SHONA Hill tells a funny story about an American woman who approached her for help with her researches into her family tree.
The American had contacted Denny Library asking for any information about her 'famous' ancestor – someone she insisted was i
nstrumental in setting up dog clubs in Scotland.
But Shona's research found out that was only partially true – the ancestor was in fact a dog-clubber, someone who used to rid Falkirk's streets of stray dogs.
The Denny librarian says nearly every family has a skeleton in its cupboard and, more and more, those old bones are being uncovered in the name of genealogy.
She said: "You get people realising they've got a bigamist in their family and nearly always there's a bit of a mystery in a family to be uncovered – that's what makes it so fascinating."
According to Internet search engine Google, Scots are the people most interested in tracing their family trees, responsible for a record number of hits on 'genealogy' and 'family history' search sites.
Shona said the Internet was a useful tool for seeking out your relatives but searching for your surname was pretty hit and miss.
She said the best place to start was your local library or registrar's office as they have access to thousands of records – or know where to find them.
Themselves keen family history buffs, both Shona and Denny registrar Fiona Mitchell can get you started while all six Falkirk Council registrar offices offer a paid search service.
Fiona said: "We can offer guide-assisted searches or do it all for them – some people don't have a lot of time because they're working but they want to find out more."
The registrar offices are revamping the way they work with local libraries to offer a seamless service to family history hunters.
Fiona said: "You can get a vast amount of information in just one hour."
Shona said finding out who our ancestors are has always fascinated us and thanks to shows like the BBC's "Who Do You Think You Are", it's becoming even more popular.
In April over 30 people attended Denny Library's family history 'taster' – finding out how to interpret birth, death and marriage certificates – many of which are in beautiful, but difficult to read, Copperplate writing – which websites to check out and how to read census documents.
Many libraries now have waiting lists for similar events.
Simple things like knowing that traditionally, the first son was named after his father's father, the second-born son took his mother's father's name while the third son and father shared the same name – are helpful for the myriad of details researchers will come across.
But Shona warned that historically child mortality was high and often parents re-used names, which means it can get confusing as family trees end up having lots of branches with the same names.
She added it was easier if historians traced their ancestors one generation at a time.
Given the explosion of family history hunting, there's now plenty of computer software available to make recording information easier.
Tens of thousands of websites have also popped up in recent years with the biggest and most comprehensive established by the Mormons, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint, whose free and non-religious website (www.familysearch.org) makes available resources which church members have been collecting for over 100 years.
More locally, copies of census figures over 100 years old are available to view at libraries where all computer use is free. And Callendar House's family research centre archives information from local authorities in the area, school records and criminal registers.
The Central Scotland Family History Society (www.csfhs.org.uk) also offers resources and help to first time researchers.
elizabeth.mcintosh@falkirkherald.co.uk
