2023 and it is time for new discoveries

 As we launch into another year of research and discovery, it never fails to amaze me how wrong my deductions and conclusions can be after 50 years of seeking out family history.

That may seem alarming, but the truth is that we have so many new tools to discover and review our history. 

We have DNA evidence for the first time which can help define the path of our research and help us to understand so many characteristics and traits that we might never have thought of through our family stories alone. 

It can help us with medical and health issues that might be found in our various family lines - information that can be very useful when combined with new discoveries in medicine and building awareness in our families of issues of concern.

My Norwegian ancestry has led us to become aware of the Kell antibody which impacts on the success of blood transfusions - a useful piece of information for current health issues of late, but also of interest in the causes of death on death certificates over time. 

Keeping a note in the facts fields of your research can help you identify useful family information you might discover about your ancestors - not so much a reason to panic, but a useful addition to family knowledge for future generations. 

Being able to identify those who have inherited particular genes helps us manage risk and inheritance patterns over the generations.