Who Do You Think You Are?

[ikmccall]

I watched the Graham Norton episode this morning on youtube. Very interesting. 4 kids out of wedlock in 1800's Ireland??? Da-yum is all I can say.

[Deleted]

The Rosie O'Donnell episode really emphasized how fragile and uncertain life really was. That workhouse gave me the creeps and I don't know if I could have gone in there.

[batmom]

I've got to see if my dad's watching this show. His rooting around in our family tree uncovered something similar, only it was my great-grandmother who abandoned her family to run away with the boarder, my great-grandfather. My grandfather grew up thinking he was an only child only to be reunited with his neices and nephews in his 70s (his siblings had all died by the time my dad unravelled the story.)

[margojata]

I love this show - and I'm so jealous that they have access to all the people to help them do the research.

I can't even find out what my grandparents' real last name was! They changed it when they came here from Czechoslovakia, but no one knows from what. They are mysteriously not on the few census forms I've found online. All my mother remembers is that her father's father killed his first wife. Everything else was a secret and not talked about. There's obviously all kinds of crazy shit, but I don't have the time or money to find this stuff!

I wish the season was longer. Not every story is a winner, so they need a few more episodes.

[Deleted]

Feb 28, 2011 14:49:01 GMT -4 margojata said:

I wish the season was longer. Not every story is a winner, so they need a few more episodes.

They're not adding more episodes, but there will be a third season of the show.

[Spinderella]

Feb 28, 2011 14:49:01 GMT -4 margojata said:

I can't even find out what my grandparents' real last name was! They changed it when they came here from Czechoslovakia, but no one knows from what.

Have you been able to see any of their passports or Immigration papers? I have access to those if you're interested. Can't promise anything, but it's worth a try. Usually, they had to announce their previous name and what it would be changing to if they were granting naturalization or citizenship.

They are mysteriously not on the few census forms I've found online. All my mother remembers is that her father's father killed his first wife. Everything else was a secret and not talked about. There's obviously all kinds of crazy shit, but I don't have the time or money to find this stuff!

I bet they're there. The census transcription process is a tricky one and you'd be surprise how many translations one transcriber would have for one person and different from another. I can look up all censuses, too. Also, if someone killed another person, it would have been in the papers. Was it here in the US? I may be able to look that up. Feel free to message me here.

At this point, I'm forgetting who all are being profiled this season. I know of Lionel Richie & Fishstick, but who was beyond that? *goes to check*

[margojata]

Feb 28, 2011 16:22:00 GMT -4 Spinderella said:

Feb 28, 2011 14:49:01 GMT -4 margojata said:

I can't even find out what my grandparents' real last name was! They changed it when they came here from Czechoslovakia, but no one knows from what.

Have you been able to see any of their passports or Immigration papers? I have access to those if you're interested. Can't promise anything, but it's worth a try. Usually, they had to announce their previous name and what it would be changing to if they were granting naturalization or citizenship.

They are mysteriously not on the few census forms I've found online. All my mother remembers is that her father's father killed his first wife. Everything else was a secret and not talked about. There's obviously all kinds of crazy shit, but I don't have the time or money to find this stuff!

I bet they're there. The census transcription process is a tricky one and you'd be surprise how many translations one transcriber would have for one person and different from another. I can look up all censuses, too. Also, if someone killed another person, it would have been in the papers. Was it here in the US? I may be able to look that up. Feel free to message me here.

At this point, I'm forgetting who all are being profiled this season. I know of Lionel Richie & Fishstick, but who was beyond that? *goes to check*

That's so sweet, thank you! I'll have to get together what I have (they didn't become citizens until many years later, and I run into nothing when trying to find that name).

Topic - is there any show that Gwyneth won't do at this point? I'm not surprised she got herself on this show, but I doubt she even cares about genealogy.

[Spinderella]

You're welcome!

And I think that Gwyneth is interested in finding out if she's a true Jewish Princess, not just the one she makes up in her mind.

[americanchai]

[blue]Gwyneth Paltrovich is definitely descended from Jews on her dad's side[/blue] but I think she's pure WASP on her mom's side, thus the "princess" side.

[Gracie]

Feb 28, 2011 16:22:00 GMT -4 Spinderella said:

At this point, I'm forgetting who all are being profiled this season. I know of Lionel Richie & Fishstick, but who was beyond that? *goes to check*

Steve Buscemi. I can't wait for his.