Debunking Family Myths

Almost every "new" genealogist I encounter has a family story or two that they would like to prove. And so many are sadly disappointed to learn that they aren't who they thought they were as the story starts to unravel when faced with the facts of records and research. An interesting example of this is being showcased in today's edition of the popular BBC genealogical TV series, Who Do You Think You Are? as British actor John Hurt is disappointed to learn that he doesn't have the Irish roots he's always thought he did. The show "makes much of his disappointment," according to the Times Online, in the article Farewell to my Irish aristocratic dream, although Hurt reportedly remarked that he believes the show was "edited to make him look 'a prick,' obsessed by class, desperate to prove that he really comes from aristocratic Irish stock, not from the solidly lower middle-class English family in which he was brought up."

That doesn't mean that your family's story isn't true. Just that you need to spend some time researching the facts to see if they actually support the story. In Family Legends - Fiction or Fact? I discuss some steps to take when attempting to prove or disprove a family story, along with background information on some of the most common family legends - the Indian princess, the three brothers, the famous ancestor, our name was changed at Ellis Island, etc. And if the research turns out to disprove the story that you're related to someone famous, please don't despair. The fun of genealogy is in learning about the people who contributed to the person you are today, and if you're a great person with not-so-great ancestors - well good for you for turning out so well! I personally am proud of the fact that I have yet to uncover one individual in my family tree that most people would classify as "famous." Instead, I'm descended from an interesting mix of "everyday" people - mostly farmers - who worked hard and lived their lives to the best of their ability. I'm extremely proud to call each and every one of them my ancestor. And it's more fun to research them anyway - because they aren't famous, their stories are still waiting to be told!

But getting back to the family legends, even many of us "seasoned" genealogists have our own family stories that we love to research - you can read about many such adventures and mis-adventures in this week's charming Carnival of Genealogy - Confirm or Debunk: Family Myths, Legends, and Lore. As with most stories, not everything is true in these and other family legends, but there is also generally a little fact mixed in with the fiction.