Course Contents:

Course Contents: 1

Overview: 2

Chapter 1: The Importance of Genealogy 3

Chapter 2: The Methods 5

Chapter 3: The Process 7

Chapter 4: How to Start 9

Chapter 5: Advanced DNA Research and Analysis 12

Chapter 6: Onward and Upward 15

Additional Resources 17

Conclusion 21

Works Cited 22

1
 Overview:

If you’ve ever asked yourself the complicated question of “Who am I?”, you will know it’s a
question that one could spend a lifetime trying to answer. As a fox chases a hare through the
woods, so, too, do we chase the answer. There are clues, if you look for them. The winding trail
of your history is an excellent place to start. The answer to who you are could be found in who
you have been, or rather, who your ancestors were.

You’re reading this because you want to learn about your ancestors. Researching your
ancestry is a rewarding, frustrating, exhilarating, painstaking, fascinating hobby to have. You can
dabble in its shore, or you can dive into the depths of history.

Simply put, knowing who your ancestors are helps you figure out who you are, or who
you might desire to be. It’s a lot of fun, but it can also be quite frustrating if you get more serious
with it. The purpose of this course is to equip you with knowledge and strategies to start
documenting your own family tree, researching all those who have come before you.

The course opens with discussing the importance of ancestry/genealogy, as well as its
uses in our daily lives. It might surprise you to learn how useful it really is! Then, you will learn
about the different methods of approaching genealogy (which is the actual study of one’s
ancestry). It really is a whole field of study. The ways in which you can go about it are
numerous. Some are beyond the scope of this course, however, but you’ll be provided with
resources for further research if you want to.

With the importance and methods established, you’ll then learn about the process of
doing the work. The methods are the approach, and the process is the ways in which you’ll
conduct the research within each method, whichever you choose.

The next part is the most exciting: how to actually start researching your ancestors and
putting together a family tree. There are many ways, depending on your intent. Once you’ve
gotten comfortable with the methods, the processes, and the nuts and bolts of how to begin,
you’ll learn all about DNA sequencing and how we can use it to catapult our efforts in genealogy
(as well as other areas of life!).

We are linked to our ancestors through the very fiber of our being. Congratulations on
beginning your journey of honoring them, and enhancing your future with the spirit of the past.

2
 Chapter 1: The Importance of Genealogy
"History doesn't repeat itself, but it often rhymes."- Mark Twain

What is Genealogy?
The simplest definition is that genealogy is the studying of one’s family history to create a family
tree. The Society of Genealogists actually say that “genealogy” and “family history” are different
things, however. Taken from their website, they define the terms as the following:1

Genealogy: Establishment of a Pedigree by extracting evidence, from valid sources, of how one
generation is connected to the next. (In essence, this means the discipline of the construction of a valid
family tree)

Family History: A biographical study of a genealogically proven family and of the community and
country in which they lived. (In essence, this means the writing of a biography of a series of related
ancestors of common genealogy. Family History incorporates Genealogy)

Another way of saying it is, “Genealogy is the study of how one generation is connected to the next.” 2

You most likely know at least the names of your parents, grandparents, and
great-grandparents, but what about beyond that? Do you know the names of your great-great
grandparents, and where they lived, worked, and played? Beyond them?

Genealogy is the pursuit of that knowledge, yes, but truly it is the pursuit of oneself. I have
spent so many hours hunting for just scraps of information on my forefathers, of which are scattered
throughout time. I realize now that I was looking for myself there, reflected back at me in my genetic
history. Amazing. I wish the same exhilaration and fulfillment for you.

The family historian, that great hedge against the deterioration of the past. They are the
guardians of time, whose mission is to see that their ancestors are not forgotten, but brought forward
into the future, honored and remembered.

What are other uses for genealogy?

The study of one’s lineage is quite prevalent in the world, but we often don’t pay attention. For
example, did you know that you can actually go to school to become a genealogist? It’s also used in
forensic and legal research.

Many people research their ancestors for purposes of determining medical history. Are we
predisposed to certain illnesses or cancers? Based on our ancestors lifespans, how likely are we to
live to be 100? Balding? Blind? Develop an allergy to peaches? You get my point.

