What is genealogy?
Genealogy is the study of family history and ancestry. For you, this may mean tracing your ancestors back through the generations until you learn that you come from royalty or convicts, or it may mean learning more about that mysterious great-aunt that no one knew very well. Genealogy can teach you about your origins, and help you feel more connected with your past. It may give insight into why you love being by the ocean, or the origins of your surname.
What you’d like to discover, or learn more about, is up to you. It’s my job to help you on that journey.
Who am I?
My name is Dan, and I’m a genealogist. I have been researching my own family history for about 20 years (mostly in my spare time), and now I’m thrilled to be able to commit more time to work on genealogy research, not just for myself, but for you as well.
Social history is my passion. To support that, I have a PhD, so you know I really love research! I also have a Diploma in Family Historical Studies, from the Society of Australian Genealogists.
I love genealogy, because it is amazingly diverse, and pulling the pieces together feels like solving a really great mystery. Our tools are formal records such as birth, death and marriage certificates, census records and property ownership records, but also newspaper stories, shipping records, DNA profiles and even at times, criminal court transcripts. Digging into the past is so much fun, especially when it can result in learning more about where you came from, and how that contributes to who you are.
