Treasured old photographs and family history stories are among the most-cherished heirlooms to be passed down through generations, research has revealed.
The study of 2,000 adults also found that:
- Over a quarter (26%) have learnt more about their family history since March 2020, with 25% using extra time at home to research their family history
- Nearly three in ten (28%) have spoken more than ever about their family history stories during the same time period
- Two thirds (67%) believe family stories are an important way of finding out about the lives of our ancestors
The research has been commissioned to mark the launch of Ancestry's StoryScout, a free and easy online tool to help bring family history stories to life.
For people who are just starting out in their family history journey or who have been inspired by popular programmes such as Who Do You Think You Are? or Long Lost Family, StoryScout is a new tool on the Ancestry website that helps users discover and share stories from their family’s history quickly and easily.
People will only need to enter a few details about their grandparents, such as their names and somewhere they lived, to be shown a range of personal and engaging events from their ancestors’ lives along with a detailed view of historical records.
Simon Pearce, family history expert at Ancestry, said: "Since March last year, we’ve witnessed an increase in people looking to explore their family history.
“In fact, sharing and passing down family stories can be an easy and enjoyable way to engage and connect with our relatives, particularly when we cannot be physically together.’’
The top 10 most treasured heirlooms passed down through generations are:
- Old photographs (60%)
- Family history stories (49%)
- Memorabilia (37%)
- Jewellery (33%)
- Family recipes (26%)
- Letters (25%)
- Books (23%)
- Medals (22%)
- Furniture (14%)
- Cars (11%)
To try out Ancestry’s StoryScout tool and learn more about your family history, visit www.ancestry.co.uk/StoryScout.
