Genealogy

Genealogy is the study of families, family history, and the tracing of their lineages. Genealogists use oral interviews, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kinship and pedigrees of its members. The results are often displayed in charts or written as narratives.

History of Genealogy

The pursuit of family history and origins tends to be shaped by several motives, including the desire to carve out a place for one's family in the larger historical picture, a sense of responsibility to preserve the past for future generations, and a sense of self-satisfaction in accurate storytelling.

Genealogical Research

Genealogical research is a complex process that uses historical records and sometimes genetic analysis to demonstrate kinship. Reliable conclusions are based on the quality of sources, ideally original records, the information within those sources, ideally primary or firsthand information, and the evidence that can be drawn, directly or indirectly, from that information.

Genetic Analysis

In recent years, family history enthusiasts have turned to genetic testing to supplement their traditional genealogical research. Although genetic information provides one of the few ways to trace maternal ancestry and the migration patterns of the ancestors of the human species, it is not without its drawbacks. The primary disadvantage is that it cannot provide information on any relative more recent than five to seven generations.

See Also

• Family History
• Historical Records
• Genetic Analysis

References

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External Links

• FamilySearch
• Ancestry.com

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