Can you trace your family heritage?
By free_man
@free_man (7330)
United States
February 15, 2012 9:48am CST
Me I never knew my dads parents or any of his family. I only met my mothers parents once or twice in my life. I can't tell you much about my heritage. Funny none of my family can tell you much about our heritage. I don't even know where my family came from. My ex husbands family came from the may flower he was kin to Samuel Adams.
Do you know where your family tree begins? Do you know what tribe you are from?
2 people like this
15 responses
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
15 Feb 12
Yes, I have documents that go back to the 1700's. Primarily I am German, on both sides of my family, with a little English,Irish, and possibly French and Hebrew. The latter one could possibly be confirmed if my cousin would take a test or if his sister would allow me to see the family bible, but I they that the female cousin, (the one with the bible) is in denial and if I got a hold of it, I could prove that part of our heritage..
1 person likes this
@free_man (7330)
• United States
15 Feb 12
I never thought of the bible as a reference too bad my mother is gone and I can't ask her. I like you have a sister that won't let me see the bible my mother carried for years. I can't prove anything about my heritage. I know I am American Indian but other then that I have no way to find out who or where we are from. Thanks for sharing.
1 person likes this
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
15 Feb 12
Well I am not sure if the bible will help because my cousins only found out through this site where the one cousin paid for the families "coat of arms" and it had a Star of David and a menorah on it. Before that, there was no clue, except the family bible that I am told has writings in it in German. If I had an ancestor who was Jewish and converted, he or she may have written about his or her experience. I know enough people who speak German and can translate it, but I can't get her to scan the pages and when she moved up back up here, I think she left the bible down south with her son. But she assured me in the beginning she'd have her son scan the pages, but obviously it wasn't something that was that important to her.
1 person likes this
@free_man (7330)
• United States
15 Feb 12
I can remember my mother wrote in her bible all the generations but I was young and it didn't matter to me then. But since I am getting older by the day......LOL it has become more important to me to find out who and where my family is from. I know it seems like some people don't give a hoot where they came from. I hope your sisters son will hurry up and scan the bible for you my friend! Good luck!
1 person likes this
@CarlHalling (3617)
• United Kingdom
15 Feb 12
Up to a point I do, but I'd like to know much much more. My dad was born in Tasmania, Australia to a mother from England, and a father, or step-father it's not certain, from Denmark. His name was Carl Halling, and I got my name from him.
He was raised partly in Sydney, and then from about the onset of his teens on, in London, England. My mother was born in Manitoba, Canada, to a father, something of a jack of all trades, house builder, electrician, originally from the little town of Castledergh in Ulster province, northern Ireland, while my grandmother was from the city of Glasgow, Scotland. As a young woman she emigrated to England where she met my dad, and I was born in London. I'm a bit of a mixture, but I take my national identity from the country of my birth, England, I consider myself to be English first and foremost, and then British, and then Scottish, Canadian and so on.
@free_man (7330)
• United States
16 Feb 12
It is a good thing to know where you come from. I can't even tell you my grandparents names. I wish I had known them and of my family history. Thanks for sharing my friend. Keep up the good work you will find out everything about your family history. Good luck!
@desacordova (31)
• Philippines
16 Feb 12
I'm desa from Philippines. Filipinos are known of our traditional characteristics which is 'close family ties' and YES we are indeed close to our family . We can trace our grandparents, relatives, cousins(1st,2nd,3rd,4th and even 5th degree). We had a mixed blood of Hispanic and Filipino coz my grandfather's father was a Spanish
1 person likes this
@digidogo (444)
• Philippines
16 Feb 12
I have met only my grandparents from both my mother's and father's side. I know where they originated from before arriving in the big city but that is all based on what my parents have told me who in turn heard from their parents. I have Chinese and Spanish blood, cool huh? And before that, I do not know a single thing. My grandparents and great grandparents went through WWII and I am really intrigued on hearing more about their history including of my great great grandparents. I am still waiting for an opportunity
1 person likes this
@free_man (7330)
• United States
16 Feb 12
Hi Digidogo and welcome to my lot. That is cool that you are Chinese and Spanish. Do you know the languages of both sides of your heritage? That is cool that they served in WWII! Keep looking who knows you may find out a lot more. Thank you for sharing my friend!