1
http://www.sog.org.uk/learn/education-sub-page-for-testing-navigation/guide-ten/
2
https://genealogyyou.com/what-is-the-purpose-of-genealogy/

3
 Throughout history, the right to rule was strictly genealogical. It was extremely important to
know with certainty who your ancestors were. In more modern times, right of succession laws
(intestacy) use genealogy to determine next of kin for inheritance. Fascinating, don’t you think?

Knowing one’s ancestry is often useful in society, as you gain the network and connections of
your ancestors (not always, but usually) through genetic proximity. Did you know that genealogy is a
fundamental part of Maori culture, known to them as whakapapa?

“It places our people in a wider context, linking us to a common ancestor, our ancestral
land, our waterways and our tribal (and sub-tribal) groupings.” 3

It’s also extremely important in some religions (like the LDS Church, or Confucianism in
East Asia), 4 and can even play a role in immigration and citizenship. For example, a child born in
Canada to an American parent could get dual citizenship as a Canadian/American!

As you can see, genealogy is quite useful and present in our lives, even if we aren’t aware
of it. As you get further into this, you’ll start noticing it pop up in your daily life (that’s our
brain’s handy reticular activating system at work!). It’s always been there, just like the vehicles
you start seeing everywhere when you want to buy one.

Can it really enhance our lives?

Absolutely. Not only can you use information about your ancestors to learn about your possible
genetic predisposition, but it puts you in a place to maybe actually do something about it (like
changing your lifestyle or committing to regular screening, for example).

As mentioned, it helps us to establish our identity. Those separated from their relatives by
death, disaster, adoption, etc would obviously find this to be wildly life changing. It can also help
us find relatives we otherwise might not have ever met, creating relationships that would not
have existed otherwise. The possibilities are limitless.

3
https://www.otago.ac.nz/maori/world/te-reo-maori/mihi-introductions/index.html
4
https://www.patheos.com/library/confucianism/ritual-worship-devotion-symbolism/rites-and-ceremonies

4
 Chapter 2: The Methods
If you don’t know history, you don’t know anything. You are a leaf that doesn’t know it is part of a tree. –
Michael Crichton

Paternal/Maternal Research :
This is the most common method of genealogy. You start with yourself and work backwards on
both your father’s side and your mother’s side. You could choose to add in brothers, sisters,
aunts, uncles, and cousins, if you wanted to, but for simplicity, you could stick with the fathers
and mothers (including grandparents, great grandparents, and so on down the line as far as you
can go). If you have descendants, add them in, too.

Paternal Research:
The male genes are dominant in our species, so many choose to focus only on their paternal
lineage. Father, grandfathers, great-grandfathers, and so on down the line as far as you can go.
This is sometimes referred to as the Y line, as the Y chromosome is passed down from male to
male almost entirely unaltered. You’ll learn more about this in Chapter 5.

Maternal Research:
This method focuses entirely on the maternal line, so your mother, grandmother,
great-grandmother, and so on.

One-Name Research:
It doesn’t take long to realize there are an exponential amount of last names in your family tree.
To simplify it, some choose to focus only on one particular name, usually their own last name.
This would largely follow the paternal line, but it might not, depending on your situation.

One-Place Research:
Many families have a rich heritage in a particular area. Some choose to concentrate their research
on learning all there is to know about their ancestors who lived in one area. It could be a town, a
county, a province or state, or a whole country or continent. It’s really up to you. This method is
excellent for diving deep into the lives of your ancestors, as also researching what happened in
that time gives you a historical context by which you can better understand your ancestors, and
perhaps even yourself. We inherit their experiences through our collective unconscious5, so
knowing what the experiences actually were is quite fascinating.

Further Notes:
You might want to explore a couple of these methods first to see which you actually like the best.
You might surprise yourself! Or, perhaps you want to do all of them. That’s the great thing about

5
https://www.britannica.com/science/collective-unconscious

5
genealogy. You can conduct your research however you want, as long as you are doing your best
to ensure accuracy of information.

