Family Tree

[Julie1]

Does anyone do their family tree? 

I have done it through find my past and other sources. 

It's quite interesting and frustrating all at once. 

I have gone back so far but then wanted to go forward to find more present day people because I am desperate to find a photo of my grandmother I never met. 

My father never had a photo of her it's a sad story but I have always wanted to see a picture of her and don't know how already to go forward.

You end up with all these certificates birth marriages and deaths and sometimes there are second marriages it all gets very confusing. 

I would love one of those programmed people who do think you are to discover these things for me and find some cousins I don't know about who might have some pictures:) 

I know this system is only temporary but we all love intriguing things otherwise we wouldn't study the Bible:)

 

 

[Lance]

I have done about 50 different trees for friends.. I have found fathers and mothers for people whom their adoption records do not show. 

I would recommend if you are serious about finding your relatives that you get your DNA  tested.Depending on your ethnicity it will show who all your cousins are that have submitted their DNA.. from there you can trace your family tree… and get photos and stories that have slipped through the cracks of time.

 

[dljbsp]

That's good to know about the DNA. 

I have been playing with some family trees by sleuthing. 

I get a Google alert every day from a new search regarding "Jehovah" and it shows up often in and obituaries when one of our brothers or sisters pass away. So I've kind of been playing with the details and the obituary to to identify family, and then I use resources on the internet to identify more family if possible so I'm hoping to have a tree of all of our spiritual family. They're gonna connect one of these times. Definitely at Noah and Adam. 

Dave

 

[Tortuga]

I use to climb the family tree when I was a kid, I thought it was an Oak but I think it was really an Elm.

[Brandon]

If you click the button here, it will try and show you how you are related to Charles Russell: https://www.geni.com/people/Pastor-Charles-Taze-Russell/6000000014487889313

 

you may have to click and wait, and then also choose the in-laws option and search again

[Lance]

Well you can order what ever you want … to me it is rather useless to just find out what your ethnic mix is .. you might as well find out who you are related to..

MyHeritage and Ancestry are the big two in the ancestry business.. you basically get your DNA done .. get a subscription through one of the above companies.. put all relatives that you know in to their database and then let it do it’s work.

 

 There are free or cheaper alternatives like GedMatch where you upload you DNA file to their servers and it will look through their database of people and tell you how many first cousins to 6 or 7 cousin you are related to.

FamilySeatch is also free but you can’t upload your GedCom DNA file  but it does give you access to public records which holds slot of information.

 

There is a learning curve in understanding DNA results like how many centimorgans  your relative has .. and if they have a searchable tree.. most have an email address that will allow you to leave a message with ..

I just helped a brother in my congregation who is 60 find his father… the only info I had was his father was born around 1932 and was a Swedish ship captain.

He got his DNA done and I traced back through a 2nd cousin once removed to a common great great grandparents.. and found all the children .. I got him his whole family and photos of his father and grandparents.. he was blown away and had no idea where to start..

 

Edited June 12 by Lance

[Barbllm]

I created a family tree on Ancestry (dot) com after my mother died in 2022; she had all kinds of information about my relatives. It's now up to 4000 people. Most of whom I may never know, but apparently I have a few living cousins.

 

[Julie1]

That's interesting, I think I have tried that site, I used find my past. 

Sorry about your mum. I lost my dad 3 years ago. And I started my family search because he first showed an interest in his tree, but when I asked the name of his grandparents he said they were called "nan and grandad"

I traced them through great aunts and great uncles instead. 

I haven't done it for some years but I would like to have another go at some point. 

 

[Mike047]

We have looked at Ancestry, and traced family back. There is a limit to what you can do, though without spending a lot of money, so we paused it. We found that some from other countries wanted to claim a relationship with us, and others looking for royal antecedents.

[Julie1]

Yes, it is expensive, especially when you order a certificate and they are nothing to do with your family attall.

I haven't done it seriously for some years, since my dad went into a nursing home about 8 years ago.

He was the one who got me interested in it.

And then my son has spent a lot of time in hospital.

So my drive for the limited hobby as you say came to a halt.

It just shows are passion for facts and our interest in people..

Something you cultivate alot as followers of Jehovah.

[Áine]

I’ve investigated my family tree for many years and now have it back (with documentation) to the 1400’s and then taken it back further to the 11th century.. I find it fascinating, I also had my DNA tested

[Julie1]

What does the DNA tests show?

I've heard it just shows how much percentage of this or that culture you are....like if you were a quarter Scottish and another quarter French and 50% English. 

Or does it show in more than that?.

I have thought about sending for a DNA  test, but wasn't sure if it was worth it?

 

[Lance]

Yes it does show percentage of your DNA distributed amounted the world … but that does nothing for finding a relative unless it is some remote island with a 1000 people on it .. you need the DNA of all subscribers to a specific company that have submitted their DNA .. 
Depending on who you subscribe to it will show all your relatives especially cousins 

for example I have 1000’s of cousins listed ..for example 55 cM is 55 centimorgans …a half sister or aunt is like 1500 cM so the higher the centimorgans the closer the relative. 

The goal is to find a cousin that has a listed tree that you can link up to in your tree..

usually there is a contact email listed so you can reach out.. I usually try to get all the 1st and second cousins nailed down first..  to make this work quickly usually you need to know all the family back to your great grandparents .. 

A lot of people only know their grandparents and that makes it a little harder. 
If someone is listed as 3 rd cousin and only lists a grandparent it is going to take awhile.. which is the fun part of finding a needle in a haystack. If it is very important to find a relationship or family tree you can always hire a genealogist to search things out.. for example  in Canada if you have aboriginal native status there are certain tax breaks for education and taxation. The government demands a tree and especially legal documents to prove your status. 

Right now I have over 12,000 relatives listed back to around 1000 CE  for some lines.. 

I have contacted in the last 15 years probably 100 3rd and 4th cousins that are alive and I know  all of my 1st and second cousins 

 

Here is an example in my tree..

Edited 1 hour ago by Lance

[Julie1]

I didn't realise it listed cousins and email addresses. 

I know the names of grandparents and great grandparents and in some cases great great grandparents. 

But it is the people I can trace that I live in now that would be important to me. 

Especially on my dad's side. 

Very interesting.

[Lance]

If you are from Europe.. My heritage might be better since it is out of Israel and usually is more Europe centric .. 

Another option is  go to https://www.familysearch.org/ and set up an account for free  and see what they have .. they are actually pretty good but you can’t upload your DNA file at this time ..

but it will link your relatives to other people who are also looking for their ancestors.., you won’t find any living relatives since that is an invasion of privacy.. 

On the commercial sites people may grant access to their tree including living relatives.. so that becomes a mutual sharing. … 

[dljbsp]

I have a piece of software out of Germany. It's built for Apple devices. It's called the Mac Family Tree. 

It has resources built into it, well not built into it, that it can access that has been quite helpful for me. 

ADDED: I went back and looked and FamilySearch.org is one of its sources too. 

Edited 1 hour ago by dljbsp

[Áine]

This is my ethnicity

 

Edited 1 hour ago by Áine