---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: While researching my ancestry I have…"
description: "\"While researching my ancestry I have unearthed many skeletons. It would seem that I come from a long line of ne'er-do-wells, especially on my mother's ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1e/miriam-margolyes-5120_come_while-researching-my-ancestry-i-have-une_1990670.jpg"
---

#  While researching my ancestry I have unearthed many…

![“While researching my ancestry I have unearthed many skeletons. It would seem that I come from a long line of ne'er-do-wells, especially on my mother's side.” quote by Miriam Margolyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1e/miriam-margolyes-5120_come_while-researching-my-ancestry-i-have-une_1990670.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1e/miriam-margolyes-5120_come_while-researching-my-ancestry-i-have-une_1990670.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1e/miriam-margolyes-5120_come_while-researching-my-ancestry-i-have-une_1990670.jpg)

> “While researching my ancestry I have unearthed many skeletons. It would seem that I come from a long line of ne'er-do-wells, especially on my mother's side.”

[Miriam Margolyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-margolyes/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The speaker discovers a questionable family history, especially maternal, using humor.

**In simple terms:** Family history can be messy.

Key Takeaway

Accept quirks in lineage.

Themes

family humor identity heritage

Mood

reflective self‑aware

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- family gatherings
- personal storytelling
- genealogical research

Key Concepts

anecdote self‑deprecation genealogy

Questions to Reflect On

- How does knowing family flaws affect you?
- What can we learn from imperfect ancestors?

A Different Perspective

May generalize or stereotype ancestors.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Ancestry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancestry/) [Ancestry Unearthed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancestry-unearthed-3448766/) [Come](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/come/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Many](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/many/) [Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Researching Ancestry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/researching-ancestry-3448765/) [Side](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/side/) [Skeletons Come](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skeletons-come-757555/) [Unearthed Skeletons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unearthed-skeletons-3448767/)

## Related quotes

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> [The day of judgment will be a day when the skeletons come out of the closets! And each of us will be standing there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-rogers/the-day-of-judgment-will-be-a-day-when-the-skeletons-come-out-of-the/)

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> [If I were to run for office, my skeletons would come dancing out of the closet in a can-can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-caputo/if-i-were-to-run-for-office-my-skeletons-would-come-dancing-out-of/)

[Michael Caputo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-caputo/)

> [Both the ancestry and posterity of Grief go further than the ancestry and posterity of Joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/both-the-ancestry-and-posterity-of-grief-go-further-than-the-ancestry/)

[Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/)

> [The function of the artist is to disturb. His duty is to arouse the sleeper, to shake the complacent pillars of the world. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-bethune/the-function-of-the-artist-is-to-disturb-his-duty-is-to-arouse-the/)

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> [I get anxious. That lovely Jewish guilt that comes with ancestry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-rudolph/i-get-anxious-that-lovely-jewish-guilt-that-comes-with-ancestry/)

[Maya Rudolph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-rudolph/)

> [I've never felt grounded because of my ancestry or my gender. I think until women get away from that they're not going to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-ve-never-felt-grounded-because-of-my-ancestry-or-my-gender-i-think/)

[Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/)

> [“I have always found it difficult not to be moved by Jerusalem, even when I hated it—and God knows I have hated it for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-abulhawa/i-have-always-found-it-difficult-not-to-be-moved-by-jerusalem-even/)

[Susan Abulhawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-abulhawa/)

> [I've got German, Cornish and Scottish ancestry. It might help explain my affinity for forests, the sea, and fatty foods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-maclachlan/i-ve-got-german-cornish-and-scottish-ancestry-it-might-help-explain/)

[Kyle MacLachlan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-maclachlan/)

> [Bird taxonomy is a difficult field because of the severe anatomical constraints imposed by flight. There are only so many ways to design a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-diamond/bird-taxonomy-is-a-difficult-field-because-of-the-severe-anatomical/)

[Jared Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-diamond/)

> [Being a mixed-blood person of Ojibway and European ancestry, I always found that I only heard one side of the story - that was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-boyden/being-a-mixed-blood-person-of-ojibway-and-european-ancestry-i-always/)

[Joseph Boyden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-boyden/)

> [High birth is an accident, not a virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pietro-metastasio/high-birth-is-an-accident-not-a-virtue/)

[Pietro Metastasio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pietro-metastasio/)

