More than 100 million Americans have already started tracing their family roots, and many more may join them, as today's middle-aged adults seek their identities through their forebears. On their vacations, genealogy buffs visit city halls and county courthouses in search of birth certificates, land contracts, and deeds. On weekends, they piece together public documents, family photos, and letters to trace their origins. They put in hours of painstaking work to construct comprehensive family trees. And they use everything from computer software to tombstones to further their quests.
Genealogy is one of America's most popular hobbies.
More than four in ten adults, or 113 million, are at least somewhat interested in genealogy, according to a 1995 poll conducted by Maritz Marketing Research for American Demographics. Seven percent, or 19 million, say they are involved a great deal in tracing their lineage. Genealogical research can be time-consuming, but it isn't just for Americans with time to spare. In fact, adults aged 65 and older are less likely than average to be at least somewhat involved in genealogy, at 39 percent. The highest rates of genealogical interest are for middle-aged people, who presumably have the least time of all for hobbies.