RVers, how much research have you done on your family history? Have you ever spent time digging into your genealogy to uncover the stories of those who came before you? Some people dedicate years to building detailed family trees, piecing together the lives of ancestors through old records, photographs, and even handwritten letters. Others might just scratch the surface out of curiosity, looking up a few generations or connecting with distant cousins they never knew they had.
In recent years, ancestry DNA tests have become a popular tool for those curious about their roots. Have you ever taken one of these tests? Many people are surprised by the results—finding unexpected heritage, discovering previously unknown relatives, or confirming long-standing family lore. It’s amazing how a simple test can open up entire chapters of your family’s history you might never have known about.
For RVers, especially, the open road offers a unique opportunity to connect with the past. Have you ever planned a trip to visit the towns your ancestors once called home? Maybe you’ve stopped at an old family farm, a cemetery where generations are buried, or a historical society where your family’s story is preserved in dusty ledgers. Traveling to these places can make history feel incredibly personal, adding deeper meaning to your journey.
Or perhaps your travels have introduced you to distant relatives you had never met before. Family reunions, even small, impromptu ones, can turn a regular trip into a memory you’ll cherish forever. Meeting the living links to your ancestry can bring your research to life in a way that books and websites never could.
We’d love to hear from you! After you vote, feel free to leave a comment and share your experiences. Whether you’ve traced your family back to the Mayflower or just started wondering about your roots, we’re curious about how genealogy has played a role in your RV adventures.
MORE POLLS YOU MIGHT ENJOY:
- Have you ever loaned your RV to a close friend or family member?
- Do you post a personalized family sign outside your RV?
- Did your parents take you camping as a child?
- Growing up, were your parents good role models?
RVDT2635
Very little, knowing what was passed on only really. I guess I really don’t care.
My Grandfather developed the hobby after he retired in 1982! Traced us back to coming to US in 1744. My husband’s father was conceived on the boat from Switzerland. His side of the family publishes a book every 10 years and traced his lineage back to the 1400s.
Didn’t need to do research on my mother’s side, a book on her family history starting in Scotland through the 1960’s has been published. It traces the families involvement in the settlement of New England through every conflict up to the Korean War. On my father’s side some have traced the family to its roots in Ireland and France. My brother in law has traced the family to through the father and mother through Germany, Romania and his fathers family back to Russia. All I had to do was read it.
I’ve been doing a family history for over 35 years. I go back to 145BC with 51,000 family members.
Was the earlier version chiseled in stone?
With a “abandoned Indian baby picked on the way west” and an 1800s adoption, things just kind of fizzle out on my dad’s side. So, never figured it was worth the frustration.
My wife traced my paternal side back only two generations, as my biological father was a carney. But the maternal side was traced back to 1700s Rhode Island to a guy that was a privateer. The trail fizzles after that. So I’m related to a pirate…at least that’s the story I’m sticking with.
I haven’t done any family research, but I have cousins on both sides that have done a lot, and I read their results.
I’ve thought about and I compliment those who discovered interesting facts about their lineage. I heard someone say that if you didn’t find any black sheep in your family history……….it might be you.
Thank you for the question, RV Travel! Pretty much none. A few cousins have gone down that rabbit hole and a bit has been shared. None comes to mind. I did talk to my maternal grandmother a time or two about her parents. She was orphaned at the age of 12. One of her grandmothers came from Ireland some time in the later 1800s. Daddy had a great, great, … , grandfather who fought with the North Carolina militia during the Revolutionary War and moved approximately where we live now around 1800. Beyond that, I got nuthin. 😉 Have a great day and safe travels!
Our family loves to know about our ancestors and our relatives. I want for people here to know about the phone app called family tree (family search: build your own tree) down load it and in this app one can open up a thing that allows you to check others with their app open to this part to see if and how they are related and how you are related. This is a really fun app to have and a conversation starter for sure.
enjoy.
A cousin did an extraordinary job of researching our family which came to Massachusetts in 1638 from England. My children are 13 generation in North America. I find it very fascinating.
Two of my cousins are really into this, and have traced our family back to 14th century Polish nobility. Also, my third great grandmother’s home was moved and is part of a historic site in a state park. It’s very cool to visit and imagine what life was like for my ancestors.
Hard to believe, but it’s true. My cousin has traced one branch of our family to a man named Hugo (he had no last name) who lived in the fifth century.
My family seemed to never throw away papers, so I have researched some. Found a letter a many great uncle had written ” So glad they caught the guy that killed the president” He was talking about Lincoln. Also did some DNA on 23 and me a long with family members. I get inquiries from people who were adopted and looking for biological family. So far none have been close relatives, but because so many people from both my mothers and fathers side have done the DNA I can tell them which side of the family line they came from.
DNA can provide some general information but unless you are just trying to confirm your relation to some other specific person DNA testing is not the best way to find your unknown ancestors. It is best to use documents about your ancestors recorded when they were alive. This takes more work and time but can deliver accurate information rather than just some guess. I suggest that we all start by finding every one of your ancestors who are listed in a Census or on some land record. I have been doing research on my ancestors and have been able to prove that one of my ancestors came over on the Mayflower. I teach 4 classes “How To” at FMCA Conventions
My wife Janet is REALLY into genealogy! She’s found out a lot of interesting things – starting with the fact that, despite the fact that we only met each other online, and didn’t even live in the same town, there are at least 20 instances where members of her family married members of my family (NO direct ancestors – thank goodness!), and that parts of her family and parts of mine ran in the same circles going back to the German states (there was no united country called “Germany” until the late 1800s), hundreds of years ago.