Family Interviews

The best part of genealogy work is putting together the story of your family. Where can you better learn your family’s stories than from your living ancestors? Take the opportunity to interview your relatives while you have the chance. Be sure to visit with your oldest living relatives first.

Check out this video for suggestions and helps:

HINTS FOR BETTER INTERVIEWS

If possible, video or audio record your conversations. This is much easier now with the technology available on our phones. They will become cherished recordings in times to come. Small tripods for your phones are inexpensive and easy to set up.

Ask open ended questions. When you ask questions with short answers you lose wonderful opportunities to hear things you may not have even known! You can use photos to spur memories.

Small details can be very helpful. For instance, “I remember my mother telling me her grandfather worked as a railroad man… or his family came from England… or he was previously married…. or had a brother who served in WWI.” Even if you don’t know an exact location where your family lived, if you have an idea of the region, that is helpful.

Another helpful tool is to approximate birth, deaths or other dates using other known events. Your grandmother may not remember when her grandfather died, but she may remember he was at her wedding in 1950, thus you know his death was after 1950.

Below is a list of sample questions; but don’t feel you need to go down the list, allow the conversation to flow as memories come.

SAMPLE QUESTIONS

Questions for your family member:

What is the name you were given at birth?
When were you born? Where?
Were you named after a relative or family friend?
Have you ever had a nickname?
Do you remember any funny baby stories about you?
What did you want to be when you grew up?
Did you attend college? Where did you study?
What was your first job? Other occupations?
When and where did you meet your husband or wife?
What was your wedding like? Did you go on a honeymoon?
Where was your first home?
Spouses name, birth, death, occupation information

Questions about his/her parents:

What is your mother’s/father’s name? What did she/he look like?
When and where was she/he born? Die?
What is your most vivid image of your mother/father?
What was her/his occupation?
Where did your parents meet?
When and where did they marry?
What are your brothers and sisters names?
What is the most enjoyable memory of time spent with family? Siblings?
What are some of the most valuable lessons your parents taught you?

Questions about extended family:

What were the names of your mother’s/father’s parents?
When and where were born/die and where did they live?
What did they do for a living?
Do you have personal memories of them? What were they like? What did they look like?
What we the most enjoyable time spent with each grandparent?
Did they have a favorite story you remember them telling?
What do you know about your grandparent’s other children?
What do you remember hearing about your GREAT grandparents?
Did you ever meet them?
From what part of the world did your family emigrate? Any stories told about their crossing? Do you have any relatives in foreign countries?
Where did they settle in this country? Why?
How far back can you trace your family tree?
Did anyone in your family serve in the military?