| Knowing your ancestors' names, and when they | | | | by word of mouth, so it is very important that |
| lived is very important. People may not realize it | | | | someone always take the intuitive to remember |
| while they are young; but as that person or | | | | old stories from their family's past. Most of the |
| youngster gets older they begin to wonder where | | | | old family members will remember only bits and |
| they came from; where were their roots? | | | | pieces of the family history or of things that |
| Since the beginning of time man has recorded the | | | | happened which can be traced down in certain |
| history of his ancestry on staffs which were | | | | periods of history. |
| carried by the leader of the clan. Later on as | | | | There are many companies which charge a |
| people learned to write, the clan leader or the | | | | handsome sum to trace family origins. Most of |
| person most likely to keep up with the family | | | | their work is taken from manuscripts from |
| name would write down what is known as a | | | | families, such as kings and other important |
| family history or a generation's family tree. Many | | | | officials, where there would be a record of |
| of them would start the generation's tree at the | | | | individuals who would do business with the king's |
| top; beginning with the oldest couple or the oldest | | | | land or have something to do with the king's |
| person in the family at the top of the page and | | | | court. |
| work downward; however, today many people | | | | Today, there are genealogy software programs |
| like to start at the bottom and work upwards. | | | | which will help you trace your family tree. This |
| For instance, the longest recorded generations | | | | software may have some examples for the way |
| family history in history is that of Confucius, a | | | | a surname was spelled; as different countries |
| Chinese philosopher and an educator for his | | | | spelled the same name many different ways. It |
| people. His family linage includes more than two | | | | helps if you have an idea what country your |
| million family members over a period of 80 | | | | ancestors might have originated from. |
| generations. | | | | You can try to trace your family tree by using |
| On many occasions it is not only the male, who | | | | the internet, however, you will be much better |
| carries on the tradition of keeping up with the | | | | off using one of the online family tree connections |
| family history, but sisters who would get married | | | | which may cost you a little bit of money, but not |
| and change their names would add themselves to | | | | as much as you would if you chose another |
| the list as well and begin a new family tree. | | | | source. |
| In many countries the ancestry was passed down | | | | |