Genealogy

Genealogy is the study of the origins and history of a line of descent or family. Genealogists use oral history, historical records, DNA testing, and other sources of information to document facts and stories about ancestors and family members. The word genealogy is derived from the Greek words genea (meaning "race" or "family") and logia ("sayings" or "discourse"). While most amateur genealogists focus on tracing their own family history, many professional genealogists also study the origins and lineages of other families.

A brief history of genealogy

Historical family tree created by Ahnentafel von Herzog Ludwig (1568-1593)

The practice of recording family lineages can be traced back to ancient civilizations, such as Greece, Rome, and China, where family lines were recorded in poems and histories. Proving a family connection to royalty or nobility was important for solidifying social status and substantiating claims to titles and lands, and during the early Middle Ages, important families made sure to document their histories carefully for this reason. Starting in the 1500s, social and geopolitical changes led to a need for keeping public records of commoners as well as nobles.

The rise of genealogy as a hobby can be traced to the 19th century, particularly in the United States and the United Kingdom. This was driven by a number of factors, including increased literacy rates, the advent of efficient postal services, and the publication of genealogical reference books. In the United States, the Daughters of the American Revolution and the New England Historic Genealogical Society, both founded in the 19th century, were instrumental in popularizing genealogy as a pastime.

In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, genealogy has experienced a surge in popularity due to advancements in technology. The rise of the internet and digital databases has made genealogical research more accessible than ever before. Online databases, genealogy software, and DNA testing services have transformed the field, allowing individuals to trace their ancestry with unprecedented ease and accuracy.

Methods and tools for genealogy

See also: How to get started with genealogy research

Genealogy generally includes building a family tree and collecting and preserving family documents, photos, and other memorabilia. Information about ancestors can be collected from interviews with relatives, personal family documents, historical records, or through DNA testing.

Building a family tree

Family lineages can be recorded in many ways, and today, the most popular method is by building a family tree. The tree was adopted by European nobility in the later medieval period as a symbol of lineage, and the term "family trees" to indicate family pedigrees came into common use by the 18th century. However, at the time, the trees were reversed: the youngest generation appeared at the top of the diagram, with each older generation appearing below, as opposed to the current format, where the youngest generation is located at the bottom and the oldest at the top. Horizontal lines drawn between two individuals generally represent a marriage, and vertical lines indicate descendants. This format allows genealogists to easily understand the relationships between the various family members.

While traditionally, family trees were drawn on paper, today it is common to build family trees using software or online applications, as this allows much greater flexibility and space for very large trees and for recording large amounts of information for each individual.

MyHeritage offers both an online tree-building platform and a free downloadable software called Family Tree Builder.

Interviewing relatives

Many genealogists begin with facts remembered and communicated to them by their parents, grandparents, or other relatives. Interviewing older members of the family can provide details about the lives of relatives both living and deceased.

Researching ancestors with historical records

Historical records can confirm oral histories, fill in knowledge gaps, and provide information about the family that living relatives are too young to remember or know. Records can be found in public and private archives, libraries, and online. MyHeritage offers billions of historical records to search online.

DNA testing for genealogical research

DNA testing for genealogical research, also known as genetic genealogy, is a relatively new field: the introduction of direct-to-consumer DNA testing was first applied to genealogy in 2000. Using DNA matching, genealogists can locate unknown relatives and confirm or identify relationships within the family. DNA tests also provide an estimation of a person's ethnic origins, or ethnicity estimate, based on certain markers in their DNA. The MyHeritage DNA test is ideal for genetic genealogy research.

See also

• Genealogical societies
• Genealogical numbering systems

Explore more about genealogy

• How to Interview Your Relatives: article from the MyHeritage Knowledge Base on interviewing relatives to gather information for genealogy
• Genetic Genealogy for Family History Researchers: article from the MyHeritage Knowledge Base about using DNA testing for genealogy
• Resources for Genealogists: section of the National Archives website on using historical records to research family history
• MyHeritage Genealogy hub

References

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