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Last Updated: Tuesday, 12 October, 2004, 00:38 GMT 01:38 UK
Ancestry research proves popular
Bill Oddie
Bill Oddie discovers why his mother was institutionalised
Tracing the branches of a family tree has become a popular pastime for many Britons, the National Trust says.

Of 2,000 Britons surveyed by the trust, 56% knew about their family history beyond their grandparents.

Women were more likely to know about their ancestors, while people aged between 35 and 44 showed the most interest in genealogy.

Regionally, 66% of people in Wales knew about ancestors, compared with 40% of residents in England's North East.

"We are encouraged by the large number of people that take an interest in their family history and furthermore that it is people from Wales that are leading the way," said Gwynn Angell Jones from the National Trust in Wales.

Who are you?

"Welsh people have an intrinsic pride and passion for their history and heritage and it is this sense of history that shapes our understanding of who we are today."

Family history will be covered in a BBC Two series Who Do You Think You Are? beginning on Tuesday.

In the series 10 people from the entertainment and media world go in search of their ancestors.

Bill Oddie, comedians Vic Reeves, David Baddiel and Meera Syal, actresses Lesley Garrett, Amanda Redman and Sue Johnston, newsreader Moira Stuart, Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson and journalist Ian Hislop discover the secrets of their forebears.

Bill Oddie finds out why his mother was institutionalised, Amanda Redman uncovers family secrets about illegitimacy and Ian Hislop's research takes him back to the Boer War.

Who Do You Think You Are? can be seen on BBC Two from 2100 BST on Tuesday, 12 October.

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28 Jul 04  |  Entertainment


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