Question of the Week: Has researching your genealogy changed your view of yourself?

Question

Has researching your genealogy changed how you view yourself?

Tell us about it with an answer below! You could also answer on Facebook or share the question image with friends and family on social media to get them talking.

Comments

I took a DNA test and I realised that I am mostly Swedish (includes Sami) and Finnish. With a tiny bit of Baltic and an African country?

Now, some years later, I found two Finnish ancestors and learnt that they were often registered under a new name. So only DNA can follow them. So I am very fascinated, if it is possible to find them?

It changed my view, because now I am Finnish for sure.

I also found many priests and Sami people, a rich history to explore. I wonder why the indigenous people, don’t even have a symbol on their countries passport ? To acclaim their proud heritage.

So I strive to getting a reindeer and a snow flake on my Swedish passport, to show that I belong to the indigenous people.

It changed that I am prouder about my heritage than before.

Answer 1

Yes.  Being African American, the research shows me the strength and resiliency of my ancestors.

Answer 2

I use to look in the mirror to shave!  Now I look in the mirror to study my facial features compared to the pictures I have collected of my cousins in all the other branches of the Draper family from Virginia, USA.  Our faces pretty much match up!

Then I have examined and compared  the pictures of the Puritan Draper, the Quaker Draper, the New York and Canadian Draper who I can not find a blood connection with.  My Draper do not share the same facial traits as those, and, again  I have never found the "smoking gun" that connects them to my pedigree!

My distant Draper cousins, I found via WikiTree, without proof of our origins (because our pedigrees merge and brickwall in Virginia 1690)  bought these fancy English Draper Coat of Arms plaques to hang on their walls. They are very proud of them!

They got upset with me when I told them they should have bought a neon beer sign to hang on the wall instead, because spoiler alert: I think my/our Draper have Scot/Irish origins by the distinctive lines I see in their faces.  

I am fully aware that facial genealogy is not a recognized way to discover one's roots, and there are so many traits from hundreds of ancestors that are impossible to factor into the equation when it comes to what one sees in the mirror. 

And "Draper" is a professional name.  Anyone working in the trade of cloth making, buying and selling was a Draper, just like those working in as a black smith was called "Smith."  The surname (Draper) was introduced to Ulster in the 17th century. Draperstown in County Londonderry, Ireland, was named for the London Company of Drapers, which was allocated the land in the early 17th century.

My two and a half year journey into my pedigree,  genealogy, and ancestry via WikiTree has totally changed my origins in humanity!   Hey, that rhymes!  I like the sound of that! I think there is a song lyric in that!

Comments

I love your answer.  I see my sister's mouth on one great-grandfather, my eyes in another.  RE, Puritan Draper, I too am descended from him through daughter Elizabeth Ann who married William Asa Hargis.  Four generations later, their great grandsons were caught with Daniel Boone's son at Wallen's Creek and killed. I have no particular similarity besides Scottish appearance, though.

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My mom has seen me all my life, I’ve only seen my mom through my eyes in the mirror since the whit hair hit!

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Linda, you are my 10th cousin!

Answer 3

My late mother warned me a long time ago that we had ancestors who fought on both sides of most major conflicts I was learning about in school. I think that "researching my genealogy" has changed my view about how (whether?) the actions, beliefs, accomplishments and misdeeds of our ancestors relate to our own lives, choices and responsibilities. I know that some ancestors were refugees, while others claimed the right to take and defend land taken from others. Without making excuses, I try to understand WHY they might have felt that way - and re-examine the assumptions and beliefs informing the choices I make today.

Answer 4

Thanks to all of my ancestors, I am who I am. My genealogy research has totally changed how I view myself. I feel as if I know some of my ancestors so well. Although, I really wish I could have known them better while they were still here, very sad. And once again, good question Eowyn!

Answer 5

I was, as an adult,  always told that our Cramer family descended from an immigrant  sent to New York Colony to replace the British soldiers who were seeking materials to fight the French army.  He was a refugee living in England and the English were trying to get out of paying for their keep, similar to the refugee system we are enduring now.  I assumed we were just ordinary farming families who lived in our new country.  Much to my surprise I discovered a poem written for a family reunion about my ancestor having
much land and obviously doing well in Dutchess County, New York at the time of the Revolutionary War time. 1770s.
His land was confiscated and his sons abandoned him because he remained loyal to Britain and became a Tory!
One son followed the immigration trail to northern New York, with his widowed mother and established the family that has remained here for nine generations.

