| Genealogy is the study and tracing of
| |
| | files for personal and family
|
| family pedigrees. This involves the
| |
| | information.
|
| collection of the names of relatives,
| |
| | Genetic Analysis
|
| both living and deceased, and
| |
| | With the discovery that a person's DNA
|
| establishing the relationships between
| |
| | contains information that has been passed
|
| them based on primary, secondary and/or
| |
| | down relatively unchanged from our
|
| circumstantial evidence or documentation,
| |
| | earliest ancestors, analysis of DNA has
|
| thus building up a cohesive family tree.
| |
| | begun to be used for genealogical
|
| Genealogy is sometimes also referred to
| |
| | research. There are two DNA types of
|
| as family history, although these terms
| |
| | particular interest. One is the
|
| may be used distinctly: the former being
| |
| | mitochondrial DNA which we all possess
|
| the basic study of who is related to
| |
| | and which is passed down with only minor
|
| whom; the latter involving more "fleshing
| |
| | mutations through the female line. The
|
| out" of the lives and personal histories
| |
| | other is the Y-chromosome, present only
|
| of the individuals involved.
| |
| | in males, which is passed down with only
|
| In this article the terms genealogist,
| |
| | minor mutations through the male line.
|
| researcher, and family historian refer to
| |
| | A genealogical DNA test allows for two
|
| every participant, from the inexperienced
| |
| | individuals to estimate the probability
|
| hobbyist to the seasoned professional.
| |
| | that they are (or are not) related within
|
| Genealogists collect oral histories and
| |
| | a certain time frame. Individual genetic
|
| preserve family stories to discover
| |
| | test results are being collected in
|
| ancestors and living relatives.
| |
| | various databases to match people
|
| Genealogists also attempt to understand
| |
| | descended from a relatively recent common
|
| not just where and when people lived but
| |
| | ancestor, for example see Molecular
|
| also their lifestyle, biography, and
| |
| | Genealogy Research Project. These tests
|
| motivations. This often requires — or
| |
| | are limited to either the direct male or
|
| leads to — knowledge of antique law,
| |
| | the direct female line.
|
| old political boundaries, immigration
| |
| | On a much longer time scale, genetic
|
| trends, and historical social conditions.
| |
| | methods are being used to trace human
|
| Genealogists and family historians often
| |
| | migratory patterns and to determine
|
| join a Family History Society where
| |
| | biogeographical and ethnic origin. The
|
| novices can learn from more experienced
| |
| | results can be used to place people
|
| researchers, and everyone benefits from
| |
| | within ancient ancestral groups, for
|
| shared knowledge.
| |
| | example see The Genographic Project.
|
| Even an unsuccessful search for ancestors
| |
| | Participation in all such projects is, of
|
| leads to a better understanding of
| |
| | course, voluntary.
|
| history. The search for living relatives
| |
| | In a related development, non-genetic
|
| often leads to family reunions, both of
| |
| | mathematical models of ancestry have been
|
| distant cousins and of disrupted
| |
| | devised to determine the approximate year
|
| families. Genealogists sometimes help
| |
| | when the most recent common ancestor of
|
| reunite families separated by war,
| |
| | all living humans existed.
|
| immigration, foster homes and adoption.
| |
| | Sharing data among researchers
|
| The genealogist can help keep family
| |
| | Data sharing among genealogical
|
| traditions alive or reveal family
| |
| | researchers has grown to be a major use
|
| secrets.
| |
| | of the Internet. Most genealogy software
|
| In its original form, genealogy was
| |
| | programs can output information about
|
| mainly concerned with the ancestry of
| |
| | persons and their relationships in GEDCOM
|
| rulers and nobles, often arguing or
| |
| | format, so it can be shared with other
|
| demonstrating the legitimacy of claims to
| |
| | genealogists by e-mail and Internet
|
| wealth and power. The term often
| |
| | forums, added to an online database such
|
| overlapped with heraldry, in which the
| |
| | as GeneaNet, or converted into a family
|
| ancestry of royalty was reflected in the
| |
| | web site using online genealogical tools
|
| quarterings of their coat of arms. Many
| |
| | such as PhpGedView. Many genealogical
|
| of the claimed ancestries are considered
| |
| | software applications also facilitate the
|
| by modern scholars to be fabrications,
| |
| | sharing of information on CD-ROMs and
|
| especially the claims of kings and
| |
| | DVDs made on personal computers.
|
| emperors who trace their ancestry to gods
| |
| | One phenomenon over the last few years
|
| or the founders of their civilization.
