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If you are able to document your descent from one or more of the
Mayflower Passengers you are eligible to apply for membership in the Mayflower Society.
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If you believe that you can prove your descendancy from one of the Mayflower Passengers,
then look at the Membership Process to see how to proceed.
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You might be interested to know…
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- The assumption that everyone must know if he or she is a Mayflower descendant is a myth.
- Each year many people across the country learn for the first time that they are descendants of one or more Mayflower Passengers.
- This includes many people in Illinois who have recently learned of their ancestry and have become members of the Mayflower Society.
- Genealogical research is easier than ever with the use of computers. In addition to subscriber sites there are literally hundreds of free sites from which you can collect genealogical information.
- In recent years, genealogists, government agencies and private companies have created thousands of web sites and indexes, abstracts and transcriptions of genealogical records.
- Most states and counties have become much more user-friendly to genealogy researchers.
- Many public libraries subscribe to genealogical services which you can use free of charge and even from your home computer.
- Interest in genealogy is not only an American phenomenon but an international one as well. Countries around the world are making their vital records and census reports publicly available.
- Genealogical and historical societies are great ways to share your interest in genealogy and history with others.
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Some common reasons given for not knowing about one’s Mayflower ancestry:
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- My last name doesn’t match any of the passengers on the Mayflower.
- I think my ancestors moved from place to place. I’m not sure there would be any records on them.
- My grandfather was pretty adamant about the fact that we were “Americans” and that’s all that mattered.
- I am sure my parents would have told me if we were descendants of a Mayflower passenger.
- I don’t think there was anyone famous in my family. I think they were just farmers.
- My parents lost contact with their families. I wouldn’t know where to start.
- There was always this “story” circulating in our family that we were descendants of a Mayflower passenger but I guess no one ever had the time or energy to check it out.
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