Comments

Beulah, this is a great story and I am very interested in what was happening in NY during this time. Would you be willing to share the poem you found? If so, I would love to read it. Kathy

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Kathy, I fell 4 months ago and broke my femur, severely sprained my ankle and did damage to my knee.  I am supposed to be all healed up by now but it is regressing badly.  While I was in the nursing home my daughter had my house "cleaned" in anticipation of my needing a wheel chair when I returned home.  NOTHING is where I had it and much was destroyed or thrown out.  I hope the poem is still here somewhere but a quick scan did not turn up anything. I will keep your note and look some more.  You have not been neglected.

Answer 6

I am in a state of constant evaluation/reevaluation. I try to change as I grow. Genealogy has made me change how I view others more than myself. My primary focus is on politicians/governments and what motivated them to make the decisions they made. Seldom were they altruistic. While some worked for the benefit of the majority, the majority worked for the benefit of themselves. As I sit atop of my mini empire, I constantly remind myself that there are people out there willing to kill to get my possessions, or tax me out of them, either way I am probably related to them.

Answer 7

It helped me forgive myself a little more easily, because I could see where certain traits came from and forgiving yourself is a requirement of my faith so being able to do it more easily is a good thing.

Answer 8

I started my research in my mid-20s, about 50 years ago, after having heard from my maternal grandmother, over and over, that I must have inherited all the Native blood in the family because of my behavior as a child.  Then, she would tell me that my 3rd great grandfather went to "the mountains" and returned with a "squaw" as his wife; not an appropriate word but my grandmother didn't know that.  She never told me the name of that grandfather.  I grew up thinking I had Native ancestry.  Later I met a paternal relative who had information with a similar family story of Native ancestry but with more detail.  Over the decades my research goal was to find those elusive Native ancestors.  At the point at which I had my and my father's DNA tested and found no Native ethnic tags, all that changed.  I no longer search for Native ancestry; the goals for my research are completely different and varied.  The research remains very interesting and other family "stories" have been disproven.  It's an adventure finding information about my ancestors whoever they were.

Answer 9

yes. I found out that I have a lot of ancesters in Friesland...the province I did not like at all...oh dear!!!

Comments

Funny.

Answer 10

Yes.  The biggest impact was finding out about my enslaver ancestors.  It was a gut punch.  Because of this information I am going to Alabama next month to for the civil rights trail and to see the land where my family held enslaved people.

Answer 11

I think it's deepened my view of myself and my place in the world.  I often think of my ancestors and how they lived through the times they did.  I've discovered some interesting folk - and some knaves, too. The few "famouses" give me something to strive for... and the knaves remind me to avoid the dark side!

Answer 12

Yes, I used to think that I didn't have any deep roots in the United States or Canada. That all of my ancestors were recent immigrants.

My father's side, which was almost unknown to me, have deep roots here in the Americas.

By researching my genealogy I now know that I have a rich military past which may have inspired me to serve. In addition to my Dad serving in World War II, I have relatives who fought in the Civil War and the War of 1812.

And I'm now a part of a much larger family, very friendly and welcoming second, third, fourth and fifth cousins.

This has been a wonderful and very rewarding ride.

Answer 13

Realising that a lot of things about our family were never disclosed.

Always makes me think we are doing this all wrong as we follow the "fathers" line, when the only person who knew the father (in the past) was the mother.

We should really follow the mothers line as she is the only certainty in our history; she had to be there at the birth.

Comments

Agree, though I am always saddened by the frequent lack of documentation for the female side..

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very true, almost added as an afterthought it seems.

Answer 14

Prior to delving into WikiTree and undergoing DNA testing, I held the belief that my ancestral lineage was exclusively European in nature. However, the revelation of a trace of African ancestry through the autosomal DNA tests conducted on my uncle and sibling proved to be a significant revelation. WikiTree played a pivotal role in unveiling the identities of these African forebears, establishing me as an autosomal DNA match with some of their descendants. Remarkably, it is said that one of these African ancestors was wed to a Native American.

Should the researched records on WikiTree hold true, my ancestral tapestry extends far beyond these discoveries. It encompasses European nobility, intriguing associations with royal mistresses, valiant crusaders, revered Knights Templars, entries within the Domesday Book, descent from Picts, Romans, Saxons, venerated saints, tragic plague victims, intrepid pioneers of Jamestown, resilient indentured servants, and even a connection to an illustrious North Carolina Tar Heel.

