How far back can you go in your family tree?

[Joe90]

So yeah...I'm your average mutt...

French? Then we are related, my metis/mestizo cousin.

I can trace my mother's family arrival to Acadia to 1605 whereupon they got busy making French/Micmac babies. They eventually wound up in Cajun territory and Texas. My father's maternal side arrived as British officers in 1715. The latecomer to this continent was my great-great grandfather (I bear his surname) who landed in the Bahamas in 1820, found himself a Creole wife and emigrated to Canada 20 years later.

It is my great-great grandfather's family that has the longest recorded lineage and that's back to the 1400's when they moved from the Hebridean Isle of Skye to the Scottish Highlands. The family history before that becomes pretty generalized and is more along the nature of Clan History.

But, like my cousin Hector, I'm a proud mud-blood who tans really well in the Summer time.

[Adam West]

A few good pieces of advice that I took when doing genealogy research. First, ask around and find out if someone else in your family might also be doing the same thing. As I started, I stumbled across a cousin of my father who had spent years and years researching. She basically had acquired most of the historical family heirlooms including the family Bible of my great, great grandfather with my great grandfather's birth date, wedding date, many pictures, etc. It will help tremendously especially when the task is daunting. Second, I try to stay focused on direct lineage. I always kept photocopies of other branches but tried to remain focused on direct lineage and then redirect efforts on other branches if I would run into a dead end. Third (really important), write down any oral history from older relatives. Memories they have or family stories that have been passed down. Otherwise, the information is lost forever. During the Civil War, Union troops were marching through my great grandfather's town and while he was attending church; they tried to take his horse. Apparently, he ran out and refused to let them take it (he was only a teenager at the time) but decided it wasn't worth it (they were in Maryland which was "officially" part of the Union; I presume the soldiers would have been reprimanded for the theft). Fourth, it is a life long pursuit. It is not unusual to spend hours and hours in frustration not finding anything and all of a sudden you stumble across something. Sometimes it takes years to put the puzzle together but it can be extremely rewarding.

[Mikey]

My nephew did a whole project on it that took over a year.

We got so much information he even found out the name of the boat my grandparents came to America on.

I think the idea they went to Ellis Island helped bigtime because of all the records they still keep.

[Mr.Krusher]

My people are Irish/Slavic for the most part. I tried tracing my 'family tree', and THIS popped up:

(A few family members are missing, but many are shown here...I'm the one wearing the heavy black coat/cloak with the fur collar...)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFD7KGBUtKI

[Brown Bear]

I found out I was part Newfoundlander, part Indian and part German. I gave up there.

[wayne foundation 07]

I hate to be the odd one out here,but I seperated myself from my family alot of years ago.Why be around mean hateful people that do nasty and wrong things to others just for the thrill and enjoyment.I know of to many things that were done to people because of faith , belief and skin color to want to assoicate with them.It's easy to say this to a group of people not looking back in ahh.So many times I get "what do you mean you don't see your family" I've got things that you wouldn't believe,Grandparents in the kkk, uncles that are skin heads and drug addicts.Others in jail for theft and abuse and corrution of public office.I know one side of the family came from Holland all, grandparents were second generation here,I guess thats 120 plus years of bad going on.Why be a product of your enviroment ,believe , have stregth and survive.Why repeat the past.