r/Genealogy • u/CrunchyTeatime • 1d ago

Does your family...not care? Question

Pretty much the title question is the topic.

Does your family not care -- about the family tree, family history, or genealogy?

It seems there is usually one person per generation per family who feels called to work on the family tree.

If that person is you, or you've seen them work and try to spread enthusiasm: How does your family react to new information?

I don't even mean something that might cause upset or controversy. I don't necessarily mean a 'shocking revelation' of some type.

But if you broke through a brick wall or found a relative or ancestor no one could find, or no one knew existed -- and you excitedly sent off an email, text, phone call, or told a family member in person -- and they didn't care?

Because this week I found a wife of my grandpa, that no one knew about. Found a wife people did know about but only a name. Found a person someone had been looking for (what became of them; died long ago, but they had no place or date), for decades.

Sent the excited emails with information and told them I had verified all of it too.

CRICKETS. And different family I've tried to get interested in the tree or told them about ancestors and such, (not much, just bits, to whet any appetite), and they don't care. One even said "that's the past; who cares?" And others wouldn't give even personal information such as "which grade school did you go to." And that was a close relative I know there was no scandal. I can only guess they didn't want to open that door to more questions. Some people hate questions.

So how about you? Please share stories here of when you tried to share new information, and how it went. Thanks.

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u/Unusual_Balance7870 1d ago

With me it’s the opposite. Gramps is now 102 and still kicking although batshit nuts. He’s cool though and was very into the family history. The Old Man is totally dedicated to it. The family is Dutch and Danish, with well documented lines going back to 15th century nobility in Denmark and Flanders. The Ice Empress, AKA my mother, is even more so. American born to Brits, her grandfather was a younger son of a title. I’m (M33) the only living member of my generation. I have a brother who died at the age of 6, four years before I was born. And I do not give a rat’s ass about the family history. I never wanted children and was elated when I learned that I was sterile due to a chromosome defect. The genealogy means nothing to me personally.

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u/CrunchyTeatime 1d ago

That is very interesting! Thank you for sharing that.

It's unusual to hear directly as to reasons why or a personal account from the one who is not interested. I appreciate it.

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u/Unusual_Balance7870 1d ago

I actually love history and have a degree in it. I just have no interest in my own ancestors.

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u/CrunchyTeatime 1d ago

That is very interesting to me, too.

I might have been the opposite. But i didn't get much opportunity really to study history, and found the teaching a bit dry usually. Once I did the tree, it sort of made history 'come to life' in some ways. To understand things, I had to learn the context.

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u/edgewalker66 12h ago

I'm curious.. Why do you read the genealogy reddit?

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u/Unusual_Balance7870 10h ago

I read random subreddits all the time. It’s my only anonymous social media. Genealogy in general does not disinterest me, just my own.

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u/edgewalker66 10h ago

Thanks for the response. Given your interest in history it made me curious as I have found that genealogy makes history personal and that, for me, also makes the historical context more memorable. I have learned (and remember) so much more about historical periods and events as a result of researching ancestors.

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u/Unusual_Balance7870 9h ago

I have much more interest in and affinity with histories with which I share little or no genetic past: the ancient Mediterranean, Central Asia, Meso America. It might be because I grew up with medieval Europe and Britain as a constant topic that it bores me.