Roots Revisited: unlocking the mysteries of your family tree

A quick search of my surname on Findmypast recently revealed a few interesting facts to me. Apparently, 31 Clodes fought in the First World War, we were a prevalent bunch in Devon during the 1900s, and at least two of us (so far) have had criminal records. The earliest recorded occurrence of the name appeared in 1560, nearly 500 years ago.

This last fact really opened up a can of worms. Who was this Clode knocking about in the mid 16th century? Were they one of the confirmed criminals? An ancestor, surely, but what did they do, and what did they look like?

Public interest in genealogy has rocketed in recent years, with TV shows like Who Do You Think You Are and DNA Journey enjoying huge popularity. And yet most people – myself included – still seem surprised to discover their lineage extends beyond grandparents and great-grandparents; that a huge interweaving collection of centuries-old stories, each with its own dramas, celebrations and tragedies, has led to their existence.

Discovering these stories is like learning that your favourite new Netflix show has a vast back catalogue of series, and that you are the star of the latest episode. It’s weird, humbling and fascinating in equal measure. But how do you find these stories?

The census is a great place to start your first foray into genealogy. It’s been carried out every 10 years since 1801, and gives a comprehensive snapshot of all the people and households in England and Wales.

The 1921 Census has recently been made accessible to the public for the first time thanks to the herculean efforts of Findmypast. Locked away for more than 100 years, the 1921 Census details the lives of 38 million people and takes up 1.6km of shelving space. It took a team of specialists years to digitise the 28,000 volumes and pieces that made up the census, all so that curious newbies like me could start building a family tree.

It’s already helped hundreds of budding family historians fill in the gaps and find missing links in their families’ stories. For Marc Howells, the 1921 Census revealed a great grandfather who’d had a daughter no one in the family knew about. For Findmypast member Alaine M. Kier, it helped him track down lots of new cousins he had no idea existed.

Another Findmypast member, Jennis Rowe, said: “With the 1921 Census, I discovered that my grandmother was a foster mother and my grandfather had listed no occupation. My sister had always thought that my grandfather had had an injury of some sort, but no idea what or where he got it. The census record confirmed it.

“What’s more, the same record also revealed the correct name for an adopted uncle in my family and clearly stated that he was adopted. Even he didn’t know this until he was an adult about to get married.”

The census may not immediately identify my elusive Elizabethan Clode, but genealogy is a marathon not a sprint. You’re slowly building a picture over time, or working on a puzzle you know you may never fully complete. The census is another piece of that puzzle, linking me to a different world and helping me on my family history journey.

Findmypast have plenty of tools at their disposal to assist others with an interest in their ancestry, and getting started is always the most exciting part. Start as I did with a quick name search and you’ll soon be hooked on the greatest story of all: your own.

For more information and to start unlocking the secrets of your own past, visit Findmypast where you can subscribe or sign up for a free trial