Discover Your Ancestral Roots with FamilySearch
Have you ever wondered where your ancestors were born? In 2016, J. Paul Hawthorne sparked a viral phenomenon with My Colorful Ancestry, a pedigree worksheet color-coded by birth location. (see my worksheet)
Similar to this idea, FamilySearch introduced the Where Am I From? activity in 2020, offering an interactive way to map your ancestors’ birthplaces. To use this tool, you need just two things: a free FamilySearch account and at least four generations entered into a family tree. (Additional information) Then, the journey begins!
Explore Your Heritage
Generations – Visualize your ancestors’ birth locations, one generation at a time.
- My Family Lines – Trace a branch of your family back through time to see their places of birth. (Note: Mapping is based on data in the FamilySearch tree.)
- My Heritage – Break down your ancestry by region, revealing your family’s geographic origins. No surprise—I discovered I’m 89% United States!
- Timeline – See how your ancestors’ birthplaces change over time and filter by historical events like the U.S. Revolutionary War.
This free FamilySearch activity offers a fascinating glimpse into your heritage, helping you visualize and connect with your family’s past like never before.