6
 Chapter 3: The Process
Genealogy: Where you confuse the dead and irritate the living. – Unknown

The previous chapter gave insight into the different methods of genealogical research, and this
chapter focuses on the process. The basic processes are all follows: independent, volunteerism,
collaboration, or hiring a professional researcher. You could choose one, choose a couple, or do a
mixture of all of them. Again, you call the shots.

Independent Research:
This is the bread and butter of any genealogist. The most fun to be had is in conducting your own
research. However, you might enjoy other processes more, and that’s okay! Note that the next
chapter, Chapter 4, is all about the how, which fleshes out much of the content below. So if
you’re wondering how to actually do this, read on.

This process involves a lot of leg work. You’ll be conducting interviews with different
family members (and perhaps even their friends), diving into a variety of records from all over
the world either digitally or in person, doing genetic analysis, scouring photo albums, creating a
database of pictures and records, hunting for clues everywhere you can, visiting graveyards,
churches, different towns, and maybe even going on trips to foreign places.

Just as every family is unique, there are so many different ways to go about this. A few
pillars of research stand constant though: talking to family members, looking at records and
censuses, and genetic analysis through a paid service (see Chapter 6). The specifics of how to do
independent research are detailed in Chapter 4.

Fortunately, there are many services that can help us, and much of the work can be done
from home, should you desire that. The following is the bulk of what you can use in this process:

● Genetic Analysis (paid)

● Paid tools/services
● Free tools/services
● Genetic Analysis combined with paid/free tools/services

Volunteerism:
There are most likely millions of volunteers in the world who help others conduct genealogical
research. If you think about it, any time you put something onto the internet regarding your
research, you are “volunteering” that information to others (you could make some of your work
private, if you wanted). Others benefit from your work, just as you benefit from others.

7
 There are probably hundreds of genealogical societies around the world you can join, just
as there are forums dedicated to the field. Facebook has many groups, as well, meant for people
interested in the general methods, to specific groups meant for particular areas in the world, or
time periods.

If you want help, explore these options and then ask for help. The more specific you are
the better. Saying, “I am looking for information on my great-grandfather William, who was born
in the 1890’s somewhere in Ireland,” is not as helpful as, “I’m looking for the occupations of my
great-grandfather, William Patrick Murphy, born in 1891 in Dublin, Ireland). See what I mean?
The more specific you can be, the better. Of course, you may not have the information. That’s
okay. It’s all a puzzle to be solved! And if you enlist the help of volunteers through forums or
other sites, you may get further than you might have first believed.

Collaboration:
This is somewhat similar to volunteerism, in that you can use the work of others to aid your own
research.

If you’re using a website to help you store and organize your information and family tree,
most of them allow you to export what is known as a GEDCOM file. That stands for
Genealogical Data Communication. It allows you to share it with others or upload it to different
databases and software. It’s an important thing to know you can do for any genealogist.

Hired Researcher:
This is an excellent option if you have the money, want the information, but don’t have the time
or desire to do the research yourself. You could hire a professional genealogist to do the work for
you.

How do you know the person you want to hire is legitimate? Fortunately, you can find
accredited professional genealogists by visiting the Board of Certification for Genealogists
website. Expect to pay $30 to $40 per hour to well over $200 per hour, based on experience,
location, project type and uses, demand, time constraints, and other factors. Ancestry.ca allows
you to hire experts, as well. Their packages start at $3000 USD. 6 You can request a quote for
how much it could cost. It really depends on your specific needs and situation. Either way, it’s
going to be costly. This is a good option for individuals with complex family histories, or if you
want the information, have the money, and don’t want to do it yourself.

6
https://support.ancestry.ca/s/article/Hiring-a-Genealogist?language=en_CA

8
 Chapter 4: How to Start
“We inherit from our ancestors gifts so often taken for granted. Each of us contains within this
inheritance of soul. We are links between the ages, containing past and present expectations, sacred
memories and future promise.” – Edward Sellner

This is probably the chapter you’ve been waiting for (or maybe skipped ahead to!). We discussed
why knowing about our ancestors matters, how genealogy is used in everyday life, the methods
of research as well as the processes. Here you will learn the actual details of how, specifically, to
begin, as well as the potential costs. Get some tea, coffee, whatever you desire, and let’s begin.

