How far back have you been able to trace your family thus far? A few generations? A dozen? Back to the 1800s, or to Adam?
I myself have had mixed results, depending on which branch one looks at. My maiden name (Kellerman) has come to a screaming halt after only about five generations. From there it seems they sprouted out from under a mushroom somewhere. Now, if you look at my Schrum line on my mother's side, we have that back into the mid-1600s. Other lines seem to come to a general halt sometime around the time they immigrated to America, whenever that may have been. Occasionally I've managed to get a generation or two before that, but rarely so.
I somehow, by some miracle, managed to get one of my husband's lines back into England/Switzerland, early 1500s. Right now I'm trying to figure out which one of those Hornes held a grant of arms, from which monarch, and for what. And figure out where the heck Chestershire was in England, as that was where they had been granted land. Fortunately, it hasn't become work yet and it's still fun. LOL
I've been able to trace my Fathers side only to his parents. I just wrote a letter to one of his cousins who may have some more information. As far as his mom, I have all the way back to 1635, when one of the ancestors came from Hull England to Connecticut.
It's my Grandfathers side that I'm more interested in at the moment. I'm trying to find out if his side of the family has roots in Scotland or not.
I know nothing about my Mothers side of the family. Maybe I should work on that.
For my grandfathers side, the Shrule, Ireland Egan's, we go back to Thomas Egan, born 1793 and his wife Mary ???, born 1790.
My grandmothers side, the White's of Ballyshannon, Ireland, we go back to William Andrew White and his wife, ??? Kilfeather, were both born in the late 1820's.
Since most of the records for County Mayo and Donegal were destroyed, it's hard to find anything further back. I'll just keep searching all the posts on the genealogy pages and hopefully find some relative that has more info.
On my mother's mother's side I got back as far as 1508, with the help of relatives. On my mother's dad side, I got back as far as 1800. On my dad's side, I can't even get beyond him! His parents into Ellis Island from Sicily. I know that much.
The earliest birthdate is 1814, three generations back in Finland. Since I am the second generation born in this country, this makes five generations back and two generations forward. Several of my cousins are grandparents.
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Näkemiin
Dave (SCA: Geoffrey Genour of Carney) Protector of Bits and Bytes, Third cousin once removed to Phil, Prince of Insufficient Light
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In my Livingston line, documentation seems fairly reliable back to:
QUOTE
Sir Andrew de Livingston was one of the Scottish knights summoned by King Edward I on May 24th 1297 to attend his expedition to Flanders. He was killed the same year in the revolt led by the great Scottish hero Sir William Wallace. Sir Andrew was the Sheriff of Lanark, and it appears that Sir William Wallace emerged as the leader of the Scottish forces after Sir Andrew was killed. It is on official record that the Sheriff of Lanark was killed when Scottish rebels burned Lanark in 1297. Blind Harry, the Minstrel, asserts that this sheriff was an Englishman by the name of Hesilrig; but there is no record of such a man having held this office. Sir Andrew de Livingston is known to have been Sheriff of Lanark during the year preceding Wallace?s Revolt; and it is also evident that he must have been deceased about this time due to the fact that after Wallace?s Revolt there is no further reference to him in the public records.
While this branch of the Livingstons are considered lowland Scots, the lineage possibly began with a Saxon by the name of Leofing (son of Leof), which became Leving or Levingus. The town named for Leving was Leving's Toun, which became Livingston, which eventually became the family name. Livingston lineage
I've traced one ancestor to the Civil War period. Not much before that and I don't know how he's related to me (uncle, cousin, great-great-grandparent?).
It's my Grandfathers side that I'm more interested in at the moment. I'm trying to find out if his side of the family has roots in Scotland or not.
Well...I just received some info from my dad's cousin. I now have info going back to the birth of my great, great grandfather in 1838. Born in Castlefinn, Donegal, Ireland. His wife (of course my great, great grandmother) was born in County Tyrone in 1852. I also now have the DOB and deaths of all 7 of their children, which includes my great Grandfather! Still looking to find more info, though.
My dad's family has been traced back to the late 1500s- two HUGE books were compiled on them. But my mom's familyi've only been able to track down 5 generations. in the mid-1800s mygreat-great grandfather was tired of getting his mail mixed up with everyone else's in the town and changed his name. It was Jens Christianson- Do you know how many Jens Christiansons there were in 1800s Denmark!!!?
Realm: Éire (okay fine, it's really PA, USA but that's just boring.)
I've only been able to get back to about 1815 because England only started to do censuses in the early 1800s so yeaaa
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If we could just stand here, without the words, would that be enough? ..Look at the sky now. What color is it? Or the way a hawk flies. Or you wake up and your ribs are bruised thinking so hard on somebody. What do you call that?
"Don't cross the street if you can't get out of the kitchen"
I've able to trace ancestor on my mother's side at beginning of the 1600 in France from an island call St-Malo.On my father side I have nothing except the name of my grandparents.I really wish to find more , but I always say to myself I'm lucky to know all this.My best friend have mostly nothing on both side.
My Grandfather was able to get back to the 1600's on my Grandmother's side. But we have ha a lot of difficulty with my Grandfather's side. He, himself, was born in Bridgeton, outside of Glasgow. We have an "extract" copy from his parents marriage. But cannot locate the origainal or any other records from Scotland. It is like everything just stopped or dissapeared. So only about 1905 and the crossing of the great waters is all that we have on his side.
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Respectfully,
David S. R. Clark
"All that is needed for EVIL to flourish, is for GOOD men to do nothing!"
I have traced my grandmother's family back to 1690s Londonderry, Ireland. Some of my mother's British roots have been around since the 10th century-ish era
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My heart's in the highlands My heart is not here My heart's in the highlands A-chasing the deer --Robert Burns
Thig crioch air an saoghal, ach mairidh gaol is ceòl. The world will pass away, but love and music last forever.
Gluais faicilleach le cupan làn. Go carefully with a full cup.
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