Hanging your family tree on the wall turns it into a piece of art — perhaps the most personal art that could adorn a home.

As such, you probably want to treat that tree just as you’d treat an expensive print or painting, by matting and framing it with care and precision. Framing a piece provides protection from the environment, and matting it provides protection from the frame — especially in humid climates, the framed piece can adhere to the glass, causing permanent damage. A mat provides separation, preventing that damage.

Choosing a frame is usually a straight-forward process — matching it to your décor is often as simple as just looking at your furniture for reference. On the other hand, the creative reasons for choosing a mat are not always as conveniently obvious.

When picking a mat for a family tree, your primary goal is to help maintain color continuity and coordination in the room. Effectively, it transitions the color of the tree to the color of the wall.

How much “transition” is needed is an aesthetic decision regulated primarily by your taste and by the circumstances of the space and the piece you’re working with. For example, if your family tree’s appearance and color already coordinate well with the rest of your décor, you might choose to use a mat that is simply white, or that matches or complements the wall. However, if your family tree’s appearance does not match the surrounds, you probably will want to choose a mat color that complements both the décor and the tree, thereby visually drawing the two together.

Some other points to consider:

The color of the mat should be different than the color of the frame, which should be different than the color of the wall. Contrast is good. Think of the mat as part of the art — you want the frame to showcase both.

If your wall is significantly lighter than your family tree or vice versa, then you probably want a mat that splits the difference. For example, if your tree is dense and therefore, as a whole, gives a dark appearance, and you’re hanging it on a white wall, you probably want to use a medium-gray mat.

Core Color

One part of choosing a mat that many people overlook is the color of the core. The core is the inside of the board, which is exposed when the hole is cut. It becomes the element of the mat that lies directly adjacent to the print, so its appearance is important and can be used creatively.

Most cores are either the same color as the mat surface, or they’re white. But many other options are also available. For instance, you can use a blue mat with a white core, or a white mat with a black core, and so on. Choosing a high-contrast combination can create a stunning visual effect. Just be careful that the core color does not introduce a new aesthetic element to the décor. For example, if your décor is dim and understated, then using a dark mat with a bright white core could have a distracting appearance.

The Standards

Just because you have creative options does not mean you need to get fancy with them. When it comes to matting, choosing white and off-white is common for a reason: It works. Remember, a mat provides an area of neutral space between the image and the frame and the décor. White does this well because it coordinates with everything.

In fact, if your family tree is all black on a white background, a perfect mat combination could be white with a black core (a favorite choice among photographers and collectors who exhibit black-and-white images). Not only does the combination provide neutral space and a sharp outline for your family tree, but it also fits in the color scheme of just about any room.

On the other hand, if you have no black or dark gray in your tree, you will probably want to avoid black mats and cores, as then they would detract from — rather than complement —your showpiece.

Work with an Expert

If you have any doubts about choosing a mat, bring your family tree to a local framer and ask his or her opinion. If you can, bring a paint swatch or a photo of the room. Professional framers tend to be excellent judges of matching frames, mats and décor.

Working with a professional will also give you the option of having a frame custom-made for your family tree. Custom frames are generally stronger, provide a tighter seal, and can be cut to the exact proportion of the piece you’re framing.

If you prefer to use a store-bought frame, that’s fine. Plenty of quality frames are available. Then, using a mat will help you fit your family tree into the predetermined sizes of a mass-market frame. Just bring whatever you choose to your framer, who will be happy to make a coordinated mat.

Create your Roadmap. Imagine you decide to drive from Los Angeles, California to Miami, Florida. The first thing you do is to look at a map and plan your trip. You figure out the distance, the time it takes to get there and your route. Without looking at the map, you can wander along, get lost, take detours and may take twice as long to et to Miami. But, you would like to get to your destination as quickly as possible.

In order for you to document your family tree properly, you need a plan of action.

• What is your goal?

• What to include, maternal and paternal relatives?

• Where to look?

• How to document it? Download a family tree template to help you document your research.

Take the time to create a roadmap. You will increase your chances of completing your project successfully.

Step #1 – Document Your Personal History – Start with documenting and preserving your own personal history.
Some items to include:

1. Your birth certificate (some people have never seen a copy of their birth certificate)

2. Baptismal Certificate

3. School Records

4. Marriage Records

5. Your children’s birth certificates and school records (if applicable)

6. Childhood pictures

7. Family Heirlooms

8. Personal Journals

9. Family Bible

Step #2 – Collect Your Family Records – Now that your personal history is in order, gathering information from your relatives is so much easier. Ask for additional items such as, old photos, family heirlooms, newspaper clippings, high school yearbooks, postcards and letters. You might even have to do some digging in their attic or basement to find what you want. Always make a copy of their originals to avoid feeling guilty if you anything gets lost. These are irreplaceable.

Step#3 – Talk to Your Relatives – When you have collected everything you need from your family, put it all together. Bring your family history to life by adding their stories. Start with your parents. Break the ice by asking about the first time they met and when they fell in love. You will be surprised how much you will learn after this. You can gather even more information by preparing a list of interview questions.