Step 1: Collect Information

Using the methods and processes in the previous chapters, get all your information together. It’s
up to you how you want to store the information and access it, digital or hardcopy or a
combination. For the actual family tree, you’ll need the names of each person (middle name is a
good addition where possible), how people are related, and birth/death dates. Some choose to
add marriage dates, as well, and pictures, as it gives the project a greater depth. With any luck,
the information you don’t have can be filled in by family members.

Start with a notebook and/or voice recorder to get the information down quickly if you’re on the
fly, and then later move it to a more permanent spot. You can either build your tree one person at
a time as you get the information, or wait until you have a lot and do it all at once.

Step 2: Create the Family Tree

You might want to start with pen and paper to draft a rough version of your family tree. Choose a
design from below. Your family tree can be as complex or as simple as you want it to be. Please
see Figure 1, 2, and 3 in “Additional Resources” for examples of these.

There’s no rule that says your tree has to be designed any particular way, but the three
most common ones are:
● Top Down:
○ The most recent generation is at the top, and you list you and your
ancestors in descending order.
● Bottom Up:
○ The most recent generation is listed at the bottom, with each previous
generation listed above the other.
● Horizontal
○ The most recent generation is listed on the far left, with each previous
generation listed to the right of the other.

9
 If you want to have a digital family tree, then you can use online services to create it.
Check out page 20 for a list of free and paid websites to help you not only construct your tree,
but also access records and other information.. Ancestry, for example, allows you to add all kinds
of notes, additional images, and any relevant links to each member of your tree, which can be
more efficient than a paper in a binder method.

Step 3: Flesh it Out

Our lives are not made up of the grand events, but of the small moments of each day. If you want
to truly get to know your ancestors, look for the stories of their daily lives. This is where things
can get interesting. It’s time to learn about your ancestors.

Research where they lived. Find out what major historical events impacted them. Dig
through the archives of the local papers where and when they lived to get a sense of what was
happening around them. Ask open ended questions, give people time to think about it, take notes,
and consider recording the conversations, with permission (you could easily use your voice
memo feature on your phone).

Talk to family members and friends of the family to get the stories of the lives of those
past. Record everything. Create a compendium of knowledge, of the big events of the lives, but
also the smaller events. Clip newspaper articles, screenshot and print or store digitally, find their
gravesite and take a picture of it to print or store, just generally collect any and all documentation
you can get your hands on.

It’s like a treasure hunt, or a wonderful story unfolding with each story told and recorded.
It’s exhilarating and deeply fulfilling. Refer to page 20 for a list of questions you could ask your
family members or family friends to hopefully increase your chances of getting quality
information.

Roadblocks and Pitfalls:

You’re going to run into some problems. They may or may not have a solution. To help you be
mindful and prepared, I’d like to highlight some things you may experience.

Finding information could be difficult due to lack of records, incomplete records, or incorrect
records. Records may no longer be available due to a fire, a flood, or any number of unfortunate
events. Depending on where and when your family member lived, they might not have taken
good records, if any at all.

As much as we’d like to, do not believe everything you’re told. Often, facts and stories are
passed down, and all it takes is one person to botch the details. If you’ve ever played the
telephone game, you’ll know what I mean. “Jack ate the rabbit” could easily turn into “Grab the

10
jacket”. In addition, people could lie about certain details to cover up family secrets. Every
family has them, it’s just a matter of how deep they’re buried.

A common roadblock is closed adoptions. There is little that one can do, to my
knowledge, in cases where files are sealed because of a closed adoption. Perhaps there are no
living relatives, or they don’t know much at all about the people you’re asking about. You can’t
force people to remember something, or recall information they don’t have in the first place, so
this can make things more challenging. You should always verify information, anyway, by
cross-referencing what people tell you and the actual records, but it’s good to have a solid lead to
start with. This isn’t always possible, though.

Further Tips:
Learning the customs of your ancestors can help. For example, in Irish culture, they have a
specific naming pattern7.

The Irish naming pattern, for example, is as follows:

● 1st son is named after the father’s father.

