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Genealogy / Ancestry

Genealogy the study and tracing of family pedigrees. This involves collecting the names of relatives, both living and deceased, and establishing the relationships between them based on primary, secondary and/or circumstantial evidence or documentation, thus building up a cohesive family tree. Genealogy is sometimes also referred to as family history, although these terms may be used distinctly: the former being the basic study of who is related to whom; the latter involving more "fleshing out" of the life and family histories of the individuals involved. One way to find the family lineage is with the use of the genealogical method. It a well-established ethnographic technique. The early ethnographers developed symbols that covered the issue of kinship, descent, and marriage. Studying one's genealogy is important in terms of social organization, especially where people live and work with their kin everyday. It plays a very important role in understanding the current social relations and reconstructing the history. Marriage is also looked at because it is important in creating aliances amongst tribes, clans and villages.

Genealogists search written records, collect oral histories and preserve family stories to discover ancestors and living relatives. Genealogists also attempt to understand not just where and when people lived but also their lifestyle, biography, and motivations. This often requires — or leads to — knowledge of antique law, old political boundaries, immigration trends, and historical social conditions. Genealogists and family historians often join a Family History Society where novices can learn from more experienced researchers, and everyone benefits from shared knowledge.

Even an unsuccessful search for ancestors leads to a better understanding of history. The search for living relatives often leads to family reunions, both of distant cousins and of disrupted families. Genealogists sometimes help reunite families separated by war, immigration, foster homes and adoption. The genealogist can help keep family traditions alive or reveal family secrets.

In its original form, genealogy was mainly concerned with the ancestry of rulers and nobles, often arguing or demonstrating the legitimacy of claims to wealth and power. The term often overlapped with heraldry, in which the ancestry of royalty was reflected in the quarterings of their coat of arms. Many of the claimed ancestries are considered by modern scholars to be fabrications, especially the claims of kings and emperors who trace their ancestry to gods or the founders of their civilization. For example, the Anglo-Saxon chroniclers traced the ancestry of several English kings back to the god Woden. If these descents were true, Queen Elizabeth II would be a descendant of Woden, via the kings of Wessex. In fiction, it is common to give a character a complicated fictional genealogy to make his or her background more interesting. A picturesque one is the genealogy for Godwulf of Asgard.

Genealogical and historical societies are a great help to researchers piecing together their family history and placing it within its historical context. Some such societies focus on tracing the lineage of participants in one historical event. Another type of society focuses on a particular geographical area rather than on particular individuals.

External Links

Ancestry.com
Begin to discover your story with a FREE, two-week trial from Ancestry.com. With access to more than 3.5 billion names, you might discover long-lost ancestors... or an entire branch of your family tree. Search databases including exclusive information you won't find anywhere else on the web.

Genealogy.com
Few other family history sites are as trusted or as visited as Genealogy.com, which offers a wide range of family and local histories, vital records, military records and much more.

MyFamily.com
With so many families living at a distance from one another, MyFamily.com is a great way to connect and strengthen family bonds. The service is EASY, SECURE, and PRIVATE! Below are the top ten reasons why millions of people around the world love their family Website.

Cyndi's List of Genealogy Sites on the Net
More than 209,300 links! 206,850 links, categorized & cross-referenced, in over 160 categories. Another 2,450+ uncategorized new links in the works.

GenealogyToday.com
This site has been helping connect families since 1999 with its unique collection of databases and innovative search tools, original articles from experienced genealogists, and a marketplace with an extensive catalog of products for family tree building. With more than 47,000 registered members, Genealogy Today helps researchers collaborate on common family lines; providing time-saving resources to stay abreast of new information.