19 Jokes All Genealogists Will Appreciate

Genealogists take family history research very seriously. However, we all still love good genealogy humor.

We hope you can take a break — from searching for your great-great-great-grandmother — to check out our favorite genealogy jokes. They’re sure to make genealogists and non-genealogists alike chuckle.

1. “My ancestors are so hard to find, they must have been in a witness protection program!”
2. Eventually, all genealogists come to their census.
3. Genealogists: The only people who are excited to read obituaries.
4. “Done! Everything in the family tree has been found and is completely organized” — said no genealogist. Ever.
5. Genealogist: Disturbs the dead and irritates the living.
6. Genealogy is like playing hide and seek: They hide… we seek!
7. “I’m not stuck, I’m ancestrally challenged.”
8. Gene-Allergy: It’s a contagious disease, but we love it.
9. Genealogy: Where the answer to one problem leads to two more!
10. “My husband calls cemeteries ancestor farms.”
11. “I’m more interested in what happened in 1816, than what’s happening today  in 2016”
12. Wife to husband: “Never mind the children, do you know where your second great-grandparents are tonight?”
13. Only a genealogist views a step backwards as progress.
14. “I used to have a lot of free time… then I discovered genealogy.”
15. “I collect dead relatives!”
16. “My ancestors did WHAT?”
17. A pack rat is hard to live with, but makes a mighty fine ancestor.
18. “I want to find ALL of them! So far I only have a few thousand.”
19. “I think my ancestors had several “bad heir” days.”

These unattributed, anonymously-authored jokes were compiled from around the Web.

Do you have any genealogy jokes to add to this list? Share them in the comments below.

Esther Shuman is a senior content strategist at MyHeritage and a respected voice in the world of genealogy and family history. With deep knowledge of DNA, historical research, and storytelling, she’s helped shape how MyHeritage brings discoveries to life across platforms. Esther has led countless creative projects and and has collaborated with and interviewed many expert genealogists over the course of her career. Her work blends expertise and creativity to make family history more engaging and meaningful for people everywhere.