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Genealogy vs Family History

29 Aug 2022 7:23 PM | Anonymous

Genealogy or Family Historian; these words, while used interchangeably, they are so different to some.

Genealogy is defined as the gathering of names, dates and locations of our families. It is documented with sources such as birth/marriage/death records, census and wills. As Joe Friday used to say, “Just the facts. Nothing but the facts.” Researchers use this information to fill out pedigrees and family group sheets and try to fill in any missing family member.

Family History is all of the above but with an additional twist. Why was our ancestors’ given his particular name? Why did they live where they did; why did they migrate to another country? Answering these questions provides a little history behind our ancestors’ lives. As genealogists, we find the basic facts. As we research a little deeper, we become historians. The researcher wants more stories about their ancestry. That is Family History: answering the questions of “Why” and “How?”

Sources we used for birth/marriage/death develop as we read journals, land deeds, letters, newspapers and histories of the places our ancestors’ resided in. Photographs are studied to see their time periods, any familiar resemblances, and the type of dress or uniform they may have worn.

We desire to know more than the basic facts and research accordingly. Interviewing relatives and friends who knew about the family is a great tool.

A lot of county sites have histories of their early pioneers. Learning the occupations may even be listed on that census you researched earlier when looking for that birth or marriage. Some researchers are elated to learn they descended from someone “famous” or a “rich” ancestor. When it comes down to it, we are all happy with all the history we can find.

Genealogist? Family Historian? No matter what we call ourselves, we are first calling ourselves genealogists as we are looking for the same basic information; then later we become family historians, researching a little deeper. We hope to discover what made them like they were and, maybe, in the process learn something about ourselves.

What do you consider yourself to be? Genealogist or Family Historian? Let me know your opinion! (Use the comments section below this article.)


Comments

  • 29 Aug 2022 7:51 PM | Anonymous
    A family historian. I use a family tree to roughly organize my research into each individuals on that tree. The real story is what I can find about those people and their lives.
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  • 29 Aug 2022 7:51 PM | Anonymous
    A family historian. I use a family tree to roughly organize my research into each individuals on that tree. The real story is what I can find about those people and their lives.
    Link  •  Reply
  • 30 Aug 2022 6:20 AM | Anonymous
    Anyone interested in writing family history should check out Bella's Legacy by Luanna Meyer - https://www.amazon.com/Bellas-Legacy-Luanna-Meyer/dp/1480872202
    A terrific use of genealogy, history and imagination to tell the story of four generations of women who trace their history, and connection, to a small town in Northern Wisconsin.
    Her book will give you ideas on how to present family history.
    Link  •  Reply
    • 30 Aug 2022 8:05 AM | Anonymous
      Thank-you for the book tip. It sounds like a satisfying read. I've ordered it on Kindle.
      Link  •  Reply
  • 30 Aug 2022 6:22 AM | Anonymous
    Dick is right. Genealogist first as basically most of us started with BMDs and censuses etc, but then we get interested in various people and branches and want to put some flesh on them. Usually throughout one's research, the 2 are combined anyway, as there are always new people popping up, so to speak!
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  • 30 Aug 2022 8:02 AM | Anonymous
    Definitely family historian. I love to find the stories; mundane, exciting, mysterious, unanswered, amusing... to me it has always been about the stories using the genealogy to support them.
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  • 30 Aug 2022 8:30 AM | Anonymous
    Pre Internet I was a genealogist. In those days it was possible to find a fact that no one else had found. Now family trees are a commodity anyone can pick up at Ancestry, Family Search, Wikitree, etc. The only way I can add value now is family history which what I focus on.
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  • 30 Aug 2022 11:10 AM | Anonymous
    Loved your comments! When I explain to people what I am doing I happen to use the words you used in this article: why people did something; where they lived and what that area was like. I look for family resemblances, and I check out military uniforms. I find that very often several people are interested in genealogy in a family but sometimes only one person in a direct line is interested in family history. I love sharing my extensive family history with the latter and often find a real connection with them. Family historians are real "people" persons.
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  • 30 Aug 2022 11:55 AM | Anonymous
    Thanks for writing this Dick. The distinction is non-trivial. I've always looked at Genealogy as a fairly rigorous, historical data science with well defined rules outlining what solid research requires. I've also observed that it is a relatively smaller segment of the general population that has strong aptitude to think like a researcher and enjoy the research process.
    I believe however, that there is a much larger segment of the general population who, building upon the documented facts of the genealogist, delight in adding (discovering) the color emotion and meaning of photos and stories around their ancestors lives. They often like to share their own life, and memories of recent ancestors they new, and to hear those of other extended family members. They like to build, or renew, intra-family relationships.
    Sometimes I wonder if the general interest flow might be the other way around for many people. Family History first, and then, as they become fascinated with the lives, they learn about and start doing more and more genealogical research.
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  • 30 Aug 2022 3:02 PM | Anonymous member
    An aunt who kept in touch with all branches of the family funneled many items of family history to me so when I realized that I was becoming a family historian I was stuck, fortunately I gladly accepted along with one cousin. Of course the genealogy part came with the package. It has been a great experience.
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  • 31 Aug 2022 11:41 PM | Anonymous
    I am definitely a family historian. Yes, I did start out as a genealogist and still consider myself as one.
    As a historian I am writing the History of my branch of my surname family.
    Link  •  Reply
  • 11 Sep 2022 9:01 AM | Anonymous
    Family Historian! Filling in details about ancestors' lives after doing the genealogy work is what brings them back to life, as it were. And that's what helps us relate to them as individuals and gain insights into how we became who we are today.
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