| |
| | has been that of large genealogical
|
| For example, the Anglo-Saxon chroniclers
| |
| | databases going online and attracting
|
| traced the ancestry of several English
| |
| | such large flash crowds that the
|
| kings back to the god Woden (the English
| |
| | database's host server collapses, causing
|
| version of the Norse god Odin). If these
| |
| | service to be quickly suspended while
|
| descents were true, Queen Elizabeth II
| |
| | hurried upgrades are made to accommodate
|
| would be a descendant of Woden, via the
| |
| | the traffic load. This happened with
|
| kings of Wessex. (See euhemerism.)
| |
| | FamilySearch, the Commonwealth War Graves
|
| In fiction, it is common to give a
| |
| | Commission's database of war graves and
|
| character a complicated fictional
| |
| | in January 2002 with the much-anticipated
|
| genealogy to make his or her background
| |
| | British census for 1901.
|
| more interesting. A picturesque one is
| |
| | Volunteerism
|
| the genealogy for Godwulf of Asgard.
| |
| | Volunteer efforts figure prominently in
|
| Modern research
| |
| | genealogy. These efforts range from the
|
| Genealogy, an extremely popular hobby,
| |
| | extremely informal to the highly
|
| received a big boost in the late 1970s
| |
| | organized.
|
| with the premiere of the television
| |
| | On the informal side are the many popular
|
| adaptation of Alex Haley's fictionalized
| |
| | and useful message boards and mailing
|
| account of his family line, Roots: The
| |
| | lists regarding particular surnames,
|
| Saga of an American Family. With the
| |
| | regions, and other topics. These forums
|
| advent of the Internet, the number of
| |
| | can be used with great success to find
|
| resources available to genealogists has
| |
| | relatives, request record lookups, obtain
|
| vastly increased; however, some of these
| |
| | research advice, and much more.
|
| sources must be treated with caution due
| |
| | Many genealogists participate in loosely
|
| to issues of accuracy.
| |
| | organized projects, both online and off.
|
| Research efforts can also focus on: types
| |
| | These collaborations take numerous forms
|
| of relationships among people such as
| |
| | of which only a few are mentioned here.
|
| kinship to a particular group, e.g. a
| |
| | Some projects prepare name indexes for
|
| Scottish clan; a particular surname such
| |
| | records, such as probate cases, and often
|
| as in a one-name study; a small
| |
| | place the indexes online. Genealogists
|
| community, e.g. a single village or
| |
| | use the indexes as finding aids to locate
|
| parish, such as in a one-place study; or
| |
| | original records. Rather than index, some
|
| a particular person such as Winston
| |
| | projects transcribe or abstract records,
|
| Churchill or Jesse James.
| |
| | especially when genealogists may want to
|
| LDS collections
| |
| | search the records by something other
|
| In the last century, the Church of Jesus
| |
| | than surname. For example, a genealogist
|
| Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) engaged
| |
| | using the cluster genealogy research
|
| in a large-scale program of copying all
| |
| | technique might want to search records by
|
| available records of genealogical value
| |
| | land description. For this reason, deeds
|
| onto microfilm. The project entailed the
| |
| | are a good candidate for transcription.
|
| compilation of the International
| |
| | Offering record lookups is another common
|
| Genealogical Index (IGI). The IGI
| |
| | service, and projects are usually
|
| contains information submitted by Mormon
| |
| | organized by geographic area. Volunteers
|
| researchers for vicarious ordinances,
| |
| | such as RAOGK offer to do record lookups
|
| records obtained from non-Mormon
| |
| | in their area for researchers who are
|
| contributors, and data taken from various
| |
| | unable to travel.
|
| birth or marriage records that Church
| |
| | Those looking for a structured volunteer
|
| members have microfilmed; in all, the IGI
| |
| | environment can join one of thousands of
|
| contains hundreds of millions of records
| |
| | genealogical societies worldwide. Like
|
| of individuals who lived between 1500 and
| |
| | online forums, most societies have a
|
| 1900, primarily in the United States,
| |
| | unique area of focus such as a particular
|
| Canada and Europe. By making so many
| |
| | surname, ethnicity, geographic area, or
|
| resources available, the LDS Church has
| |
| | descendency from participants in a given
|
| helped contribute to the increasing
| |
| | historical event. These societies are
|
| interest in genealogy since the 1970s.
| |
| | almost exclusively staffed by volunteers
|
| Its information is available free or at a
| |
| | and can offer a broad range of services.
|
| nominal cost. Resources include the
| |
| | It is common for genealogical societies
|
| Family History Library in Salt Lake City,
| |
| | to maintain a library for member's use,
|
| Utah, and its 4,000+ branches (called
| |
| | publish a newsletter, provide research
|
| Family History Centers). In addition,
| |
| | assistance to the public, offer classes
|
| FamilySearch, an interactive internet
| |
| | or seminars, and organize efforts such as
|
| site, provides free access to extensive
| |
| | cemetery transcribing projects.
|
