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Talking to relatives - the first step in family history research

Updated: Nov 7

Elderly hand pointing at old photo

Your journey into family history often begins with stories – the feuds, the mysteries, tragedies, black sheep, long-lost relatives, celebrations and wartime adventures passed down through generations. That’s why it’s best to start your research with the people in your family rather than the records. Older relatives may hold memories of events, relationships, and family tensions that don’t appear anywhere in official documents. They may be the link to ancestors long dead – perhaps they met these ancestors when they were young. They can help unlock photographs – not just names but the personalities of family members.


Questions and Themes

  • Names, personalities, occupations of parents and grandparents

  • Oldest relative/s you remember - names, personalities, occupations, deaths, when/how did you meet them

  • Any famous/infamous relatives in the family

  • Any relatives you lost contact with? Who and why? What do you think happened to them?

  • Earliest memories

  • Home life - household chores, did you share a room, why did you move house

  • Leisure - favourite toys or hobbies

  • School experience - subjects, ambitions, leaving age, teachers, friends

  • Treasured possessions

  • Trips or holidays = where, how often, with who

  • Family life - typical family dinner, typical day, rivalries or bonds

  • How were celebrations like Christmas or weddings celebrated? Who attended? Where was it held? How different from today?

  • Family naming traditions - are they still followed

  • How has your hometown changed from when you were young

  • Wartime experiences - did any relatives serve (or die) in the two world wars?

  • Local connections - neighbours, employers or local figures

  • Were there any tough times - illness or difficult circumstances? How did the family cope?


Let conversations flow naturally — one memory often leads to another. Even small details, like a nickname or the story behind a photograph, can bring family history to life in ways records alone never could.


 
 
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