Byline: James Tozer
IF you are preparing to go exploring in your family tree, beware offallen branches.
A study has shown that amateur genealogists, hoping to find an aristocratic orcelebrity connection, often trip over something painful.
Around one in five who research their ancestors on the internet findillegitimate children.
Seven per cent apparently discover a convicted criminal in their clan, and 14per cent come across someone who has forsaken the family name for some reason.
Six per cent discover secret adoptions or that their parents or grandparentswere unwed.
The findings are from genealogy website Ancestry.co.uk. Its survey found thatmore than one in three adults have conducted research of this type online inthe past decade, and an estimated 1.4million have made contact with newlydiscovered family members.
The hobby is becoming increasingly popular - and much easier - as more recordsare placed online. Registers of births, marriages and much easier - as morerecords are online. Registers of births, marriages and deaths, as well ascensus information and emigration records are now readily available.
The site's managing director, Simon Harper, said: 'This research confirms thatfor most Britons, the odds are that somewhere in their family's past there is asecret just waiting to be discovered.' Many of these discoveries are excitingones. The survey found that 23 per cent confirm links to the aristocracy,famous historical figures or rich landowners.
And four per cent claim to have found connections to royal blood.
But there is always the chance of turning up a bad apple - as severalhigh-profile figures have recently discovered.
Actor Stephen Fry learnt that his great-great uncle Ernest Pring was an inmateof Knutsford prison in 'It can be very emotional' Cheshire in 1893, and hiswife was committed to a workhouse.
Similarly, fellow television presenter Griff Rhys Jones learnt that far fromdying in a Victorian train crash as he had always believed, hisgreatgrandfather Daniel Price died after cracking his head during a drunkenfight outside a pub in Llanelli in 1897.
Both found out the truth through BBC series Who Do You Think You Are?, whoselatest subject, actor John Hurt, revealed that his cherished Irish ancestryturned out to be a family myth and that his forefathers hailed from Croydon.
Mr Harper said: 'With billions of historical records now available online, theinternet has made it possible for us all to put our family's tall tales to thetest.
'It can also put speculation and rumours passed down through generations torest and can even bring members together for the first time.' He added:'Exploring family history can be very emotional as we start to comprehend howdifficult the lives of our ancestors often were.
'Yet discovering more about them, their successes failures and choices, alsohelps us to appreciate them as people - even if we never knew them personally -and in doing so their contribution to our own lives.'
Ancestry.co.uk claims to have access to 730million records in its UK recordcollection and five billion internationally.
james.tozer@dailymail.co.uk
TOP FAMILY SECRETS
1. Illegitimate children 18%
2. Changed names 14%
3. Secret adoptions 6% = Missing persons 6%
= Unmarried parents 6%
= Unmarried grandparents 6%
7. Links to royalty 4%
8. Convicted thieves 3%
9= Convicted murderers 2%
= Bigamy 2%
= Other convicted criminals 2%
REGION BY REGION
Percentage with family secrets
North East 53%
Lancashire 47%
Wales 47%
Midlands 45%
South West 42%#
South England 40%
East of England 36%
London 35%
Yorkshire 34%
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