● 2nd son is named after the mother’s father.
● 3rd son is named after the father.
● 4th son is named after the father’s eldest brother
● 1st daughter is named after the mother’s mother.
● 2nd daughter is named after the father’s mother.
● 3rd daughter is named after the mother.
● 4th daughter is named after the mother’s eldest sister.

Another example would be some cultures name multiple children with the same first
name, but they would go by the middle name. If a child passed, some families would name that
child the name of the child who passed. Don’t assume you found the right person in the records
or articles. Compare a variety of sources (family members names, dates, places lived etc)
because there is usually more than one person with the same name and often with the same
parent name.

People writing the records would sometimes record names as they hear it, and however
they thought it should be spelled. With language barriers and accents, many mistakes were made.

Family members often change the spelling of their names for a variety of reasons (family
disputes or to avoid people knowing the ethnicity during war times, for example.)

7
https://youririshheritage.com/lessons/irish-naming-patterns/

11
 Chapter 5: Advanced DNA Research and Analysis
There is no king who has not had a slave among his ancestors, and no slave who has not had a
king among his. – Helen Keller

Genealogical DNA testing is a method used to deepen and enrich your research beyond historical
documentation. How does it work? Medline Plus explains it well:

“Examination of DNA variations can provide clues about where a person's ancestors
might have come from and about relationships between families. Certain patterns of genetic
variation are often shared among people of particular backgrounds. The more closely related two
individuals, families, or populations are, the more patterns of variation they typically share.” 8

To take advantage of this technology, you must decide which kind of DNA test you want
done. There are three main types listed below. You could get them all done if you wanted, but it
would be three separate processes.

Autosomal:
This is the most common type of DNA test on the market. Autosomal DNA is perfect for
confirming ethnicity and close relationships with great accuracy. This is because autosomal DNA
contains segments of DNA a person shares with everyone they’re related to 9. The scope of this
chapter covers Autosomal DNA testing, which is the most common.

Y-DNA:
This is a type of test that traces the Y chromosome, making it perfect for tracing the male
ancestors, as the Y chromosome is passed down virtually unchanged from male to male.

mtDNA:
Also known as mitochondrial DNA, this is DNA everyone has, but it comes from the egg of the
mother. It carries DNA from only the matrilineal line (mother line), so this is used for tracing
female ancestors, especially if names have been changed or records lost, which, as mentioned, is
entirely possible.

Autosomal DNA Testing:

This type of test is quite accessible, and because of this, it’s the most common. Ancestry.ca and
23andMe offer popular services, but there are other services who do this as well.

8
https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/understanding/dtcgenetictesting/ancestrytesting/
9
https://support.ancestry.com/s/article/Y-DNA-mtDNA-and-Autosomal-DNA-Tests?language=en_US

12
 On average, it will cost you around $200 to get this test done, but sometimes there are
sales. It takes about 8 weeks to get your results once you send it back to them. You will receive a
package in the mail with instructions on how to successfully collect a DNA sample.

You should be able to download the text file of your exact DNA sequencing (which is the
coolest thing I’ve ever heard of), to store on a harddrive, flashdrive, in the cloud, or whatever
you’d like to do.

Once the test is complete, you will be able to see the ethnicity percentages of the people
to whom you are related. What parts of the world do you have genetic ties to? What will you
uncover? You might be happy, or you might be shocked. The past is mysterious and elusive, but
with effort, human engineering, and technology, we are able to pull back the veil, if even only for
a peek.

We often know where to start looking for family records, but sometimes, little ancestral
information is available. Getting a DNA test is a way to get some definitive answers, and it’s
great to confirm and augment one’s research for those who already know where to look.

What else can you do once you have the DNA test done?
Remember that text file I mentioned? You can download that and upload it to different services
that will provide you a wide variety of information about yourself. Below are two examples of
what else you can do with your DNA results.

