Know Your Ancestors

Ep 76: This summer I'm bringing back some of my favorite guest episodes from Know Your Ancestors — conversations where we really dug into identity and what it means to understand yourself better through your lineage. And I couldn't think of a better place to start than episode one.Brittany MacLeod was our very first guest, and this episode is one of my favorites simply because of how much we were able to uncover. She came in knowing almost nothing about her family history — and by the end of the episode, she had a lot more to sit with.If you've ever wondered whether there's a reason you are the way you are, this episode is for you.You can find Brittany on Instagram at @brittanymacleod_ and her agency at @macleodmedia_ If you enjoy the show, I'd love it if you took a minute to leave a rating and review — it helps so much.Follow me on:Instagram: @meganhillyerTikTok: @meganhillyerFacebook: @knowyourancestorsco

Watch on YouTubeEp 60: Last week, I talked about inheriting traits from our ancestors.In this episode, we go deeper.Your Origin Story isn’t just about noticing patterns — it’s about exploring the full arc of your lineage. We look at immigration, occupation, land, trauma, resilience, and the historical forces that shaped the lives of your direct-line ancestors.Because when you understand what they lived through, you begin to understand yourself differently.In this episode, I share:What a 4, 5, or 6-generation Origin Story actually includesHow occupations across generations can reveal patternsWhat immigration years can tell us about push-pull factorsHow land, colonization, and displacement fit into your storyThe role of trauma and epigenetics in generational inheritanceWhat integration and guided connection look likeThis isn't a printed family tree.It's multi-month, multi-generational research and integration work - bringing context, narrative, and meaning to the people who shaped you.Ready to Begin?All Origin Stories begin with an Origin Initiation.We meet to clarify your goals, and I complete 2–3 hours of focused research to see what’s possible in your lineage.Origin Initiation is currently $297 and increases to $500 on March 1.Learn more or book your spot: https://knowyourancestors.co/origin Mentioned in this episode:Podcast with Mark Wolynn: Your Family's Suppressed Trauma Is Affecting You + How to Heal it For GoodRootstech: March 5-7 in SLC or OnlineConnect with me:InstagramTikTokFacebook

Ep 58: When people start researching their family tree, one of the first questions I hear is: Should I use FamilySearch or Ancestry?In this episode, I’m walking you through the real differences between these two platforms, how each one works, and why I personally use both in my own research.I recorded this episode because I see so much confusion — and honestly, a lot of frustration — when people are just getting started. I want you to understand how online family trees actually work, why hints aren’t proof, where records really live, and how to research in a way that’s accurate, meaningful, and respectful to your ancestors.If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, unsure, or worried you’re “doing it wrong,” this episode is for you.In This Episode, I Talk About:The differences between FamilySearch and Ancestry (and why neither is “better”)Collaborative vs. private family trees — and the pros and cons of eachWhy hints can’t be trusted without verificationHow misinformation spreads in online family treesWhere genealogical records are actually keptA simple, focused way to research one ancestor at a timeWant Support as You Research?Know Your Family TreeIf you want to learn how to build your family tree from the ground up, this course walks you step by step through the research process — where to look, how to evaluate records, and how to build a tree you can trust.Use code SAVE100 to get $100 offKnow Your AncestorThis course is for when you’re ready to go deeper. We move beyond names and dates into your ancestor’s lived experience — what shaped them, what they carried, and how their story still lives in you. It also includes a research library to help you find meaningful records along the way.Use code SAVE100 to get $100 off✨ Origin Initiation (The Starting Point for Working With Me 1:1)Origin Initiation is the starting point for all of my one-on-one clients. This is where we begin if you want me to work directly with you on your family tree.In this session, I research your lineage, help verify key connections, and give you clarity on what’s already there — and what’s possible to uncover next. It’s designed to help you get grounded, oriented, and confident in your family tree before going deeper.Some people use Origin Initiation as a powerful stand-alone experience. Others continue on into deeper research and storytelling work with me afterward. Either way, this is where we start.Link: https://knowyourancestors.co/originA few spots are still available at the current price before it increases.Let’s Stay ConnectedIf you have questions, episode ideas, or topics you’d love me to cover, come find me on social media — I’d love to hear from you.InstagramTikTok

Ep 56: What do you do when one census record changes how you see your entire family?In this episode, I’m joined by Jessica Rae, who shares the powerful and unsettling story of her second great-grandmother, Susan—an ancestor who spent more than 30 years in a state mental hospital and was largely erased from family memory.What started as casual genealogy research turned into a year-long search through census records, archives, sealed court documents, and uncomfortable truths. Along the way, Jessica uncovered poverty, abuse, loss, institutionalization, and a legacy of silence—but also a deep sense of purpose in telling Susan’s story.We talk about:✔️ The moment Jessica realized her ancestor was institutionalized✔️ Why some family stories are hidden—and what that hiding costs future generations✔️ How intuition plays a role in genealogy research✔️ The connection between generational trauma, mental health, and silence✔️ What it looks like to honor an ancestor when you may never get all the answersThis conversation is tender, heavy, and deeply human. It’s about more than genealogy—it’s about remembrance, justice, and refusing to let women like Susan disappear from history.If listening to this episode stirs something in you—if you feel a pull to understand your own ancestors, their experiences, and how their lives still shape yours—I’m hosting a free live class this week called Reclaim Your Heritage.Reclaim Your Heritage📅 Thursday, January 29⏰ 10am MST / 12pm EST📍 Live on Zoom (replay included)In this class, I’ll show you how to begin uncovering your lineage in a way that goes beyond names and dates, understand the lives your ancestors lived, and start accessing the strength and wisdom that lives there.You can register here:👉 https://knowyourancestors.co/reclaim You can also find and follow Jessica on Instagram and TikTok (links below), where she continues to share Susan’s story and amplify the voices of other women whose histories were buried.Follow Jessica on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@its_jessica_rae_Follow Jessica on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/its_jessica_rae/Follow Megan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meganhillyer

Ep 54: What if your birth chart holds clues about your ancestors, your family patterns, and even the roles you’re here to play in this lifetime?In this episode, I’m joined by Melanie Marisol, an ancestral astrologer who helps people understand their lineage through the lens of astrology—specifically the fourth house, the part of the chart connected to family, roots, and ancestry.We talk about:How astrology can reveal inherited family patterns (both challenges and gifts)Why so many people feel blocked in life when family dynamics go unexaminedThe difference between ancestral trauma and ancestral wisdomHow Melanie uses astrology as a neutral tool to make sense of family experiencesWhat it means to reconnect with your cultural roots without appropriating othersEuropean indigeneity, myth, and remembering where your people came fromWhy knowing your lineage can actually bring clarity, confidence, and directionMelanie also generously walks me through my own birth chart, explaining how astrology can validate intuition, remove unnecessary guilt, and help us trust the path we’re already on.If you’ve been feeling a pull toward your ancestors—or wondering why certain family patterns keep repeating—this episode opens a powerful doorway.✨ Ready to begin your own journey?If you’re feeling called to explore your lineage more intentionally, you can start with Origin Initiation — a gentle, guided way to begin understanding where you come from and how it shapes you.👉 https://knowyourancestors.co/originConnect with MelanieInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/iammelaniemarisol/Email: melanie {at} melaniemarisol {dot} comFree Gift: https://thelineagerevival.com/pages/giftAs always, you don’t need a perfect family tree to begin. Curiosity is enough.Follow me: https://www.instagram.com/meganhillyer/