Step #3 – Write it All Down – It is very important to take detailed notes. Using a voice recorder will make your task easier. If you want to submit your family history to genealogy research, you have to follow their methodology for taking notes.

Step # 4 – Start with a Single Last Name – It is always best to focus on one last name as a place to start your search. This way you will not become overwhelmed. Once you have gathered enough information, move on to the next.

Step #5 – Using the Internet – The resources for researching your family tree online is tremendous. It can also be confusing on where to begin. You can start with visiting some free genealogy websites or search the archives subscription genealogy websites. Or go to social media sites like Twitter and Facebook. See what others are talking about and what they have found. A Google search for genealogy resources will also help.

Step #6 – Make Some Visits – Although researching online is easy and convenient, it is not enough. Visit the places where your family lived, the churches, the cemeteries and courthouses. You will find nuggets of information not recorded online

Step# 7 – Organize your Information – If you are satisfied you have done an exhausted research, then it’s time to organize it all. Review your notes and make additional ones if needed, make copies of your documents and remember to put a date on everything. You can also scan everything and store it electronically as well.

Step # 8 – Create your Family Genealogy Document – This is your final step. You have arrived at your destination. Put the final pieces of the puzzle together by documenting everything in a family tree.

Wait, your’e not done yet. You get to do it over again. The next name on your list is waiting for you!

What does it mean?

Where did it come from?

Am I related to anyone famous?

Maybe my last name means nothing. It might simply be a made-up name without history.

Your last name is your ID.
The name you have serves to define and identify you to others. Consider the number of times every day someone asks for your last name.

“Can I see your driver’s license please?”

“Sign here please!”

“Could you please spell your last name?”

If you are a male, it is simple. Your name remains the same. From the day, you were born to the day you die. (Unless you are unconventional, and take the name of a spouse). Women on the other hand have to endure a constant change of last names.

The origin of your last name and what it means.
While attending university I was fortunate to meet students from all over the world. That is where my curiosity with last names began. Whenever I meet someone new, I like to guess the origin of his or her name. For me, a last name gives insight into the history and culture of different people. It is also an excellent topic for conversation.

Meanings of names research tools available online!

With the increasing popularity of family genealogy, search tools make it easier to delve into your ancestral past. You can get lost in the journey of discovery.

Visit my favorite meanings of surnames website, Behind the Name and you will find tools to help you:

• Research the origin of your last name

• Follow the journey of your last name through history to see what your family tree reveals

• Research different spellings of your last name

• See how and when changes happened and

• if you are lucky, find the first occurrence of your last name in history.

New last name, new identity.
Recently, I was talking with a friend about family genealogy and researching last names. She is convinced that her last name defines and identifies who she is.

Growing up, my friend was always proud of her family name. She still is. Her last name meant something to people where she grew up. Her family was revered for their generosity and kindness. They opened their hearts and home to people in need. That, she told me, made her proud.

With misty eyes, she explained that the moment the priest uttered the words, “I now pronounce you husband and wife”, and she felt like a different person. Her new last name immediately: identified her as the spouse of her husband and defined her as one-half of their partnership.
In the blink of an eye, someone’s life becomes different with the change of name.

What’s in a last name anyway and why should I care?
In preparing for this post, I conducted a quick search online for conversations about last names. It was not surprising to learn, people in general, do not care about their last names and their origins. I have met people who could not remember their last name from a previous marriage and frankly did not care.

I came to realize not everyone shares the excitement of researching family genealogy. Not everyone wants cares about their ancestors. In their minds, it doesn’t really matter. A name is just a name and why should they care?

No matter how you feel, I believe we are who we are, because of our names. Whether or not it’s the name, given to you at birth or the name from a marriage. Your last name is your defining link and unique identifier.

My last name, Walters, is a very common name, but not so common for people with my heritage. My family is a mix of several European nationalities, but my Dad’s parents were both from Romania. No one in Romania is named Walters. This led me to do a little digging and I found out that when my great grandfather came to Canada with his new bride and my grandfather (his son from a previous marriage), great grandfather’s name was not Walters, but Vultura. The story goes that he wanted a more anglicized family name as he forged his way in this new world.

I will never really know if the change of surnames made him the proud and hardworking man that he was, or if it was his pride that made him change his name. In any case, the Walters continue to be proud people.

Because of this story and others I’ve heard like it, i strongly believe that your last name does define who you are.

What are your thoughts? I would love to know what your surname means and how it came to be your surname.

I sat straight up in my chair and listened more intently. And to my surprise; I learned Genghis Khan’s DNA might possibly be in my family genealogy! and he could be in yours too!

No way, that is impossible, I thought. I have to check this out.

Who was Genghis Khan?

Genghis Khan (1162-1227), born in Mongolia, is infamous for attempting (and partially succeeding) to conquer the world. His empire stretched all the way from Poland in the West to Korea in the East. From Vietnam in the South to the Arctic Shores of Russia in the north. In his quest to rule the world, he attacked and captured many countries and took advantage of the women.

