You Are What You Write: Handwriting Analysis and Genealogy

For some reason, perhaps it was a newspaper article, I remembered that I once had an interest in graphology (i.e., analyzing handwriting to determine psychological traits). However, that was back when I was a teenager, and I was really only interested in interpreting my own handwriting – self-absorbed, but also self-seeking.

Today I broke away from some mundane chores and spent two blissful hours in the library. Did I mention I love the library? (Oh, right … the last blog.) I didn’t go there for a purpose; it’s a true luxury for me to just hang out and go where my current interest takes me.

I decided to look up the available resources on graphology, and a mention of ancestry signatures took me by surprise. Of course – my interest in handwriting analysis could certainly be useful when researching my ancestors. It’s not a required skill, but think how much better you could know a person if you had their photograph and handwriting sample!

Later on, I googled the words “graphology” and “genealogy.” Cyndi’s List was the third search result. The link I found the most helpful (under Signatures and Autographs) was the Graphology Information Centre. Lots of information for anyone who wants to pursue this interest as a career or a hobby.

I’ll wrap this up by including a link that lists places where you might find your ancestors signatures or handwriting: In Their Own Hand, by Michael John Neill.

Makes you think about your own handwriting a little bit differently, doesn’t it?

Smiles …
~Mary Kaye