MyTrueAncestry
“Our mission is to help you take your DNA results a step further. Discover your ancient relatives
by comparing yourself to thousands of ancient samples from real archaeological sites. Our
simple and secure service puts 10000 years of history, and over 85 ancient civilizations from
around the world, at your fingertips.” 10

I personally use this service. I found it a little complicated to use at first, but once I knew
what I was looking at, it got easier. There is so much to see and learn about, and it’s quite
enjoyable. They have a basic free report, and a wide variety of upgrades you can purchase for
additional information. You would probably be quite pleased with what you get for up to $100.
Beyond that, I suspect you’d have diminishing returns, unless you’re an expert or just simply
want to know every detail they can give you. They sometimes have sales, as well.

10
https://mytrueancestry.com/en

13
LifeDNA
LifeDNA brings you the compiled knowledge of hundreds of peer-reviewed studies and journals,
presented to you in a specific way, based on your DNA. You can either take their DNA test, or
upload the text file you got from a previous test.

They provide nutrition, health, fitness, and wellness reports. LifeDNA also offers tailored
guidance for different health goals, which I found to be quite helpful (and doable).

It costs up to $200 to get different levels of reports, which includes a 1 year plan to their
membership. You retain access to their reports, and they send you updates on the most recent
research, which includes helpful tips for optimizing your life.

Ancestry
Aside from the main autosomal DNA test, and their research membership, the company also
offers “Traits” for $25. It provides you with reports that tell you how your genes influence a wide
range of health and fitness traits, including your appearance. I have not used this service, but the
company is a leader in the field.

Our ancestors have long since passed, but we can connect to them and their life through
exploring our DNA. We honor them through our efforts. What a wonderful time to be alive, that
we have access to this technology. Check out different websites to see which one you like the
most before committing. Look up reviews, and talk to people who you know that have done it
(there are more than you might think).

14
 Chapter 6: Onward and Upward
Every book is a quotation; and every house is a quotation out of all forests, and mines, and stone
quarries; and every man is a quotation from all his ancestors. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Let’s assume that you have a solid family tree established and a healthy amount of research and
records in your collection. There are things that you can do to get the most out of this field.

If you’re a parent, or have dependents, you might be starting to think about the concept of
legacy. Would you be someone your descendants will try to learn about? Will your name be
repeated in 200 years? Genealogy is a way to augment one’s legacy-building efforts.

How to Create a Legacy Experience:

The simplest way to work on your legacy through genealogy is to involve your children. Help
them build their own family tree going back two or three generations. Be sure to include their
favorite pictures of the people (if possible) for each “leaf” of the tree. Kids are visual, especially
if they can’t read. They may not understand the names right away or specific relations, but they
understand pictures and understand family. And they certainly understand quality time with
Mom or Dad.

Tell your kids stories of the things you learn. Did your great-grandpa run a successful
farm? Did your 4th great-grandmother die saving someone? Or did your parents take you on a
memorable family trip? The opportunities to tell stories are unlimited. Tell them a story before
bed, or on a family walk, or at dinner time, for example.

Turn the everyday (or not-so-everyday) details of their life into “Family Stories” that are
passed down throughout generations. Don’t forget to include stories about you! Kids love to hear
about when their parents were their size.

Bring the stories to life by taking your kids to visit the hometown or areas where your
ancestors lived. Perhaps take them to lay flowers on family gravesites (use your judgment here).

As they get older, you can show them more of your work and teach them to research on
their own.

The Family Compendium of Knowledge

If you want to create a family heirloom, a book of family stories and family history is a pretty
good one. It doesn’t have to be a book; it could also be a Google Slide Show, a video or audio
recording, for example. It might be a good idea to have both hardcopy and a digital copy just in
case.

15
 So what is it? Simply put, it’s a book or file where you write out all the family stories you
can get your hands on. It could also contain information and images of historical events a certain
family member might have lived through. It doesn’t just have to be for a family heirloom. It
could also be just for you, or as a gift. It’s totally customizable to your own needs, and can be as
chronological or as time-bending as you please.

16
 Additional Resources
"When a society or a civilization perishes, one condition can always be found. They forgot where they
came from." — Carle Sandburg

This section will provide you with a variety of useful resources. Think of it as a bonus chapter.
They are as follows:

● Example images of the three common types of family tree

● A cousin calculator chart.
● A sample list of questions you can ask people to draw out valuable information and
interesting stories for your compendium.
● A list of websites to visit that will aid you in your search (I am not affiliated with any
website or service. I just want to share them to help your search).

