Genealogy Chat

I have never found anyone living who is interested in my tree, nevermind researching it. As well as this board, I have been on surname/location message boards and never bumped into anyone with even one shared branch. Most of my relatives had three, five, eight children surviving to procreate yet I've never found a descendant through genealogy. Am I the only one in this situation? Two hundred years of breeding an only me interested in family trees?

Of all the names in mine and my husbands families, I find that it is always the same few surnames that keep cropping up. There are some names that we have found numerous distant cousins and others none at all. Perhaps some lines were destined for genealogy and others not !!! Margaret

Kathryn, Makes you wonder what went wrong doens't it? also fels rather lonely too :-(( My mum in law would love me to ind her rellies for her but am having no lucky finding them or anyone researching them either. In fact have found no-one yet. Shelli

My sister and my elder son are both interested in the results I find, though not in researching themselves. Since joining GC a few months ago, I have been claimed by two separate second cousins once removed, descendents of my grandfather's brother. I didn't even know he had a brother until I started doing this. On the other hand, I have contacted a couple of my first cousins asking them for information, they haven't even bothered to reply. Jan.

I wandered off this board to one on a FHS. It didn't cost me a cent and Lo and Behold! There was someone looking for ROOTHAMs as well as me! I quickly shot off an email (as one does!! lol) and it turns out that we are quite close cousins! I now just have to pass this onto Margaret who i found on GC and we are cooking with gas!! Up to the point I found Margaret here, I had nothing since I joined and was feeling very lonely! Hang in there Kathryn! It just has to be that, as yet, undiscovered name lurking in the geno forest!! Besides Kath! If your Steeensons hadn't come over here and died all over the place you'd probably have some rellies!! ;) A hug to keep you all going! Sonja in Oz.

Don't give up, Kathryn. Long lost rellies are like buses, nothing for ages, then three will turn up at once!! (Did for me!). I was registered on this site for eight months until I got one single useful piece of info or a contact. Keep going and you'll find something! Steph

Kathryn, I think I am on the other end of the spectrum. I keep finding relatives who have done their own bit of research. I think I've contacted almost every type of cousin there is. I found a third cousin within days of first using GC, I found a fourth cousin living a few streets away from me. I found a half-fifth cousin living in Australia. I think it's in our genes. My Great Great Grandmother had a brother who wrote to our family in the 1920's when he was in his 80's, detailing the family history. My Great Grandfather had a brother who sketched out another side of the family tree, retained a will written in 1884 which lists family members and he also noted down plot numbers of the graves of his ancestors. And all this stuff was retained in the family. Later today, my second cousin is coming to stay. And she's as mad about this thing as I am. I didn't know she existed 9 months ago. We are going to spend the weekend visiting the villages where our ancestors lived from 1700 to 1900. PB

You're so lucky. My great-grandfather threw away baby photos of me and said I had nothing to do with him. He died not long after, so that taught him! My family can't even bother with living relatives, let alone ones who have been dead for centuries. Sonja - It's not just that they all died in Oz, but the ones who survived appear to have had more daughters than was strictly necessary. Then they all married and changed their name and generally try to make life difficult for me!

Don't worry Kathryn, I have not linked up with anyone either. No new rellies found, but HEAPS of fun and friends on this site!! Maz. XX

I thought it would be so easy.........Type name/s,counties,towns etc., and up would pop all the info required from long lost rellies.........as an Australian past prime minister said"life wasn't meant to be easy".Reading these boards are terrifying too,there are problems I never envisaged. But we all keep trying,maybe oneday one of my Mcewans will turn up. Bobby Heath,Australia

I found a branch of my mothers family on anther site, but got no reply when i contacted the person who had it, which is very frustrating. If there are any Leylands from St Helens who had a midwife in their family tree let me know.

Hi, I too have had no luck on genealogical sites including GC. However, I followed the advice of someone on one of the boards and looked for family surnames on Friends Reunited and found a first cousin and her sister and their children, and a second cousin and her relatives, also mine. Di.

No you are not. I've been registered for nearly a year now and not a dicky bird. I thought with an unusual maiden name, Raphael, there must be someone out there related to me, but not yet. I am being quite specific I suppose, as my branch of the family is in the Borders of Scotland, but I had hoped that someone might have had a great granny whose maiden name was Raphael. Still I live in hope.

As at today there are 5,500 Burgess (or is that Burgi) on this site and the only one I am related to is myself! Gary

I have been contacted by a couple of people and I have also been in touch with a few myself. One did not respond and at the moment I have found no connection to the people who I have had contact with. There is one that might be related but we haven't proved it yet. I also live in hope!! Mel

No you're not alone Kathryn, I'm still looking! none of my family seem to exist ! Helen Stewart-Watt from Scotland (G.Gran) Lilian Watt freom Scotland (Gran) Frederick H George from Oz (Grandfather) Everyone on GC have been so helpful, but I'm still looking!!!! Merry Christmas to you all Val

Kathryn - no youre not alone - I have sent loads of emails but only had a handful of replies but one was connected but not directly. Incidently I emailed my brother in law through this site and he Ignored me!!! Good luck for the new year, Selena

keep going Kathryn I have been lucky everyone I have contacted has answered some non conections but some distant rellies and some great contacts. LINDA GRAY yes there are people with Raphaels in their tree my hubbie his mum was a Raphael but none that I am aware of come from accross the border, I am also having difficulty tracing them as they seem to have been born somewhere in Germany came to england in late 1700,s. good luck to everyone dont give up love sandra

hi kathryn i know the feeling, it seems that i am the only person researching my tree, it can be very frustrating at times. i am listing my surname in hope. holland - london/middlesex clemow - london/cornwall evans - london hunt - kent wigg - suffork hacon - suffork thanks penny

I think there may be a family history gene! In the one-name study I've been doing for many years it seems as if there are some families where every descendant is interested, and some families where, although there are many living descendants, nobody is interested. That's fine. But if someone with the gene marries into a family without the gene they think they are the only one! And it's much more interesting when you're the only one because there's more to find easily and every discovery is new (and you won't get a dozen smart distant relatives telling you they already knew about that). Happy hunting in 2004