Parenting

Get everyone around the table talking this year with these family stories

Conversation starters to get everyone talking.

Christmas is the perfect time to connect with family. As you all sit around the table and swap stories, why not be the one who comes up with some fascinating stories of family members from the past?

With an Ancestry.com.au Family History subscription, you could discover a world of information about your lineage and the unique individuals within it. You might even find that history repeats itself through names that have been passed down through the family, or shared occupations over generations.

Here are some fun family facts that can be discovered on Ancestry.com.au and will get everyone talking this Christmas:

1. Dad jokes in the gene pool

That quirky sense of humour your father possesses might be more than just a personality trait. An 1880s US census record revealed one dad making a joke about his daughter, listing her occupation as “Does as she pleases”.

Exploring Ancestry.com.au‘s records can reveal the occupation, household members, birthplace, residence, marital status (and more) of family members.

Census documents are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to exploring your family’s past.

(Credit: National Archives and Records Administration)

2. Labradors are the official family mascot

Ever noticed your family tends to have an affinity with a particular dog breed? You could be on to something.

Search your ancestors’ dogs in the ‘Ireland, Dog Licence Registrations’ collection, and discover historical information about the dogs your family has always owned and loved.

This document gives us an insight into what dog breeds were popular 100 years ago.

(Credit: National Archives of Ireland)

3. Age-old issues

Have someone in the family with a penchant for embellishing the truth? Perhaps it’s in their blood.

Young Australians often lied about their age in order to enlist in the war, which you can see on their military service record, found in Ancestry‘s military service records.

Search through an unparalleled collection of scanned documents, photos and written stories.

(Credit: State Library of New South Wales / National Archives of Australia)

4. Spot them a mile off

You could identify family members from photo collections, opening up historical ties you never knew existed.

From military portraits to prisoner headshots, unlocking a visual connection to your past could be easier than you think.

Have you seen your great-grandparents wedding photos?

(Credit: Hulton Archives / Getty Images)

5. Heroes and heroines

For over 30 years, millions of people have chosen Ancestry.com.au to discover, preserve and share important family information.

You too could discover a fascinating twist to your story – a war hero or heroine, a great inventor or a humble farmer could be a part of your lineage.

Build your life story with help from the experts.

There could be more to your story. Piece it together with Ancestry.com.au.

(Credit: Hulton Archives / Getty Images)

Your own history is waiting

Ancestry® is the global leader in family history, with an unparalleled collection of scanned documents, photos and written stories that can offer the thrill of discovering your family’s past. You can also find out more with AncestryDNA®, a powerful consumer DNA test that can estimate your origins from more than 1,500 regions worldwide and connect you with living relatives from a network of more than 20 million people.

Get started today with a 14-day free trial or an AncestryDNA® kit.

Brought to you by Ancestry®.

Related stories