Tracing Your Roots - SXM Sint Maarten

It’s a question we ask ourselves many times over the course of our lives: Where does my family come from?  Many of us have wondered about our ancestors and who they were, what they did. One of the most popular hobbies around the world today is genealogy – the study of family history. Discovering your family history is a great and exciting pastime, and with the explosion in resources available, especially the Internet, you can easily find several generations of ancestors. You may surprised what you find!

Tracing your ancestral history is a project just like any other; you should come up with a good plan before you set out searching for information. Without a solid plan, it can be all too easy to get overwhelmed and lost in the huge amounts of information you are sure to come across during your search. Set up an area in your home that can be used while you do your research. A quiet little place where you can store information you find and make notes of your own. A busy kitchen table is not the best place for this adventure.

The first step on your journey into your family’s past is to write down information you already know. Start with yourself. Put down as much information about yourself that you can, regardless of how trivial a piece of information seems. Then list the names of your parents, your grandparents, etc., writing down everything you know about them as well. Official documents are a great asset, if you have them, such as certificates for births, deaths, and marriages as well. Even if you don’t have the actual documents, any time, place and dates can be very useful. Don’t stress out about verifying information just yet. This is just your first step! Now, that wasn’t so painful, was it? You have just completed the first step down the path of your family’s history. You are now ready to move on!

The next step in this process is to gather information from your family members. The best and simplest way to do that is to just simply ask them! This will involve your natural curiosity, as well as some basic interviewing techniques. Your goal is to find out as much information as possible, and knowing how to do this can be helpful. Here are some pointers to help you find out the facts and stories you know are out there just waiting to be uncovered.

Ask the person you wish to interview if they want to talk about the family history. Though the majority of family members will most likely be delighted to speak with you, there may be a few relatives who will be uncooperative or downright hostile. By their nature, family stories are quite personal, and not everyone wishes to share them. Respect that.  Start with a question or subject that will get a complete response, such as a story that you’ve heard the person relate before. You can start off by saying for example: “Tell me about that time you an Uncle Rick went moose hunting…” Avoid general questions, like “Tell me about your school years.” Ask questions that require more than a yes or no answer. Have an idea what direction you would like to go in your questioning, but don’t be dismayed if the person you are interviewing heads down another road. You might get some details you hadn’t anticipated. Again any and all information is important. Using props like photographs and scrapbooks can help to stimulate a response to your questions. Take notes, or preferably, tape record your interviews. Soon after your interviews, write a note of thanks to those whom you interviewed. People like to feel appreciated and many members of your family will certainly be interested in your results.

Now that you have written down what you already know, and have started interviewing family members regarding what they know, it is time to move on to another phase of family history research. This is a step you can do without having to leave your own home! Take a look around your house (or your parents’ or grandparents’ if you need to), and see what family records may be available. These records can be treasure troves of information for the family history researcher. The first place most people think to look is at the family Bible, which has been a traditional place for families to record births, deaths, and marriages. You may also find obituaries and newspaper clippings tucked into the pages. Some of the other types of records you may find include: Birth Records. It is unlikely that you will find a birth certificate for anyone born before 1920. Other potential sources of birth information include baptismal records, school records, letters, diaries, birth announcements, and baby books. Marriage Records. Marriage licenses or certificates are frequently found in a family’s records. They will at least record the names of the couple being married. However, many of them record birth places and parents’ names as well. Other sources for marriage information include newspaper announcements and family Bible records. Death Records. Death certificates are often located with the family papers. These generally have the information regarding the date and place of death, as well as the deceased’s parents’ names. You may also find death information in newspaper obituaries, legal notices, letters, and again, the family Bible. There are numerous other sources of pertinent family history information you might find at home. Passports, military discharge papers, photographs, land records, business transactions, legal records, and wills are all potential sources of the information you need to unravel the mysteries of your family’s history.

Discovering your family’s history is a wonderful pastime, but it shouldn’t seem like a daunting task. Once you record what you and your family already know, and uncover records that may be sitting under your nose at home, you will be well on your way to a lifetime of celebrating your family’s past, enjoying its present, and recording it for the future.