Questions About Family History
Questions to ask about
your family history
Family history is more than dates and names in a family tree. It's the stories behind them — where your family came from, what they lived through, and how they got to where they are now. These questions help you uncover it.
Why family history matters
More than names on a family tree
Genealogy can tell you that your great-grandmother was born in County Mayo in 1889. What it can't tell you is what she was like, what she believed, why she came to England, or what she hoped for her children. That's family history — the story behind the data.
Research consistently shows that children who know their family history — who have a sense of where they came from and what their family has been through — have stronger self-esteem, greater resilience, and a clearer sense of identity. The stories aren't just interesting. They're formative.
But family history disappears with the people who carry it. Every generation that passes takes its stories with it unless someone thought to ask. The questions below are designed to draw those stories out — from living relatives who still remember, before the window closes.
The questions
Questions about family history to ask your relatives
Ask these of the oldest living relatives you have access to. Start with whichever feels most natural — you don't need to work through them in order.
Where your family came from
How your family lived
What your family lived through
Family relationships and characters
Values and beliefs passed down
Family objects and places
Going further
How to research your family history beyond conversations
Ancestry and FindMyPast
The two largest genealogy databases, both with strong UK records. Ancestry (ancestry.co.uk) and FindMyPast (findmypast.co.uk) give access to census records, birth, marriage and death certificates, military records, and immigration records going back centuries.
The British Library and county archives
Local county archives hold records not available online — parish registers, local newspapers, estate records, and more. The British Library also has extensive collections. A visit can surface things digital databases miss.
The Imperial War Museum
The IWM holds records of service personnel from both World Wars and beyond. Their Lives of the First World War database is particularly comprehensive. If family members served, this is the place to start.
GRO certificates
The General Register Office holds UK birth, marriage, and death certificates from 1837 onwards. You can order certificates online at gro.gov.uk. These often contain more information than you expect — parents' occupations, addresses, witnesses.
DNA testing
Services like AncestryDNA and 23andMe can reveal ethnic heritage, find previously unknown relatives, and confirm or complicate family stories. Useful alongside documentary research rather than as a replacement for it.
Talking to living relatives
The most important and most overlooked source of family history. Census records can tell you where someone lived. Only a living relative can tell you what they were like. Ask before it's too late.
Preserve what you find
Turn family history into a keepsake book
Tell Me Your Story turns your family history conversations into a beautifully printed keepsake book — 100+ guided questions, voice recordings, photos, and a professionally printed book. Free to start, no card needed.
Free to start · No subscription · Printed book from £21.99
FAQ
Common questions
What questions should I ask about family history?
Start with where the family came from, what your grandparents did for work, what major historical events they lived through, and the characters of the family. Then move into values, traditions, family objects, and what people want to be remembered. The questions that produce the best stories are usually the most specific ones.
How do I research my family history?
Start with conversations with living relatives — they're the most important source and the most time-limited. Alongside that, Ancestry and FindMyPast hold most UK genealogical records online. County archives, the British Library, and the Imperial War Museum hold records not available digitally. DNA testing can also reveal heritage and connect you with previously unknown relatives.
How do I preserve family history?
Conversations should be recorded — even a phone voice memo is valuable. Documents and photographs should be digitised and backed up in multiple places. A printed family history book is the most permanent format — Tell Me Your Story turns family history conversations into a beautifully printed keepsake.
What is the difference between genealogy and family history?
Genealogy is the study of family ancestry — building a family tree from birth, marriage, and death records. Family history goes further, capturing the stories, experiences, and personalities behind the names and dates. Both are valuable, but family history is what makes genealogy come alive.
Who should I ask about family history?
The oldest living relatives you have access to. Grandparents and great-aunts and uncles often hold knowledge that no younger person has. Start with whoever is oldest and work outwards. Don't assume family members you see less often don't have stories worth hearing.
Free download
Not ready yet? Take the questions with you.
A printable PDF of 50 questions to ask your parents or grandparents about their life. Use it over Sunday lunch, or keep it for when the moment's right.
Tell Me Your Story
50 Questions
to Ask Your Parents
Your family history is waiting to be told
Start capturing it today — free, in their own words, preserved forever.
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