Now more than ever, people are cultivating a genuine interest in their family history. It’s easy to understand why — as a member of the current generation, who hasn’t wished to learn about the identity of their ancestors? That said, establishing a clear portrait of your ancestry can be the work of a lifetime. What it takes is thorough research skills, patience, resourcefulness, and a great deal of luck.
Theoretically, it is possible to trace your genealogy back to hundreds, even thousands of years. Yet that only happens to a handful of fortunate people. In reality, a variety of factors will influence your success in building a complete family tree, from geographical area to religion and socioeconomic status.
In the following guide, we’re shedding light on how far back you can dig into your family’s past to discover your predecessors.
Availability Of Records
Since genealogical research is mainly conducted using written sources, the availability of official documentation will be the main determinant of your quest for your ancestry. Prior to the mid-19th century, keeping civil records such as marriage, birth, and death certificates were not compulsory in most countries around the world. That really is a modern-day practice. As such, finding ancestors during and after that period should be relatively accessible by looking at local registries.
However, those with common last names will have a harder time tracing their lineage, seeing as a rare surname stands out more in the records and censuses. If you’re somehow unable to trace back your ancestors, finding a professional genealogist to assist will certainly help you in the search process. The services of a genealogist range from finding documents, translating texts, tracking descendants, and more. Depending on their location, experience, and expertise, you can surely find someone you can work with no matter what your budget may be.
Geographical Area
Tracing back your lineage will also largely depend on where you—and your ancestors—lived. In some places, censing the population has been a centuries-long practice, such as in Iceland or Scandinavian countries where it is believed that all of the population can go back 20, even 30 generations in time. On the other hand, citizens in newly established nations will have a significantly harder time finding their predecessors given the lack or late appearance of record-keeping practices.
Religion And Culture
Likewise, another possible obstacle in your quest for documenting your ancestors can be what culture they came from and what religion they practiced (if they practiced one at all). Oftentimes, people will be lucky to find the name of an ancestor in ancient church or parish records. At a time when attending church was mandatory in certain parts of the world, this made it easier for ministers and local authorities to produce accurate records.
Status And Wealth
You will certainly have an easier time finding traces of your earlier ancestors if they belonged to an upper social and economic status – some may even have a coat of arms. For instance, royalty, merchants, and even artists often have independent research conducted on them, which allows their legacy to learn more about them. You may even find the coat of arms In contrast, your likeliness of finding official records of a 13th-century ancestor who was a modest peasant in the heart of Latin America is virtually impossible.
Luck
Drawing a far-reaching family tree will ultimately depend on luck. As a matter of fact, your chances of finding early ancestry will be contingent upon their place of birth, personal family history, social and economic standing, race, religion, and more. Even if there were indeed records produced at one point in history, these may have been destroyed in a fire, a war, or simply misplaced with population movement.
DNA Testing
With the advent of science and technology, it is now entirely possible to use family planning DNA test to further your search and ensure that you have solid foundations upon which to build your personal family tree. Although it certainly can’t help you go back further in time, a DNA test will guarantee the accuracy of your lineage search some 6 to 8 generations before you. Anything prior to the 17th century should be taken with a grain of salt, so again, it’s best to call on the services of a professional if you hope to go back to that period with the help of Family Tree Maker.
All things considered, the quest for past ancestors can be a long and difficult journey. If you’re lucky enough to have noteworthy ancestry, then learning more about their identity, families, and place of birth will certainly prove easier, even 10 or 15 generations back. However, for those who live in isolated areas and lead ‘average’ lives, with no religion or accomplishments, the search might be considerably harder. Although, you can always ask professionals to assist you in your search. You may even end up surprising yourself to what you will be able to learn about your ancestry. You’ll never know for sure if you won’t try.