> [My life shall be free and broad and great, and I will not be the slave to the sense delights which chained my ancient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-london/my-life-shall-be-free-and-broad-and-great-and-i-will-not-be-the-slave/)

[Jack London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-london/)

> [Blood is a destiny. One's genius descends in the stream from long lines of ancestry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/blood-is-a-destiny-one-s-genius-descends-in-the-stream-from-long/)

[Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/)

> [It is worthwhile for anyone to have behind him a few generations of honest, hard-working ancestry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-worthwhile-for-anyone-to-have-behind-him-a-few-generations-of/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

## More by Miriam Margolyes

> [It's very hard to talk about Palestine to Jewish people - they see me as a betrayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-margolyes/it-s-very-hard-to-talk-about-palestine-to-jewish-people-they-see-me/)

[Miriam Margolyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-margolyes/)

> [I'm not really a practising Jew but I keep a kosher kitchen just to spite Hitler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-margolyes/i-m-not-really-a-practising-jew-but-i-keep-a-kosher-kitchen-just-to/)

[Miriam Margolyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-margolyes/)

> [I don't understand why gay people are so anxious to get married.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-margolyes/i-don-t-understand-why-gay-people-are-so-anxious-to-get-married/)

[Miriam Margolyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-margolyes/)

> [People seem comfortable with me. And maybe that's got a lot to do with shows like Graham Norton. You just tell it like it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-margolyes/people-seem-comfortable-with-me-and-maybe-that-s-got-a-lot-to-do-with/)

[Miriam Margolyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-margolyes/)

> [I have a class prejudice - against the upper class, which is foolish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-margolyes/i-have-a-class-prejudice-against-the-upper-class-which-is-foolish/)

[Miriam Margolyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-margolyes/)

> [The American actor is much more used to being physically relaxed and using their bodies better, and English actors are a little bit unrelaxed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-margolyes/the-american-actor-is-much-more-used-to-being-physically-relaxed-and/)

[Miriam Margolyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-margolyes/)

> [Israel is stupid for allowing people to vent their anti-Semitism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-margolyes/israel-is-stupid-for-allowing-people-to-vent-their-anti-semitism/)

[Miriam Margolyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-margolyes/)

> [Life, if you're fat is a minefield--you have to pick your way, otherwise you blow up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-margolyes/life-if-you-re-fat-is-a-minefield-you-have-to-pick-your-way-otherwise/)

[Miriam Margolyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-margolyes/)

> [I know that a lot of my life is spent thinking about crisps and eating crisps and hating myself for eating crisps. It's just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-margolyes/i-know-that-a-lot-of-my-life-is-spent-thinking-about-crisps-and/)

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> [I may have a talent for acting, but I am incapable of doing anything else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-margolyes/i-may-have-a-talent-for-acting-but-i-am-incapable-of-doing-anything/)

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> [It's shameful to admit, but it's been a bit of a lifelong affair, and I do now feel I'm as good as it gets.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-margolyes/it-s-shameful-to-admit-but-it-s-been-a-bit-of-a-lifelong-affair-and-i/)

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[Miriam Margolyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-margolyes/)

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[Miriam Margolyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-margolyes/)

[Explore all 103 Miriam Margolyes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-margolyes/)

## More Ancestry quotes

> [It is worthwhile for anyone to have behind him a few generations of honest, hard-working ancestry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-worthwhile-for-anyone-to-have-behind-him-a-few-generations-of/)

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[Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/)

> [I get anxious. That lovely Jewish guilt that comes with ancestry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-rudolph/i-get-anxious-that-lovely-jewish-guilt-that-comes-with-ancestry/)

[Maya Rudolph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-rudolph/)

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[Norman Bethune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-bethune/)

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[Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/)

> [I wasn't trying to work out my own ancestry. I was trying to get people to feel slavery. I was trying to get across…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-wasn-t-trying-to-work-out-my-own-ancestry-i-was-trying-to-get/)

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> [“Ancestry is not destiny,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-weiner/ancestry-is-not-destiny/)

[Eric Weiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-weiner/)

> […Even the idea of a city never entered his mind. It was as if he had walked under the millimeter of haze just above…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ondaatje/even-the-idea-of-a-city-never-entered-his-mind-it-was-as-if-he-had/)

[Michael Ondaatje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ondaatje/)

[Browse all 256 Ancestry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancestry/)

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