Why Study Genealogy

by Merrick Kennworth

The basic definition of genealogy? It’s the study of family history. It’s the practice of researching family trees, tracing lineage back through generations of history. But in practice, genealogy is the study of real stories, of history on a personal scale.

To reconstruct family trees and build the most accurate and complete family history, genealogists use a number of important resources, from oral traditions handed down by living members of a family to historical records, newspaper articles, and more. Some genealogists even use genetic analysis and other advanced methods to obtain in-depth information about a family in order to establish kinship and pedigrees. However, increasingly sophisticated ways of sharing personal stories, histories, and records from around the world has meant that anyone can grow a completely accurate and in-depth family tree without resorting to scientific methods.

Both family history enthusiasts and professional genealogists have similar motivations when it comes to researching and obtaining family history and ancestor origins. Some of these include very personal motives such as really understanding how a person fits in the larger backdrop of history or understanding where their family comes from and how they shaped the world you live in now, both personally and publicly. Genealogists are also interested in taking the responsibility for preserving the past for upcoming generations, as well as making sure history is clear, accurate and well-told. Genealogy can even be thought of as history told as a story.

Genealogists who study their family history as a hobby usually focus specifically on their own personal family trees as well as the ancestry of their partners or spouses, in order to create a shared family story. Professional genealogists usually make an in-depth study of their own ancestry, which is where their interest in the field may have started! But they also often do research on behalf of non-professionals who are interested in learning about their own histories. They will also often add to the body of knowledge about genealogy, including writing books about methods of research, teach genealogy courses, workshops, or seminars, or help cultivate or curate genealogy databases of their own research, public records, or the records of others.

Companies the provide genealogy research materials such as those important research databases will hire professional genealogists to make sure their information is as accurate and in-depth as possible, and to help keep expanding the database.

But professional or hobbyist, every genealogist has the same goal: to not just learn the basic facts of where and when people in the past lived, but how. Genealogists study the lifestyles and stories of ancestors, research biographies, and try to uncover motivations and real insight into how people lived in the past. This means genealogists often have a huge wealth of knowledge about old laws, the history of politics, wars, religions, and more.

To help their family history research, genealogists and family historians find that joining family history societies, attending conferences, and continuing to expand their education and knowledge of basic history helps expand their research and understanding of the past. These societies also take an interest in helping to preserve the past by indexing public records to make them easier to research, conducting personal interviews to deepen family stories, and advocating for the preservation of historical records.

More Information:

Merrick Kennworth is a blogger that writes about many things including family history One Great Family. He has a passion for life and living it to its fullest. Follow them on Twitter to learn more.

Source: http://www.PopularArticles.com/article456763.html