Family Stories vs. Genealogical Proof: Is There Room for Both?

As a genealogist (DipFamHist, University of Tasmania), I often find myself navigating the space between family stories and documented evidence. There’s a big difference between what’s remembered and what’s proven—but that doesn’t mean one is worthless.

What Is Genealogical Proof   The Genealogical Proof Standard (GPS) is a five-part framework:

• Reasonably exhaustive research

• Complete and accurate source citations

• Thorough analysis and correlation of evidence

• Resolution of conflicting evidence

• A soundly reasoned, coherently written conclusion

It’s rigorous, repeatable, and designed to give confidence in our findings.

What Are Family Stories   Family stories require no documentation to exist. They don’t need to be consistent across generations, and they often evolve over time. Multiple versions can coexist. They’re real in the sense that they’re remembered—but they’re not always verifiable.

That doesn’t make them useless. It just means they need to be handled differently.

When Stories Can’t Be Proven   A family member once told me that our father had said a particular photo was taken by his mother on his first day of work in 1928. Had this story come directly from my father, I might be more inclined to accept it—he was there, and his recollection would carry more weight. But in this case, the story is second-hand, and there are reasons to doubt its accuracy.

For one, it’s highly unlikely that my grandmother owned a camera in 1928. Personal cameras were rare and expensive at the time, especially in working-class households. When I examined the photo itself, I could confirm that it was indeed of my father, and that it was taken outside the Post Office. But I couldn’t verify who took it, nor the exact date.

My Dad with his bicycle outside the Kawhia Post Office

Further research revealed similar photos in the local archive—same dimensions, same location—taken by a known photographer in the 1920/30s. Given the similarities, it’s entirely possible that this photo was taken by that same photographer, not by a family member.

So while the story may be meaningful to the person who shared it, it doesn’t meet the standard of genealogical proof. In writing family history, the best approach is to state what’s known and provable, and to frame uncertain details with care or to leave them out entirely where their inclusion contributes nothing. For example:

“My Dad with his bicycle outside the Kawhia Post Office.”

This phrasing reflects what we know to be true, and leaves out uncertain or unprovable details.

When Stories Conflict with Records   Another example: a family member insisted our grandfather was a twin named Joe. But birth records show he was several years older than Joe. The story doesn’t hold up to documentation.

In cases like this, the record must take precedence. But the story can still be acknowledged—perhaps in a separate section or appendix.

So, Is There Room for Both?   Yes—but not in the same document. Family stories belong in narrative sections, oral histories, or personal reflections. Genealogical proof belongs in research reports and formal trees. Keeping them separate respects both the emotional truth of memory and the factual integrity of research.