Tracing Your Roots: uncovering the family histories behind the council table
Oxford County Archives introduces new video and podcast series on Family Day
With Family Day approaching, Oxford County Archives is inviting residents to reflect on where they come from and the stories that connect them. That spirit inspired a new podcast and video series, Tracing Your Roots: uncovering the family histories behind the council table.
Inspired by the long-running British genealogy documentary series Who Do You Think You Are?, Tracing Your Roots highlights how archival records can help people better understand their family history. In each episode, Archives staff work with an Oxford County Councillor to explore records that reveal meaningful stories of family, place, and community.
The three-episode limited series was developed as part of the 25th anniversary of Oxford County Archives in 2025, coinciding with the 175th anniversary of the incorporation of Oxford County and the 60th anniversary of the Oxford County Library system.
The series features:
- Councillor Brian Petrie (Town of Ingersoll), whose episode highlights a variety of archival records and the role Archives play in family history research
- Councillor Jim Palmer (Township of Norwich), whose episode explores how land records can reveal stories of settlement, ownership, and family connections
- Warden Marcus Ryan (Township of Zorra), whose episode focuses on tracing family history using online tools and digital resources that make research more accessible
Each councillor volunteered to participate and had no prior knowledge of what records or stories would be uncovered during filming.
The series launches on Family Day, with new episodes released weekly. Full episodes will be available on YouTube and as a podcast on Spotify.
Comment
Liz Dommasch, Archivist
“Tracing Your Roots connects people to the past in a very personal way. By sharing these stories, we’re showing how archival records can bring family history to life and help residents better understand where they come from. We hope the series encourages people to explore the Archives and discover the records that can help tell their own family stories.”