Individuals study genealogy out of curiosity about their heritage. This curiosity can be especially strong in people with lost or unknown family history due to, for example, adoption or separation from family due to divorce, death or other circumstances. In addition to just wanting to know more about who they are and where they come from, individuals can study their genealogy to learn about any inherited diseases in their family history.
There is increasing interest in family history in the media due to advertisements and television programs sponsored by major genealogy companies. This, coupled with easier access to online records and the affordability of DNA tests, both piqued their curiosity and allowed curious people to easily begin investigating their ancestry.