of an event and containing the signature of a witness.

Family History

Family History refers to the study of the unique details and personal events in your ancestor’s lives; it is their story as told by you, their descendant. Family history research fleshes out the full account that gives life and character to your family tree by including the private details of your generations past; these being the fine points of lives lived that are not found solely within public records. A family historian can use secondary and even tertiary information such as, old photographs, diaries, letters and family lore.

Tying it together

That is not to say that you can not use primary sources for family history research. The study of family history often requires the need to read between the lines of public documents and dig a little deeper to find the tale that lies within. Some truly wonderful opportunities for family history stories are hidden in genealogical data.

Using a fantastic clue found in an Old Parish Record, I will show you how the two can work together.

Genealogy Data + the Family Historian = A Great Story

OPR Extract:

Parish of Carstairs, County of Lanark. Dated May 2nd. 1790

“May 2nd, this day Alexander Gibson in Longflush and Christian Weir had a daughter {Begot in Fornication}. Baptized, Named Janet Gibson.”

The Family History element

This baptismal record from Scotland 1790, tells us that the child being baptized was “begot in fornication”. Even so, both father and mother were listed in the parish record.

Sensing a good family history story, I researched what the term “Begot in Fornication” would have meant to the lives of these individuals in 1700’s Scotland.

What I found was that, the community was very narrow-minded in those days, quick to bring transgressors before the sessions. In this case the father of the child came forward and admitted his liabilities. Due to this he was listed in the record even though he did not marry the mother. The parents of the child being from “good church going families” would have been brought to task publicly and admonished for their sin, this over a period of three Sundays at normal services. Having then been deemed publicly humiliated they would be, so to speak, brought back into the fold and the child baptized.

Wrap up

The short and sweet answer to the question; do you know the difference between genealogy and family history is… You are a genealogist when: you are searching for and documenting records from primary sources and your concern is for factual, proven accounts of births, baptisms, marriages and deaths. You are a family historian when: you are using those facts in addition to reported events that although probable, may not be substantiated by first hand account in the available records; for the purpose of telling the story of your family’s unique and very personal past.

No matter what your method, don’t be surprised if when rediscovering their lives’, you gain a better understanding of your own.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ramona_Hartley

Family Tree Research – The First Steps

Some folks are asking about family tree research and if we could offer some ideas/assistance with how to actually find your ancestors. We’ll spread the ideas out over several posts so you can digest things in small chunks (at least my mind works that way).

 

 

 

That said, I’m going to assume …

• You have a family tree template and understand how to fill out a family tree.

• You’ve got the passion to create a family tree that will make you and your family proud.

• You’re having a little trouble researching your family history.

• Your biggest challenge…? I’m going to assume you simply don’t know where to start.

The first step is to organize your paperwork. Some people like to get a special notebook or pen for notes. Something to make it special. With this in place, you need to write down everything you know about your family. But focus just on you, your parents, and their parents. This “family brainstorming” will be critical to help guide your initial research. (More on this later.) The initial research starts with your living parents and grand-parents. Getting information from them and, more importantly, getting permission to rummage around their attics. These will be your first (and best) research resource.

Here is what you’re looking for… the full name, birth date, marriage date, and date of their death.

Check future posts on where to go from here.

Family Tree Form

It starts with you (or your son or daughter if you’re working on a great gift). To create a family tree form or your first family tree chart you write down all the names you know on both sides of your parents’ families. Begin with your name and work backward to your parents and then their parents.  As you write each name, write down everything you can think of about this person. Most specifically, focus on:

 

 

• Full Name (i.e., first, middle, and last)
• Date of Birth
• Place of birth (i.e., city, state, county, and country)

Next Step… Download a Blank Family Tree Template

A Family Tree Search Sunday

This is a neat idea that more communities should consider. What better way to show residents how their tax dollars work than a family tree search Sunday. This story from the Scarborough Evening News reports that residents of Scarborough will be welcome to participate in a unique event every Sunday. It is a day set aside to help research their family trees. The Council Records Office in North Yorkshire County is taking registrations for a family history “day school” intended to aid beginning genealogists in their initial research.

 

The Sunday sessions will provide access to parish and non conformist records as well as give lessons on how to use census and registration records. The study days will be headed by Jackie Depelle, a local history tutor and Records Office staff will be on hand to assist participants.

Read the full article …

Too bad it isn’t a bit closer to home.

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Where to Next?

Blank Family Tree

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