Ancestor Questionnaire

Name _____________________

Country ________________

“Digging For Our History” This is an opportunity to “dig for facts” about your ancestors who came to the United States. Try to meet and discuss your family heritage (great grandparents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, mom, dad etc.) to gather information. You can call them, e-mail them, or talk to them if possible as you visit with family over Thanksgiving vacation. Feel free to talk to more than one relative if you would like. You don’t have to answer every question.

1. Why did your ancestors come to the United States (economics, better life, more opportunities etc.) ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ 2. Were there some people in the family who did not come or make the journey to the United States? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ 3. Are there relatives that still live in this country? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________

4. What port in America did your ancestors come through? (Ellis Island?) ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________

5. Did the decision to move to the United States cause tension in the family? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ 6. Where did they first stay when they came to the United States? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ 7. Was it hard to find work when they first came to the United States? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________

8. What family mementos did your ancestors bring with them? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________

9. What were the really important holidays in the country and what traditions do you still carry on through the generations? ________________________________________________________________

10. Where there any family members in a branch of the service? Who and did they serve in any wars.

11. Tell me what you know about your mother, grandmother

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12. Tell me what you know about your father, grandfather, great grandparents_____________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ 13. Did your religious beliefs stay the same or change throughout the generations? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________

14. Is there a certain item that the family passes down through the generations? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________

15. Are there special wedding traditions in your family? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________

16. What physical characteristics do your family share? _______________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________

17. Can you speak the native language? Do you know words? Phrases? _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ 18. Would you like to experience your country first hand? Why or why not? __________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________

19. What luxuries do your family have that your ancestors did not have? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________

20. What was a typical day like in the life of your ancestors? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________

21. What values or advice do you think ancestors would share with you? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________

22. Were you named after one of your ancestors? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________

23. Do you have old pictures, old letters, documents, wedding or death certificates or journal entries of relatives that we can make copies of? *****These will be put on your display board.

Other Interesting Facts or Information: Add as much as you can that seems interesting about any of your family members from any generation.