What is Genealogy?

So, what is Genealogy?

Genealogy is the research and tracing back (in time) of the ancestral lines of your family. It is the study of your direct ancestor lines.

It is the research conducted into your direct ancestors, either Maternal, Paternal, or if required, both lines.

How far back in time you go, will depend on you, and what your reasons are for undertaking the research.

The results from the research, normally consist of, but are not restricted to, the Birth, the Death and the Marriage Dates, plus, the cause of death.

These findings are then normally documented in a Pedigree Chart, and can be used to determine if there are possibly any medical conditions that you may be likely to inherit, or assist in determining inheritance when a dispute arises and/or no definite candidate can be found.

The origins of the word Genealogy.

The origins of the word Genealogy can be found through a number of sources both on and offline:

Just two of these online sources are listed below but if you would like to find more then simply Google “the origins of the word genealogy”.

The Online Eymology Dictionary:

early 14c., “line of descent, pedigree, descent,” from Old French genealogie (12c.). From Late Latin genealogia “tracing of a family,”. From Greek genealogia “the making of a pedigree,” from genea “generation, descent” (from PIE root *gene- “give birth, beget,” with derivatives referring to procreation and familial and tribal groups) + -logia (see -logy). An Old English word for it was folctalu, literally “folk tale.” Meaning “study of family trees” is from 1768.

The Encyclopedia Brittanica:

The word genealogy comes from two Greek words—one meaning “race” or “family” and the other “theory” or “science.” Thus is derived “to trace ancestry,” the science of studying family history. The term pedigree comes from the Latin pes (“foot”) and grus (“crane”) and is derived from a sign resembling a crane’s foot, used to indicate lines of descent in early west European genealogies.