@digidogo (444)
• Philippines
17 Feb 12
Thanks for the welcome! Nope I do not know the language of both sides of my heritage but I did study Chinese Mandarin before. Now, I only remember the basics and I understand more from conversation than reading. No, they did not serve in WWII They only went through it. The better word to use would probably be "survived". They survived WWII.
@cash4cards (140)
• United States
15 Feb 12
No..my uncle just recently started this an it got me interested.
im thinkin of starting it. but i dont talk to my dad an his mom
well lets say was a bit frisky an got kids everywere ive heard
horror stories of my dad askin a girl out once only to find out
she was a sister!!! Thank god she turned him down! Lol he worked
with his brother for 20 yrs when he found out he was a brother..scary
stuff
1 person likes this
@free_man (7330)
• United States
15 Feb 12
Hi Cash4cards and welcome to my lot. That is odd that your dad didn't know it was his sister. And real strange that your dad worked with his brother and didn't know he was his brother. Good that your uncle is looking into your heritage though. Wish I knew where and who I came from. Good luck!
@free_man (7330)
• United States
16 Feb 12
Back in those days women ran off and left their children all the time. My mother in laws mother did it to her and her brothers and sisters all the time. I know of several people that one their parents would take off and leave for years or even never hear of them ever again. I also know of men molesting their own children. Guess it still goes on but not something you hear of everyday.
@GardenGerty (160696)
• United States
15 Feb 12
My dad has done a lot of research about his family in the last few years. My mom's family mostly talked about our Native American Heritage. Yes, I know what tribe I am from and actually have a tribal membership. I know quite a bit, but not necessarily everything.
1 person likes this
@free_man (7330)
• United States
15 Feb 12
I think it is a good thing to know your heritage. I wish I had thought of this when I was younger but alas I didn't. I don't even know my dad or my mothers parents. I do know I am American Indian but that is only because of my brothers. Thanks for sharing my friend!
@dodo19 (47317)
• Beaconsfield, Quebec
15 Feb 12
I have managed to do some family research, although it mostly comes from my mom's side, more specifically her mother's side. I do also have a bit from my maternal grandfather's side. I've been able to trace my maternal grandmother's side up to approximately 1600's. I'm still kind of searching into things, but so far that's what I've been able to find.
1 person likes this
@Professor2010 (20162)
• India
28 Sep 12
Yes i have details of 8 generations
i have drawn picture of a tree, the arms show the kids, the subbranches their kids and so on
thanks for sharing in details
@asliah (11137)
• Philippines
27 Sep 12
hi,
actually i dont know my heritage,but my mother told me,such a history of our family,and i really loved to hear some of my family history /heritage.my mother said that the mother of my grandmother was a half Filipino and half Chinese,then the father of my grandfather had a blood of a Spanish.
@free_man (7330)
• United States
15 Feb 12
Hi Deepa and welcome to my lot. It is a good thing to know your heritage. Wish I had parents that would have taught me where we came from. I didn't care growing up because there was so many people in our family I guess but as I grow older I wonder where I came from. Who was my great great grandparents you know what I mean?
@nyang1984 (464)
• Philippines
16 Feb 12
when i was 9 years old i was given the chance to hear/know the heritage of my family through my grandfather, i was able to jot it down. but unfortunately i forgot all those things and lost the copy of my family tree. all i can remember is that my grandmother is half chinese here mother got married twice her second husband was a filipino. and about my grandfather side all i know about him is he is a musician.
1 person likes this
@thelmadacullo112659 (642)
• Philippines
16 Feb 12
Iknow some BUT MOSTLY OTHERS DONT KNOW.iNEED SOME OLD OLD RELATIVES TO ASK THEM FOR THEY KNOW BETTER THAN ME COZ THEY ARE OLD ENOUGH...I COULD NOT REMEMBER THE OLDER ONES...
1 person likes this
@mrswilliams (8)
• United States
15 Jun 12
I started to do my family tree but didnt get very far lol. Ancestry.com wants money which i cant afford. I think it would be neat to find out my roots. My husband has no idea who his father was so I dont even know where I would start to ever try to do his.but think itwould be neat to find out.