Americans' Fascination with Family History is Rapidly Growing

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A F MYFAMILY.COM INTERNET HOUSEHOLDS MYFAMILY.COM INTERNET HOUSEHOLDS MyFamilyinc.com - More than 35 percent of all Internet households have used the Internet to research their family history. (PRNewsFoto)[TK] PROVO, UT USA 06/09/2005

    PROVO, Utah, June 9 /PRNewswire/ -- The popularity of family history is
 officially on the rise.  That's the outcome of a recent poll by Market
 Strategies, Inc. (MSI), a national, research and strategic consulting firm and
 MyFamily.com, Inc., the Internet's most popular and comprehensive family
 history research and connection resource.  According to the poll, 73 percent
 of Americans are interested in discovering their family history.  This figure
 represents a 13 percent increase over a similar Maritz Poll that was conducted
 in 2000, in which 60 percent of Americans said they were interested in
 discovering their family history.
      (PHOTO: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050609/LATH018-a )
      (PHOTO: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050609/LATH018-b )
     Questions and Ancestors
     Is there royalty in my roots?  When and where did these family traditions
 begin?  Who gave me my red hair and freckles?  People have all sorts of
 questions about their family history -- and many unique motivations to explore
 it.  Of the people surveyed, 65 percent said their interest is due to simply
 hearing stories from relatives.  Thirty-five percent have had their interest
 piqued after attending a family reunion or family event.  Talking to a friend,
 colleague or family member who was researching their family history got the
 ball rolling for 29 percent.  And 25 percent of respondents became interested
 in family history after just searching for their surname online.
 
     The Internet Makes It Easy
     The Internet is fueling the growth of this popular hobby because it
 simplifies the process of finding information and connecting with individuals
 who share a common branch in their family tree.
     "People are going to the Internet in record numbers in order to find,
 share and preserve their family history," said David Moon, chairman and chief
 executive officer of MyFamily.com, Inc.  "With more than 4 billion records
 online today and more becoming available everyday, MyFamily is making it
 easier for people to not only find their ancestors, but also discover the
 stories and details of their lives."
 
     Digging Up Roots
     Of those interested in discovering their family roots, 66 percent said
 they've discussed their family history with other family members.  More than
 35 percent have used the Internet to learn about their family history and
 almost a third (29 percent) have created a family tree.  Some have taken their
 interest even further -- 15 percent of respondents have traveled to an
 ancestral hometown or country and 11 percent have written a personal or family
 history.
     Many Americans simply want to learn about themselves and their family
 heritage.  That's what 30 percent of respondents claimed.  Some want to create
 a legacy to pass on to future generations (15 percent).  And still others are
 enticed by the excitement of all they could discover (14 percent).
 
     About Market Strategies Inc.
     Market Strategies, Inc. (MSI) is one of the largest national, full-service
 custom and syndicated research and strategic consulting firms with extensive
 experience across multiple industries.  Established in 1989, MSI goes above
 and beyond in delivering unparalleled insight, innovative tools and unique,
 actionable solutions that positively impact clients' ability to succeed.
 Corporate headquarters for Market Strategies are located in Livonia, MI.  For
 more information on MSI, visit http://www.marketstrategies.com.
     The research for this study was conducted via a web-based methodology.
 Sample was provided by Survey Sampling, Inc. and included a census
 proportionate representation of the U.S.  The study was conducted between
 February 15 and February 23, 2005.  Accuracy of survey results is within +/-
 1.7% for overall measures for the poll.  Results of the poll may be used in
 print or broadcast media, provided credit is given to Market Strategies and/or
 MyFamily.com.
 
     About MyFamily.com, Inc.
     MyFamily.com, Inc. is the leading online network connecting families,
 present and past.  MyFamily's tools, content and community empower individuals
 to find the people most important to them -- and discover and share their
 unique family stories.  The MyFamily network includes MyFamily.com,
 Ancestry.com, Genealogy.com and RootsWeb.com.  MyFamily also publishes Family
 Tree Maker(R), the #1 selling family tree software, Ancestry Magazine,
 Genealogical Computing Magazine, over 50 book titles and numerous databases on
 CD-ROM.  For more information on MyFamily.com, Inc., visit
 www.myfamilyinc.com.
 
 
 

SOURCE  MyFamily.com, Inc.