70 Family History Interview Questions

1. What is your full name?
2. Did your parents name you after anyone?
3. What did people call you as a child?
4. Do you have any nicknames?
5. When were you born?
6. In what city/state were you born?
7. Did your birth take place in a hospital, or at home?
8. Was there a doctor or midwife present?
9. What is your mother’s full name/date of birth?
10. Where was she born?
11. What is your father’s full name/date of birth?
12. Where was he born?
13. Do you know your maternal grandparents’ names and dates of birth?
14. Where were they born?
15. Do you know your paternal grandparents’ names and dates of birth?
16. Where were they born?
17. What did your father do for a living?
18. Did he have more than one profession?
19. What kind of work did your mother do?
20. Was she employed outside of the home?
21. What kind of work did your grandparents do?
22. Where did your maternal grandparents live?
23. Where did your paternal grandparents live?
24. Do you have any special memories of your grandparents?
25. What do you remember about your great-grandparents?
26. Did you ever meet them?
27. What do you remember about your mother from growing up?
28. What do you remember about your father from growing up?
29. What important life lessons did you learn from your parents?
30. What family stories or memories were passed down to you from your parents or grandparents?
31. What about special holiday traditions or recipes passed on to you?
32. Are there any special family heirlooms that were handed down to you?
33. What is your first childhood memory?
34. Did you have any siblings?
35. What are their names and when were they born?
36. Can you describe your siblings more?
37. Were you close with your siblings? Who was your favorite playmate?
38. Did your family move often? Why?
39. Can you describe your childhood home(s)? How was your home heated? Was it warm in the wintertime? Where did you sleep? Did you share a room? Did you have running water? If not, how did you get water?
40. Did you have any animals or pets growing up?
41. What were your chores when you were little? Did they change as you got older?
42. Can you describe what your daily life was like as a child?
43. Did you go to school outside of the home or were you homeschooled? If you were schooled outside the home, how did you get there? What was your favorite part of school? Your least favorite?
44. What were the most important skills that you learned at home?
45. What did you want to do or be when you grew up?
46. What was your favorite hobby in your free time?
47. How did your family spend the evenings? Weekends?
48. Did you have a close friend as a child?
49. Where did your family travel to as a kid?
50. What was your favorite holiday or special occasion?
51. How did you celebrate this holiday? Did you give gifts, decorate, dress up, or worship?
52. Was your family religious? What place of worship did you attend?
53. What was your first job? How old were you?
54. How many years of school did you attend? Did you go to a college or university? Where, when? What did you study?
55. What were your goals, hopes, and dreams as a young adult?
56. What is your occupation/trade? Have you had multiple professions over the years? If you could have chosen another profession, what would it be?
57. How did you get engaged? What was your wedding like? What did you wear, what food was served, and where was it held?
58. Did you go on a trip or honeymoon after the wedding? Where to?
59. What do you love the most about your spouse?
60. What was your first home together like?
61. What would you say is the key to a successful marriage?
62. What special memories do you have of your children’s baby or preschool years?
63. What was your favorite way to spend time with your kids?
64. What was the hardest part of raising kids? The best part? 65. What special traditions or holiday celebrations were favorites in your family?
66. What major world events have happened in your lifetime? Did any have a big effect on you?
67. What accomplishments are you most proud of in your life?
68. What’s the best advice you can give your great-grandchildren, your great-great-grandchildren?
69. What do you most regret?
70. What do you want people to remember the most about you?