What is Genealogy?

Genealogy is the study and investigation of your family history.  A person who investigates their family history, as you are about to do, is called a genealogist.

How do you begin the process of researching your family history?  A good place to start is by collecting the names of relatives, both those who are living and deceased, and start to make connections between people.  Many genealogists create what is called a family tree which shows all of these relationships.  Here is an example picture of what a family tree can look like.

You see the trunk of the tree at the bottom, and the many family "branches" as the top.  As the family grows, more and more branches grow!

Genealogy is one of the world's most popular hobbies.  Millions of people around the world are fascinated by the question, "Where did I come from?".  Some also may wonder what life was like for their ancestors, the people whom they are descended from.

New let's watch a short video. Click on the "YouTube Video" menu item at the left.