Genealogy is the process of finding out about your past, and specifically the past of your family and direct descendants.

It is a fascinating hobby that many people find both addictive and enjoyable, as it combines elements of detective work with the exhiliration of finding out more about your own roots and where you come from - who you are and what your ancestors have done.

Occasionally it can throw up some fascinating insights and unsurprising links between families, and you may even find that someone among your forebears was quite famous and well known, or conversely even if you think all your ancestors are from a particular country you may find that someone came from overseas at a surprisingly recent time.

Whatever your motives for looking into genealogy, there are now hundreds of resources to help. From the internet to the local library to the census records in your country, there is a whole host of material out there that should be able to help get you started.

If you are religious and in particular Christian then you may find church and parish records going right back in time will record interesting details that may be useful, and even if you are not religious now if you come from a Christian country then it is highly probable that at some time a few generations past someone will have been captured in the registrations of births, marriages and deaths.

Read some simple introductory and how to guides on genealogy and start researching your roots and you should find yourself gripped by this fascinating hobby. Good luck!