This journey of ancestral exploration has profoundly enriched my sense of identity. I now harbour a deeper connection to this multifaceted history, and it has undeniably contributed to a more profound understanding of my origins.

Answer 15

Has researching changed my view of myself?  Yes.  I came from a family that suffered great blows from the depression, but told stories of an upstanding and notable past.  Manners and education were very important while we ate our eggs on cracked plates in hand-me-down clothes from our cousins.  When I embarked on my ancestry journey I was surprised to find just how far back I could trace. How many early British and Scots ancestors of our family were here before 1700.  More than 500 at last counting, all lending to my being cousin 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th cousin to many of the founding fathers.  These would include Ben Franklin, George Washington, Madison, the Adams father and son and more.   Many on the Mayflower, several first people in Jamestown, as well as St Mary's Maryland.  Roger Williams, friend of the Indians and founder of Rhode Island was my tenth great grandfather.  I wish I could see a resemblance to him in my character.  Knowing how brave and challenged my ancestors were, even as they confronted unknowns and made choices I disagree vehemently with now, I would still love to sit down with any one of them and learn from them.  Whether times have enlightened us to new perspective, I can still see the guiding principles that led Silas Talbot to become the Captain of the USS Constitution.

Answer 16

I am a Christian, and knew both the godly heritage and the rejections of the faith of those in my immediate family.  As I have gone back in genealogy I have been delighted with the number of ancestors who were either noted for their Christian faith in their obituaries or who served as  ministers.  This has encouraged me to pray for my descendants that they would love Jesus and be faithful to God's Word.

Answer 17

Since my DNA test I have found so many more relatives. I was so surprised to learn I have only UK ancestry with a small bit of Finnish. With my last name being Messenger I thought for sure there would be some French background as well. I have found so many pioneers in my family that immigrated to Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the USA. I shall continue to enter hoping that some long relatives will show up from Finland.

Answer 18

1. After discovering many cousins I did not know I had, I came to see myself as a cousin as well as a friend and fellow genealogist.

2. I discovered how fortunate I am compared to the hardships of many of my ancestors.

3. Being biracial has made me appreciate that I have inherited the best genes of both as a source of my strength.

Answer 19

Has researching my genealogy changed how I view myself nowadays? A definite yes! I was surprised to find how my feelings about myself suddenly changed.  And changed in a positive way. I wish my dad was still living as I know he too would of felt good about himself knowing who his family was.  I must say I am proud to be Metis and with pride I enjoy sharing my new found heritage with friends and people I meet. I belong to a huge beautiful family and culture.  I've always known we were Indian from Canada along with being Scottish,  but I found out I'm also Norwegian.  Surprise,  surprise,  surprise. And all these years was told German. I have been curious about my ancestors and ever since I was a small child would say prayers in hopes of someday getting to meet them on the other side. Well,  now with modern technology via DNA testing I have gotten to meet my ancestors here now on this side. How great is modern technology! I do find myself thinking about my ancestors when making some decisions now. I guess you could say I've become more mindful. I view myself now as a valuable, colorful piece of thread that had carefully been chosen to be woven in to this special, beautiful piece of tapestry called My Family. Wikitree, thanks to you and all those who work so hard to make ancestry research information possible for each of us. 

Answer 20

My mother raised me to know I was the best person in the world, but I was no better than anyone else. It took a while for me to buy into that thought pattern but eventually, I did. When I started my genealogical journey by listening to my mother’s stories about my father’s family, I found my paternal family had pioneering roots in early New Orleans jazz. Further investigation found the manumission papers for my 2x great-grandmother and her siblings. I had known I had Black ancestry and through watching Roots on TV in August 1977 I learned even more about their treatment and what they suffered through so I could be born. All of their sacrifices gave me a gratefulness beyond belief. I am grateful for what they did. I get to live as a free Black woman. A Black woman that still has to live through the remnants of Jim Crow even here in California. I walk proudly as a Black woman. However, I am still free. I have the Justice system such as it is behind me. I have a support group around me so I can live my best life. So overall my genealogical journey has expanded my knowledge of my family but also created a gratefulness I did not have before I started my oral history when I was five years old. Asking the important questions that led to later discoveries. And fulfilling my mother’s request to be the best person in the world.