Comments on: Genealogy: Why family research?

By: Schelly

Schelly — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 19:51:33 +0000

Hi, Del

thank you for informing our readers about the current survey. I encourage our readers to participate!
with best wishes

Schelly

By: Del Muise

Del Muise — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 20:50:54 +0000

Hi: I am a co-investigator of a project designed to update Ronald Lambert’s study of Ontario Genealogists. His work was pathbreaking and he has written extensively about the survey results in the sociological literature. It is great that you are bringing it forward again. The new survey is an on-line one aimed at all Canadian oriented genealogists. It has been active for the past three months and will remain available on-line for another two weeks, when it will be closed to permit us to undertake some analysis.
Over two thousand genealogists have already undertaken the survey and we are always anxious to have more do so. We are asking questions about why people have begun to undertake genealogy; but as well have a number of other open-ended questions that allow respondents to discuss their ongoing practice as well as the imprtance of genealogy in their lives.
The survey, which is being conducted by myeslf and a colleague, Leighann Neilson, at Carleton University is available at: http://www.cusurveycentre.ca/gensurvey/; we are also blogging about the survey as we go along and aare currently preparing a series looking at the responses to the open-ended questions. The blog is available at: http://genealogyincanada.blogspot.com/

By: Schelly Talalay Dardashti

Schelly Talalay Dardashti — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 16:49:48 +0000

For the benefit of our English-only readers, here is a translation of Jannie’s comment above:

I have for the longest time wanted to write down my family’s ancestry, but I have not have had time until now. It’s fantastic to be able to put the links from the past together with those for the future. I know through stories from the seniors in my family that there are amazing stories waiting to come out. I hope I can participate in this, for my children and for the next generation’s sake and that they will find it interesting to see their family tree grow.

By: Jannie Berthou Hedetoft

Jannie Berthou Hedetoft — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 00:13:56 +0000

Jeg har længe ønsket at nedskrive min families aner, men har ikke haft tid før nu. Det at kunne lægge strenge ud til fortid og nutid er fantastisk. Jeg ved gennem fortællinger fra de ældre i min familie at der ligger fantastiske fortællinger og venter på at komme frem. Jeg håber at jeg kan være medvirkende til dette blandt andet for mine efterkommer, mine børn og andre der måtte finde det spændende at se sin lille familie blive omfangsrig.

By: Anita Greaves

Anita Greaves — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 23:16:11 +0000

I began my family tree after hearing stories of my mams family who lived in South Shields.Ive found out many things good and bad and its been a wonderful journey of discovery.Ive also met relations I never would have met.

By: Scott Phillips

Scott Phillips — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 19:48:03 +0000

I have always been blessed to live in an inter-generational home. As a child this had a strong impact on me and connected me with the older generations of my family. I loved their stories, their language and accents. I always was asking questions and wanting to learn about their lives and my extended family.

Now as a genealogist, I can learn far more to augment those stories and histories that I heard as a boy. I can go farther back in time and learn what forces forged my ancestors and, in my case, brought them to the shores of the States.

I also love how I understand myself better as a result of my genealogical studies. A side benefit, but one that grows stronger each day is that this heritage now will be available to my children’s children’s children (apologies to The Moody Blues).