Figure 1. A traditional family tree, less the birth/death dates.

17
Figure 2. A horizontal family tree

Figure 3. A top-down family tree.

18
Figure 4: A cousin chart, complete with genetic similarity.

19
Questions to Ask Your Family Members or Friends of the Family:
This list is just a small sample of what you could ask about each person you want to collect
memories, stories, and facts about.

● What is your earliest memory of them?

● Did they have any nicknames?
● What would they say were some of their greatest accomplishments?
● Were they ever in the newspaper? If so, what for? Do you have any copies of it?
● What is the most interesting thing you know about this person?
● What are some of your favorite memories of this person?
● How would you describe their personality?
● Did they play any musical instruments?
● What are all the jobs they had?
● What were their hobbies and interests?
● What were their special skills?
● Is there a particular lesson learned from them?
● What do you think they valued most in life?
● Do you have any funny stories about times you spent together?
● Did they ever discuss big decisions they made that influenced their life?
● Were there any big changes to their life that affected them in big ways?

Websites to Aid You in Your Research:

● https://www.ancestry.ca
● https://familytreemagazine.com
● https://mytrueancestry.com
● https://lifedna.com
● https://www.wikitree.com
● https://livingdna.com
● https://www.myheritage.com
● https://www.23andme.com
● https://www.familytreedna.com
● https://www.familysearch.org
● https://www.smartdraw.com/family-tree/
● https://www.lucidchart.com/pages/examples/family-tree-generator
● https://www.sog.org.uk

20
 Conclusion
“... the pursuit of origins is a way of rescuing territory from death and oblivion, a reconquest that ought
to be patient, devoted, relentless and faithful.”
― Amin Maalouf, Orígenes

The genealogist is patient with their methods, devoted to their cause, relentless in their pursuit,
and faithful in their heart. It’s an act of love, becoming the guardian of your ancestors. You are
what stands between them and their fading from the minds of their descendants.

You are the guardian of the past, but you’re the protector of the future, as well. Done
well, the family historian can improve the lives of all those who come after them, and those yet
unborn. If you accept it, it’s your duty to stand against time itself to intercede on your
forefather’s behalf. They will not be forgotten.

This course's aim is to support and encourage you in your effort to begin your family tree.
With the contents you just read, you can do that and far more. I am excited for you to explore
this wonderful field, and I truly hope it enriches your life.

Yours,
Matt
Renaissance University
2022

21
 Works Cited

“AncestrySupport.” Support.ancestry.ca, support.ancestry.ca/s/article/Hiring-a-Genealogist?language=en_CA. Accessed 2 Nov.

2022.

“AncestrySupport.” Support.ancestry.com,

support.ancestry.com/s/article/Y-DNA-mtDNA-and-Autosomal-DNA-Tests?language=en_US.

“Collective Unconscious | Definition & Facts.” Encyclopedia Britannica, www.britannica.com/science/collective-unconscious.

“Genealogy or Family History?” Society of Genealogists,

www.sog.org.uk/learn/education-sub-page-for-testing-navigation/guide-ten/.

GYAdmin. “The Purpose of Genealogy and Why You Should Care.” GenealogyYou,

genealogyyou.com/what-is-the-purpose-of-genealogy/.

Medlineplus. “What Is Genetic Ancestry Testing?: MedlinePlus Genetics.” Medlineplus.gov, 21 Sept. 2020,

medlineplus.gov/genetics/understanding/dtcgenetictesting/ancestrytesting/.

“My True Ancestry.” Mytrueancestry.com, mytrueancestry.com/en. Accessed 2 Nov. 2022.

Ōtākou, Māori ki Te Whare Wānanga o. “Mihi - Introductions.” Www.otago.ac.nz,

www.otago.ac.nz/maori/world/te-reo-maori/mihi-introductions/index.html.

“Rites and Ceremonies.” Patheos.com, 2019,

www.patheos.com/library/confucianism/ritual-worship-devotion-symbolism/rites-and-ceremonies.

22