THE GREAT ANCESTOR HUNT: The Fun of Finding Out Who You Are

by Lila Perl ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 23, 1989

An enthusiastic look at ancestor-hunting for young people, including how to interview family members; how to create a personal timeline and a four-generation ancestry chart; and how to dig deeper by using vital records (birth, death, marriage) and census records. Carefully chosen historical photos are used throughout to document the experiences of Americans from many ethnicities: Indian, black, Irish, Jewish, Latin American. Facts on name origins are intriguing: in America today, according to the author, most family names can be traced to one of four categories--parent's given name, occupation, place names, and descriptive names. One of every hundred Americans is named Smith (meaning a worker in iron)--including not only the Smits and Schmidts but French ""Fevres,"" Italian ""Ferraros,"" and Syrian ""Haddads."" An interesting, informative introduction for history and genealogy buffs. Includes useful addresses; bibliography; picture credits; and index.

Pub Date: Oct. 23, 1989

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: 104

Publisher: Clarion/Houghton Mifflin

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 1989

Categories: CHILDREN'S