Family History

[risingdawn]

I've always had a thing about history, and have found myself drawn time and time again to the history of my own family but know absolutely nothing about anyone past my Nan! I don't even know half my family that are alive! So, I've been asking my Dad if anyone in my family knows anything and turns out that his Aunt's husband did our family history and got all the way back to the 13th century (1200s) before it just suddenly stopped! I'm hoping to see it when I go down to visit at Easter but I was wondering what little stories does everyone have about their family history? Are you interested in it?

 

I also know that on my Mum's side, one of our ancestors married a man from Zimbabwe and somewhere in our family is some Dutch. As well as that, I also know that there are Gypsies in my Dad's side of the family. Whether that's musical Gypsies or the travelling kind I don't know, but it's something my Nan brought up as my middle name can be spelt differently in a Gypsie way. That's according to her but I don't know if it's true as she's old and got senile dementia or alzheimer's or something like that. xD

[Athena]

Cool that there is some Dutch in your family!

 

My dad's parents have spent some time figuring out their history. Apparently we're (far) descendants of a knight! There was also one child which was born out of wedlock, I don't know much about it though. We're part Indonesian, a few generations ago, I think my granddad's dad or granddad, married a woman from Indonesia (they met in Indonesia, where he was stationed). This was at that time when Indonesia was one of our colonies.. I can't remember which person in the family it was, but I'm sure I could look it up, times wise, when this was. Also my dad's granddad wrote a famous book about cars (and my dad is pretty famous in that area too). I think originally we come from Switzerland, seeing our last name.

 

That's all I can remember atm, I haven't talked about it with my grandparents for ages. My mum's parents, I don't think they ever looked it up, or at least, they've never told us about it.

[pontalba]

My paternal grandfather's sister was big into genealogy.  She traced the family back to Charlemagne, so we and at least one-third of the people on the planet are descended from him. 

 

She even self published a book for said descendants.  I have it around here somewhere.  The most interesting part of that story though, to me, is that she was a woman ahead of her time.  She travelled, by herself...divorced two husbands, and didn't mind mucking about in the old records in Germany for birth and death certificates.  A true researcher.  You must remember, this was a hundred years ago.  lol  No Google. 

[emelee]

My family descendes from Sweden, Finland and Belgium. The oldest person I can track back to was born in 1450. My aunt has put up a family tree online, so thanks to that, I know of my mom's side at least.