How do I find my geniology/ancestry?

Question

I'd KILL OR DIE to be Japanese, and I wanna know if I have any Japanese blood in me.

I know already from my parents that I'm mostly English *British*, Scottish, and Cheroke Indian.

It's not that I hold my ancestors responsible or anything!!. . . oh wait, I DO becuz they're the ones who couldn't marry an asian man or woman! >:(

Anyway. Anyone know where I can find it for free? And my parents don't know much either. So they're not really much help.

Answer 1

If you had included your last name, it would have helped. We can't determine ethnic origins if we have nothing to go by. Or, you can check it out yourself by going to:

   www.surnamedb.com--enter your last name in the Search box. If they have it, they'll give a detailed background .

   http://surnames.behindthename.com/php/se...  (they are listed alphabetically or type the name in their search area next to the yellow box at the top that says "surnames" and then click "Go".  As an example, I typed in the name "Kurosawa" and the results were

"Kurosawa  

Usage: Japanese

Means "black swamp," from the prefix "kuro", meaning "black", and "sawa", "swamp".

If it is your first name, go to :

http://www.behindthename.com/usage.php

  Go to the middle column-"Worldwide", and click on "Japanese".  I typed in "Midori" as an example and the results were:

MIDORI  

Gender: Feminine

Usage: Japanese

Other Scripts: 緑 (Japanese)

Means "green" in Japanese.

If your computer can do non-English scripts, it will show you how to write it in Japanese.

Answer 2

You find your genealogy by researching it one generation at a time, starting with yourself and documenting everything as you go.

First of all get as much information from living family as possible, particularly your old folks, like me.  Tape them if they will let you.  It might turn out they are confused on some things but what might seem to be insignificant story telling might be very significant.  Ask if any of your family has any old family bibles.  Ask to see and make copies of any birth, marriage and death certificates on family they have.  Also, depending on the faith, baptismal, first communion, confirmation, marriage certificates yield information.

Go to your public library and see what all they have in the genealogy area.  They might have a subscription to Ancestry.Com you can use.  Ancestry.Com has lots of records and seems to be getting more all the time. They have all the U.S. censuses through 1930. The 1940 and later are not available to the public yet.  They also have U.K. censuses.

Just don't take as absolute fact everything you see in family trees on their website, or ANY website, free or paid.  The information is subscriber submitted and mostly not documented or poorly documented.  You might see the different information on the same people from different subscribers.  Then, you will see the same identical information on the same people from different subscribers. That is absolutely no guarantee at all it is correct. A lot of people copy without verifying.  Use the information as clues as to where to get the documentation.

Don't expect to find information on living people.   It is considered an invasion of privacy and can lead to identity theft.

A Family History Center at a Latter Day Saints(Mormon) Church has records on people all over the world, not just Mormons.

They are free to use.  Call them or visit their free website at FamilySearch.org to find out their hours for the general public.

In Salt Lake City, they have the world's largest genealogical collection. Their Family History Centers can order microfilm for you to view at a nominal fee.  

I have never had them to try and convert me or send their good looking missionaries by to ring my doorbell.  I haven't heard of them doing that to anyone else that has used their resources.

Don't expect to find everything on line. You will need to write or visit courthouses, cemeteries, etc.

Good Luck!

This area of SE Texas has always been a rice farming area.  We have had some Japanese families living here since before WWII.  I think a lot of them have been assimilated with the rest of the population.

Answer 3

You can do it, but it will take a minimum of 100 - 300 hours, spaced out over as many weeks as you devote to it. (1 hour a week = 100 - 300 weeks; 10 hours a week = 10 - 30 weeks.)

Write if you want tips and links.

Most people with Japanese blood know about it, since most Japanese got to the USA in the 1920's or later.