Genealogy Research - Why Is It Important?

What is it about family research that is so important? It gives us roots. Knowing who we are and where we come from gives us an identity and a sense of security. Family ties are the ties that bind us together. Human beings are social creatures. We need to have other people around us and we have an inherent need to feel that we are part of a group. Apparently many other people seem to think so too. Genealogy is the fastest growing hobby/pastime in America.

Genealogical research is important. We all have ties to the past. With genealogy you link the past, present and future generations together in an unbroken chain. It is said that you cannot know where you are going unless you know where you have been. This is true. With the boom of the internet, it has never been easier to start your genealogy research. The goal of this book is to give you the road map you need in order to find out where your family has been.

Most of us know who are parents and siblings are. The majority of us knew our grandparents to some degree (at least we have heard their names mentioned) after that, for many of us the family tree is lost in a fog. The good news is that tracing your family tree, and really documenting it well is getting easier everyday. Some families are harder to trace than others, but therein lies the challenge. For me, genealogy is more than just finding family facts; it's like a giant scavenger hunt.

So let's find out how to get started on your search. In the sections following you'll have a road map of what to do. Not everything will pertain to your family. Remember we all did not all descend from those who landed on Plymouth Rock! Our family stories are from all over the world. Each individual carries with them the stories and experiences of their particular ancestors. That is one of the ways that genealogy is so unlike any other hobby. So many people can perform the same research but no two family histories will be identical. This makes family research almost as individual as DNA.