At the end of my research

[guest225400]

Hello,

I've been doing my family history for over a year now. but I don't know where to go with my research.

With all of my family lines I've got very far back and can't seem to go any further, and I have explored many family lines. I was wondering if anyone has any ideas of what my next move should be. What do other people do when they reach the end?

Thank you,

[Craclyn]

There is no end

I have been doing this for 6 years now and still have a long way to go, so I am curious to know how you have managed to cover everything in a year.

How many lines have you researched and how far back have you got?
Have you no brick walls where a fresh pair of eyes might help you to go even further?
Have you followed the lines back down again to find "cousins" at various levels?
Have you looked into the stories behind the names, dates and places?

[a-l]

I wasn't aware there was an end. I started mine 40 years ago ,still going and still have 2 brickwalls.

[guest225400]

I've got back to about 1740 with my main line, and around 1800 with my others. I've had a look at a range of people many of whom aren't directly related to me. I've tried to get further back but it just seems impossible to find any solid proof that 'this' person is the right person.

[suey]

I'm a relative newbie at 12 years and I too am surprised that you say you are at the end of your research. I still have many unanswered questions and those I call "the disappeared", folk missing from census who appear, disappear and reappear, or who seem to have simply vanished into thin air. I regularly re-visit websites in the hope of new information.

Have you thought about putting the "flesh on the bones", research your ancestors occupations, the houses, towns, villages, streets or cities where they lived.  Then there are the causes of death, other Rootschatters will find you many more reasons to keep searching.

Suey

[Finley 1]

I am sorry but you dont seem to be digging deep enough. 

Have you FOUND every possible ancestor, Paternal and Maternal lines.

Mothers - siblings families - Gt. Gt. Gt. grandmothers siblings and families and families..

Fathers ditto...

It doesnt 'end'  till its finished..  and after 20 odd years -- I still have oodles to research thank goodness.

What it sounds like you MAY be saying is that you have taken the Paternal line as far as you can and not branched out into siblings and cousins and 2nd, 3rd 4th 5th cousins etc.. 

these are or can be very interesting... and all go into making your Family what it is

have a look again, and change the 'end' to a .nother ... branch. 


xin

[guest225400]

I've research a lot, and I understand that I could go further out to the side rather than up. I do find it very difficult because I'm not a paying member of any website and I've had to try and do this all for free. I feel bad for asking people for help because I can't look at it.

[Craclyn]

The concept of a "main line" puzzles me. You start with 2 which develops to 4 then 8 and so on.....

I am up to 51 end of line names for direct ancestors now and am looking forward to adding to the list when I find parents for each of these and discover where and how they lived their lives.

[guest225400]

My main line is my fathers line, however I've have been doing my mothers as well, it's just that I've focused more on more on my fathers