Did you know that Genealogy is one of the largest hobbies out there?

While it’s not the number one Hobby in America (that goes to cooking), genealogy, the study of one's family history, is still up there on the list! While it’s not for everyone—maybe it should be—genealogy is a fascinating and rewarding hobby that offers numerous benefits. 

Here are just a few of the reasons why you should consider taking up genealogy:

1. Connect with Your Past

Genealogy allows you to connect with your ancestors and learn more about your family's history. This can be a deeply personal and meaningful experience as you discover the stories of your ancestors who came before you. You may learn about long-lost relatives, learn about your family's migration patterns, or uncover hidden family secrets. Learning about your family’s struggles, accomplishments, and day-to-day life - brings history alive and makes it much more personal.

2. Preserve Your Family's Legacy

By researching your family history, you are preserving your family's legacy for future generations to explore, discover, and grow from. Your family, close and extended, will be able to learn about their roots and develop a stronger sense of identity. Genealogy can help to strengthen family bonds and create a sense of belonging. Genealogy is also a wonderful excuse for an annual Family Reunion.

3. Gain a Deeper Understanding of Yourself

Genealogy can help you to gain a deeper understanding of yourself. By learning about your ancestors, you can identify personality traits, values, and beliefs that have been passed down through your family. When we think about heredity, we don’t tend to think about the myriad things we share with past generations - but I’ve seen it time and time again. These discoveries can help you to understand why you are the way you are and make more informed decisions about your life. 

4. Develop New Skills and Keep Your Brain Sharp

Genealogy is a great way to develop new skills like research, writing, and problem-solving. You will also learn about history, geography, and culture. These skills can be valuable in your personal and professional life. They are also important to our brain health. By continually studying and learning, we keep our brains young and agile. 

5. Make New Friends

Genealogy is a great way to expand your social circle and meet new people with similar interests. Plus, family history research problems and brick walls can sometimes be easily solved or knocked over by asking others for help. There are many historical and genealogy societies and online forums to connect with other genealogists and aspiring Family Historians. You can also attend genealogy conferences and workshops (in person or online) to learn more about the field and meet new people.

6. Have Fun

Genealogy is a fun and rewarding hobby that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. It is a great way to spend your time and learn something new. So why not give it a try?

To learn more about what I do, head over to GenealogybyAryn.com. Subscribe to my Substack, and I’ll send you my free eBook “Ten Places to Research Your Family History for Free!”

If you have any family history questions about FamilySearch, Ancestry, or genealogy, leave a comment below. 

Until next time!