Salutations from NC

[Bikehonda600]

To all of this community,

I bid you all (southern term, LOL) greetings from NC. Please allow me to introduce myself to this fine group.

My name is Derek and I have admired the Kilt. In Ireland, just a few years ago, I almost bought an authentic one. However, for me to wear it, I need to know if I'm Scottish, Irish, or have no business in wearing one.

I'm planning to wear my Altikilt on an aircraft this coming week. I was concerned about that, and started researching. That's when I found this site and joined.

Back from digression, my last name is Ledbetter. While I searched on Ancestry.com, pulled my DNA, it states I'm from England. But then as history is told, it says those came from Scotland, Wales, and Scandinavia.

If anyone has an idea, of how to go further in my quest, please send me a message.

Thanks for listening.

Derek

[The Wizard of BC]

Hello Derek, and welcome.

There is a lot of misunderstanding about this whole "tracing where I come from" thing.
The only way to know where you come from is to do your genealogy. This is not a matter of looking up your last name on a website. It is not a google search sort of thing. It is a paper chase.

To give you an idea -
Many people think of their lineage as coming from one person. In actuality we come from many people and many places.

You are at the bottom. You have two parents - Who each have two parents.



If you go back just five generations you will have 32 grandparents. Only one of those will the same last name. They may have come from many different places, be of different ethnicity and language.

The paper chase of your genealogy starts with your birth certificate. You will find your parents names. Perhaps where they were born or married. You go to that place and find their birth certificates. That leads you to a few of your grandparents. And so on and so on.

Now, a word of caution. You should feel very lucky if you can follow this paper trail back more than just a few generations. It was not that long ago when the majority of the world did not read or write. Public documents like marriage and birth certificates are not universal. More than a few people have run into a problem when a fire has wiped out all the records of a building.

And the spelling of names is often someone writing down what another says, so they wrote what they heard. I have seen documents where a guys name is spelled three different ways on the same page of a document.

Doing your genealogy can be a very long frustrating journey. It can also turn into a life long hobby and pursuit.

Websites are famous for mistakes, misunderstandings, and passing on myths and oral histories. DNA can only tell you back to the last time it had a mutation.
The only true and valid way to find out "Where do I come from" is your genealogy. And only when you have amassed an unbroken paper trail of documents.

It really is fun, always interesting, and sometimes surprising.

[Father Bill]

Welcome to the "Great Rabble!"

[ASinclair]

Hello Derek!

[Bikehonda600]

To the Almighty and Powerful Wizard,

Thank you for bestowing your enlightenment on me. However Ancestry
Com has done a good job of connecting the dots. I have found many from NC.

I want to start this quest. However, I still work. It may have to cease until I no longer am burdened with that task.

Most Grateful for your response,

Derek

[Bikehonda600]

Mr. Sinclair,

I am most grateful to make your acquaintance.

[Richrail]

from Reno, NV.

[Bikehonda600]

Can we make that Guinness from Ireland. Over there, sweet. Here, bitter as guile.

Cheers!

Thanks for the post.

[Tarheel]

Well met Derek. I grew up with a good number of Ledbetters in High Point (Trinity, Archdale area). The WIZ is correct with the birth certificates. Church memberships, county records of wills, census records, family bibles and cemetery records were all the places I used to track my ancestry. It helps that my family has lived in NC since 1770.


Wish you the best on this quest, but it doesn't matter the outcome, as you are welcome here. Kilt on new friend.

[Bikehonda600]

Mr. Tarheel,

It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.

I'm shocked in that a person very local to me, is actually here. I am very appreciative of the comment and welcome.

Derek