Considering his military successes, it is difficult to argue that Genghis Khan was one of the greatest military minds in history. He was relentless in his quest. To his credit, only few armies have succeeded in conquering Russia.

Is Genghis Khan your Grandfather?

In an article in National Geographic News from February 14, 2003, researchers found that the widespread appearance of Genghis Khan’s DNA is a clear example that culture plays a big role in genetic variation and diversity in human population. This is the first documented case when human culture has caused a single genetic lineage to increase to such an enormous extent in only a few hundred years.

Does this mean, more people are from the same family tree than we have come to believe? I mean, is my next-door neighbor my cousin or the Prime Minister of Pakistan my great-great grandfather? Is Genghis Khan your grandfather? (Khan is a popular name in Pakistan).

But even if your name isn’t Khan, and you have no direct reason to believe Genghis Kahn is in your family tree, his DNA can be found all over Europe and Russia – where my family and many North American families originate. You can read more about DNA Genealogy in an earlier post called DNA Genealogy: The Fascinating Link to Our Origins.

History has it that Genghis Khan’s oldest son had 40 sons of his own. Reportedly, his grandson, Kublai Khan had 22 legitimate sons and every year added 30 virgins to his harem. The exact number of sons Genghis Khan had is unknown, but documented evidence show he had at least four.

Multiple wives having multiple children is a definite recipe for spreading DNA.

Wouldn’t you like to know who’s really in your Family Tree?

I hope you are as curious as I am to explore this possibility. Will this information add another branch to my Family Tree? Is Genghis Khan’s DNA is in your family tree?

I don’t know how long it will take or what you will find. But I would love to know where your research takes you.

I hope eventually researchers will find Genghis Khan’s remains, extract his DNA and solve the mystery. How interesting that would be?

Tell me. Would you have your DNA tested? You can test it right now and find out what how you are related genetically to others and find out if the journey your ancestors took made them cross paths with dear old Grampa Genghis. You can order ancestral DNA genealogy testing kits online from GeneTree.com.

Please leave a comment or drop me a line. Let me know what you think.

You can do it yourself.

Now is a good time to shake your family tree and document your family genealogy before it’s too late. Before the storytellers are no more, their memories fade and the history is forgotten.

Make the family connection – Are you one of those people as a child you hated to go to Grandma’s house or visit your great Aunt Jane 3000 miles away? How you hated the stories, they used to tell repeatedly. How many times you heard, “When I was your age….” You probably rolled your eyes every time you heard those words.

Yet, if only you paid more attention, grabbed a recording device or wrote it all down. What a difference it would have made. But, listen, it’s never too late to start.

What is your plan? – Now you’ve made up your mind to do research, but do you have a plan?

Do you want to just feel good to know “who you are” and “where you came from?” Create a family tree to display on your wall? Scrapbook your findings? Write a book, produce an award-winning documentary. Or simply, record your family genealogy for future generations. You decide.

But whatever you decide, you are going to need a place to store your findings either digitally on your computer or in filing cabinets where you can easily access documents and notes. Like Xenia said, “a genealogy without documentation is mythology”

Some questions you might want to ask yourself are:

− What are your goals?

− What do you want to get out of doing this?

− What’s your budget?

− What is the final product going to look like?

Gather those childhood pictures – This week, it’s Throw-back week on Facebook. Friends are scouring old albums for old pictures. This would be a good time to collect your childhood pictures. See what you find. Check the back of those photos for dates, names and places. You’d be surprised what you will find.

Make your ancestors come alive – Bring your ancestors to life with their stories. Maybe there is a book of poems written by your grandfather. A letter to your great-aunt from her husband away at war. Letters from the depression era. Documents from an ancestral arrival to the United States. These are pieces of the puzzle, which will bring your family genealogy to life.

Understand your family connection – Before writing anything down, you should understand your family connection. Who they are; where they came from; why did they come here? Is there anyone famous in your family? A through search just might reveal you are related to some famous people. Maybe a US President, a War Hero, Historical figures. You never know what you might find.

Document your story – This is where you can tie it all together. Forge your family tree into a beautiful story for all to see. I guarantee it is fun.

A friend of mine told me today, she was carried away just looking at the vast amount of genealogy resources online. Websites and blogs. Vital Public Records, not only from the United States, but also from many different countries. Church records, hospital records, immigration records. Available for you to search. Some of them are listed in the post called, Review of the Top 40+ FREE Online Genealogy Websites Where You Can Start Your Ancestry Search

Let us see what you found – Whichever format you finally decide to document your family genealogy, it would be interesting to let us see what you found. I guarantee, this will be an exciting journey into the past.

Wouldn’t you agree, it’s time to shake your family tree and document your family genealogy before it’s too late?

I know, I am going to continue my search. I will let you know what I find. I would love if you would let me know what treasures you were able to discover once you shook that family tree. Please comeback and leave a comment or ‘drop me a line’.