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64-434: In genealogy , the progenitor (rarer: primogenitor ; German : Stammvater or Ahnherr ) is the – sometimes legendary – founder of a family , line of descent , clan or tribe , noble house , or ethnic group . Genealogy (commonly known as family history) understands a progenitor to be the earliest recorded ancestor of a consanguineous family group of descendants . Progenitors are sometimes used to describe

128-419: A FamilyTree database, historical records, digitized family history books, resources and indexing for African American genealogy such as slave and bank records, and a Family History Research Wiki containing research guidance articles. Indexing is the process of transcribing parish records, city vital records, and other reports, to a digital database for searching. Volunteers and professionals participate in

192-452: A case for identity and kinship. All evidence and conclusions, together with the documentation that supports them, is then assembled to create a cohesive genealogy or family history . Genealogists begin their research by collecting family documents and stories. This creates a foundation for documentary research , which involves examining and evaluating historical records for evidence about ancestors and other relatives, their kinship ties, and

256-701: A citizen if one of their grandparents was born in that country, regardless of their own or their parents' birthplace. In societies such as Australia or the United States, by the 20th century, there was growing pride in the pioneers and nation-builders. Establishing descent from these was, and is, important to lineage societies , such as the Daughters of the American Revolution and The General Society of Mayflower Descendants . Modern family history explores new sources of status, such as celebrating

320-588: A coordinator, booster, and contributor to the growing movement. In the 1820s, he and fellow antiquarians began to produce genealogical and antiquarian tracts in earnest, slowly gaining a devoted audience among the American people. