Genealogy: A Well-Suited Hobby for Retirees
Genealogy and making family trees are becoming extremely popular among older adults living at senior care facilities. When people retire after spending time raising their family and working, activities like genealogy research brings enjoyment and fulfilment to their lives.
Tracing back their family roots keeps seniors engaged as well as physically and mentally active. As you make more discoveries about your ancestors, you may easily share this information with your family members thanks to the internet.
This activity connects you with the past, gives a sense of where you came from, while also creating a sense of pride. It’s also a kind of patrimony that can be passed from generation to generation. Once genealogy is made, you can only improve it by the time.
When we learn about our past, we gather strength for the future generation. – Hank Smith
So if you want to start successfully climbing your family tree, this post will show you important things you need to know to be more successful finding your family.
First, Understand the Difference Between Genealogy and Ancestry
People often interchangeably use the terms Ancestry and Genealogy. Though these terms are related, both have a different meaning.
Genealogy involves the study and actual search for ancestors and descendants. Your pedigree is a single direct line backward from yourself. It also includes using DNA testing paired with traditional genealogy and historical records to explore relationships between individuals.
Genealogy research is more than simply tracing your family tree. It is about discovering your heritage, creating a story about your family and even creating a medical history. This interesting learning experience will take you through time and across continents.
Family history or ancestry study takes genealogy to the next level. In addition to names, locations and dates, it seeks out the family stories and myths. This study involves looking at each generation of the family, when, how and where they lived, worked and traveled. Ancestry judges ancestors by the standards and legislation in which they lived.
Older adults find friendship in family tracing projects. [1] To help them keep up with their hobby, senior living residents facilitate access to computers and the internet.
There are many websites that help with genealogy and making family trees. For instance, the National Archives and Records Administration has an extensive collection of resources for genealogists. The collection includes records of military services, census data from 1790 – 1940, etc. [2]
What is a Genealogy Family Tree?
A family tree is the visual documentation of one’s ancestry. Most of the family tree charts include one box for each individual. Each of these boxes is connected to the others in order to indicate relationships.
To better understand a genealogy family tree, take a look at the following example that features the family members of Mrs. Brown’s Boys (TV Series 2011).
Each box includes the individual’s name, dates, birthplace and other information. The amount of information depends on the desired complexity of the family tree.
The tree organizes a generation into a single level. So you can easily see and understand which ancestors preceded which generation. It is because they are physically above them on the family tree.
Two boxes connected with a horizontal line means a marriage. A bracket from a couple to boxes on the lower level indicates children from the couple. Family trees can grow vertically or horizontally.
Genealogy DNA test and Test Kit
Consumer genetic testing is increasing in number rapidly. An MIT Technology Review suggests that 26+ million people have taken a genetic ancestry test for tracing their family history. [3]
In addition to using oral and written records to trace your family trees, genealogical DNA tests are another great way to do so.
DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, exists in living cells everywhere. This chemical chain instructs our cells how to grow and work. DNA is divided up into chromosomes that are further divided into genes. Human body consists of 23 pairs of chromosomes that are arranged in a double helix.
Human beings get 23 chromosomes from mother and 23 from father. The 23rd chromosome is either an Y-chromosome or a X-chromosome. It determines whether we are male or female.
The companies that provide ancestry testing, like Ancestry.com and 23andMe, deliver the precise ancestral breakdown of their customers’ DNA. They might say, for example, someone’s ancestry is 25 percent Italian, 74 percent East Asian, and 0.1 percent Sardinian. They also market their product in a way that suggests their test reveals something deeply meaningful about you.
The companies that help with family tree and genealogy deliver precise ancestral breakdown of customers’ DNA. These sites say that, for instance, someone’s ancestry is 30% American, 25% Australian, 25% Italian and 20% Asian.[4] These websites reveal results that might be deeply meaningful and helpful to you in tracing your family history.
Types of DNA tests
Three major types of DNA tests used in genealogy:
- Autosomal DNA tests (atDNA)
Autosomal DNA (atDNA) does not contribute to gender. We inherit it from both maternal and paternal ancestors.
atDNA tests are popular and they give you ethnicity estimates and family matches. It examines single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) or shapes of individual nucleotides, small chunks of DNA.
- Mitochondrial DNA testing (mtDNA)
mtDNA genetic material inside mitochondria. These small components inside every cell with their own separate DNA strands. mtDNA is passed down exclusively from mothers to both male and female. So anyone can take this test. This test does not include a combination of DNA from both parents, so it does not change with every generation.
- Y-DNA tests
Women have two X-chromosomes, while men’s bodies contain one X and one Y. Y-DNA testing kits examine Y-chromosomes, so only males can take this DNA testing for genealogy research.
Females who want to test father’s Y-DNA male line, you need to test your father, make cousin, brother, father, etc.
Combining DNA testing with genealogy provides proven and time-tested results for those tracing their family history. [5]
Tracing the Genealogy – A Well-Suited Hobby for Seniors
In today’s era of internet and social media, the population is leaving a legacy to their families – their ancestral roots. Retirees get more time and they use this time to this advantage for their future generations. That’s why best genealogy websites have become one of the most-visited websites.
There are many reasons why older adults enjoy doing research about their family history. In addition to preserving family history for coming generations, tracing genealogy mapping their family pedigree and recording family stories have many other benefits for seniors.
Initially, they spend hours at public records offices, libraries, historical museums and courthouses to conduct timely research. But today, doing ancestry and genealogy research has become easier because of numerous websites to locate family information.
After retiring from years of working and spending time raising their family, they get enough time to pursue their favorite hobbies and bring enjoyment to their lives. As retirees search for their family tree, it keeps them mentally and physically active. They remember some good old days, trace back their history tree and leave the research to be continued by their descendants.
Many amateur family historians contact other genealogy enthusiasts and share their techniques and tips with them. Many seniors enjoy discovering forgotten secrets from the history of their family. In this way, older adults often make new friends and reveal discoveries.
Use of Computers in Senior Living
Today, most of the genealogical research is conducted online, many senior living communities in the USA and Canada are encouraging residents to use computers. Computer usage can improve cognitive function in the brain areas that are related to memory and decision making.
Senior living facilities provide access to free WiFi so that residents can use the internet. There are many genealogy websites that help with genealogical research and trace their family histories. Some of these websites are entirely free while some ask for a small amount of subscription fees.
Some genealogy websites are specific to countries or ethnic groups, such as Asian-Americans and African-Americans.
Tips to Help Find Your Family Tree [Research Family History]
It is good to start by learning about your ancestors – where they belonged to, where they came from and what happened to them. You can grab the opportunities to start a conversation with your relatives, visit your attic to find some old documents and photos, search out online mining genealogy websites.
In this way, you will learn about your ancestors in a meaningful and interesting way. Some great steps to find your family tree:
Get Organized
Collect important and basic facts about your close relatives. To keep everything organized, choose an online genealogical database before starting with your genealogy research.
Many fee-based and free online genealogical databases are available. On these large databases, you are most likely to find the desired results which might prove to be immensely helpful to you.
To manage your family tree while traveling, you can find an online database with a mobile app or a software program for your ease.
Treasure Hunt at Home
Professional genealogists are seasoned in their work. They look for clues, conduct research, notice patterns, and gather data to uncover family histories and solve mysteries. These ancestry experts work like detectives and they know the most valuable clues that are helpful in finding important details.
Experts suggest focusing on the basement, attic and drawers where items may be stored. If you can find items with dates, it would be greatly helpful. Look for old pictures, diplomas, report cards, military records, postcards, letters, etc.
If you search through artifacts in the homes of your relatives, you can involve them in the process. Explain what and why you are doing, let them participate and respect their suggestions.
Have a Conversation with your Elders
Older adults in your relatives are living libraries. Having conversations with them can save you a lot of time and ease your way.
You might have family facts and stories throughout your entire life, but taking some precious time with your elders will refresh your memories and reveal many new valuable details. Conducting your treasure hunt first followed by interviews will have you artifacts to discuss with your relatives. Show them photographs and ask them to identify seniors in pictures as this can be a catalyst for leads and stories.
Ask questions about grandparents, great-grandparents to collect foundational knowledge. Ask about basic information such as birthdates, birthplaces, names of siblings in your older generations, nationality, education, background, military services, burying location, death date, marriage date, etc.
But make sure you do not force anyone to share the stories of your family history. Some relatives may hesitate or refuse to share information about a certain person or event. Speak with multiple relatives and follow up with your own research without upsetting anyone.
Leverage the Internet
Popular genealogy sites keep updating with new resources, options and services regularly to stay up to date. These websites collect records from all around the world for more than 100 years. They digitize their collection at the speed of tens of millions of records on a weekly basis.
Many websites provide free access to the bulk of records and databases, such as citizenship records, immigration and emigration books, ship pictures and descriptions, passenger lists, etc.
You can subscribe to these websites for regular updates directly in your inbox. These updates include genealogy-related tips, book and website reviews, articles and industry updates.
Socialization
Stay active on popular social media sites, such as Facebook and Twitter.
Some popular Facebook groups you can join are: Genealogy: Discovering ancestors, Ancestry, and Genetic Genealogy Tips & Techniques Public Group.
You can follow Twitter pages like Abundant Genealogy, NYPL History & Genealogy and GenealogyBank to find useful resources.
In addition to those who share your surnames, you can look for local organizations, tour guides, and other genealogy-related services based in the hometown of your ancestors.
You can find people who belong to the same region where your ancestors belong to. They may help you find some valuable information and talk to local officials and priests on your behalf.
You are most likely to get free, local help from strangers sharing your surname. Make sure you do not bombard them with requests for helping you with the information gathering.
References:
- Jenn Watt, March 3, 2020, Seniors find friendship in Family Roots project, haliburtonecho.ca
- March 6, 2020. Genealogy and Family History, usa.gov
- MIT Technology Review, February 11, 2019, More than 26 million people have taken an at-home ancestry test. Technologyreview.com
- Brian Resnick, May 23, 2019, The limits of ancestry DNA tests, explained, vox.com
Kate and Mike Lancor. April 01, 2020, Genealogy sleuthing: Combining DNA matches with tried and true searches, irishcentral.com