It used to be rather difficult to dig through documents and uncover family histories. Long hours at the library, mailing off inquiries, and waiting to hear back added up to weeks and months of effort. Thanks to the internet, researching family history has gotten much easier. With a click of the mouse and a couple of deliveries to a person’s doorstep, individuals and families can look into the past to understand where they came from, who their relatives were, and why their family moved or transferred to another location. Nowadays, three simple key products and services permit interested patrons to discover their past and unlock the mysteries of their family’s past: census records, genealogy services, and DNA tests.
Census records
Every ten years everyone in the United States is recorded as prescribed by the constitution and added to the population of the country. Usually by household, the tally ranges from youngest to oldest and varies from state to state, though some refuse to give their information or are otherwise unable to do so. With U.S. census records online, individuals can look up their family members by the last name and find out where they lived and worked. These records also include their occupation and place of birth. All it takes to search is a name and connecting the name in the records to people’s own records. The census accuracy is not absolute but is great for finding official records for ancestors.
Genealogy services and DNA tests
Several services online have consolidated archives and other historical records, making it easier for people to search for information about their ancestors. These services also increasingly offer genetic testing. These options, known as a DNA ancestry test, can cost some in cash, but these are also very interesting options if you’re interested in really breaking down the individual countries that your ancestors may have originated from and what percentage your bloodline from each really is. Considering the differences between each test, all users need to do is determine which layout works the best for them.
The importance of Facebook
Social media gives new rise to understanding and disseminating information, as well as connecting two people that normally would not be able to connect. Long lost relatives are able to find each other and bridge the gap between two families. Even if these people live on opposite sides of the world, Facebook gives them the opportunity to stay in touch from day-to-day. Chances are you have several interesting family members waiting to be found via Facebook or other social media sites. When it comes down to these methods of discovering ancestry, these three methods bring to the table a combined understanding of both technology and traditional resources. Census records online, DNA research tools, as well as connecting through relatives on Facebook all utilize technology and revolutionize methods upon which descendants can find their relatives. Without these options, it would be a lot more difficult to discover our connection to the past but now that we can discover it in a clear way, we are able to learn the ways we need to adjust to change the future.