Know Your Ancestors cover art

Know Your Ancestors

Know Your Ancestors

Written by: Megan Hillyer
Listen for free

LIMITED TIME OFFER | Get 2 Months for ₹5/month

About this listen

I’m Megan Hillyer, professional genealogist and host of Know Your Ancestors. This podcast is about more than building a family tree, it’s about discovering the strength, belonging, and healing that come from knowing your lineage. Each episode is an invitation to explore the power of your ancestors’ lives and how their stories can shape and guide your own. At its heart, this podcast is about one truth: when you know your ancestors, you know yourself.Megan Hillyer Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Your Origin Story (Part 2): Immigration, Trauma & Generational Patterns
    Feb 25 2026

    Watch on YouTube

    Ep 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 includes
    • How occupations across generations can reveal patterns
    • What immigration years can tell us about push-pull factors
    • How land, colonization, and displacement fit into your story
    • The role of trauma and epigenetics in generational inheritance
    • What integration and guided connection look like


    This 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 Good
    • Rootstech: March 5-7 in SLC or Online


    Connect with me:

    Instagram

    TikTok

    Facebook

    Show More Show Less
    21 mins
  • You’re Not Random: Understanding Your Origin Story
    Feb 18 2026

    Ep 59: In this episode, I share pieces of my own origin story — from growing up with large family reunions that gave me a deep sense of belonging, to recognizing patterns of builders, dreamers, and problem-solvers in my lineage.


    We inherit more than eye color and last names. We inherit strengths, sensitivities, relationship patterns, endurance, and instincts. When we understand where we come from, something settles inside of us. We stop asking “What’s wrong with me?” and start asking “What lives in me?”


    If you’re curious about exploring your own origin story, we begin with an Origin Initiation — a done-for-you lineage mapping session where we uncover the strengths, patterns, and possibilities in your family line.


    Right now, Origin Initiation is $297, and the price will be increasing in March.


    Learn more or reserve your spot at:
    https://knowyourancestors.co/origin


    You didn’t begin at zero. You began mid-story.


    Follow me on IG

    Follow me on TikTok

    Follow me on FB

    Show More Show Less
    16 mins
  • FamilySearch vs Ancestry: Tips for getting started with both
    Feb 11 2026

    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 each
    • Why hints can’t be trusted without verification
    • How misinformation spreads in online family trees
    • Where genealogical records are actually kept
    • A simple, focused way to research one ancestor at a time


    Want Support as You Research?

    Know Your Family Tree

    If 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 off


    Know Your Ancestor

    This 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/origin


    A few spots are still available at the current price before it increases.



    Let’s Stay Connected

    If 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.

    Instagram

    TikTok


    Show More Show Less
    19 mins
No reviews yet