Ancestral Look Alikes

With which ancestor do you share the most physical characteristics? What similar characteristics are there and how do you feel about them?

full_gall_lookalikes_1_418x616
Courtesy Getty Images

I began this quest with a photo of my parents taken in 1956. Searching their faces for specific features that match my sisters’ and mine, I began to wonder where those features originated.

Credit for our jowls can be placed squarely with our Tolf ancestors. The size and shape of our noses would have to be divided between the Tolfs and the Mangels. Thin lips seem to come from the Waltons. The Petersons may be the source of our eye shape and size. Ear shape might be traced to our Clarin ancestors.

Two thoughts occurred to me as I searched for similarities and made note of differences:

1.) I’m deeply grateful for the pictures I have acquired during my genealogical research and

2.) My desire to locate photos of all my direct line ancestors is stronger than ever!

I look forward to hearing about the physical similarities between you and your ancestors.

3 responses to “Ancestral Look Alikes”

  1. currentdescendent Avatar

    That photo is quite the attention getter! I wrote a post about the ancestor I most look like. Actually 2 different posts on two different blogs, so I guess I’m obsessed ;). On my genealogy blog I posted this one: http://thefamilykalamazoo.wordpress.com/2012/09/22/cora-w-dekorn-zuidweg/
    and on my writer blog I posted this one: http://writersite.org/2012/10/24/the-study-of-faces-2/
    I love the idea of your prompts and will be checking back for them!!!

    Like

    1. Laura Aanenson Avatar

      Thank you for writing. I just love your hologram analogy – such a perfect word to describe this phenomenom! And Kalamazoo made me do a double take – some of my Tolfs settled there! Small world, isn’t it? Enjoyed your posts – I hope you enjoy upcoming Memory Prompts.

      Like

      1. currentdescendent Avatar

        Such a small world! Yes, I am looking forward to them. Thank you for reading :)!

        Like

Leave a reply to currentdescendent Cancel reply

I’m Laura

and I’m interested in all things genealogy. Join me as I continue my decades-long quest to learn more about my family history and the lives of my ancestors.