Knost genealogy?

Question

Knost genealogy?

Answer 1

http://genforum.genealogy.com/knost/

I'd add a word of caution - unless your 2nd great grandfather deserted HMS "Unicorn" in the south seas, collected 8 fair but dusky maids and started populating an island all by himself, and all of your 1st great grandparents were half-siblings, you have more than one surname in your family tree.

The Knosts were interesting people; they had their share of cowards and heroes, blackguards, poltroons and stolid, solid, honest, God-fearing Lutheran farmers. But, that's just one out of 16 lines.

Answer 2

I think you are working on the assumption that there is "one" Knost family, all are related and you will fit in somehow.  This is not the way it works. In 1880 census, for example, there are 120 persons with the name listed. Some might be your relatives.. or your ancestor may have immigrated in the early 1900s.

The ONLY way is that you work from yourself, backwards, to confirm all your ancestors. Remember.. only your paternal side will have Knost.  By the time you get to your gr grandparents, there will be 8 of those.. only one having that name. Use women's maiden names for research.

You are not alone, of course. Most persons who are new, think of genealogy in terms of one past person (who may have been the immigrant), and trying to find all his descendents. We just have to shift your approach to working from present to the past, and using documents that verify your own lineage.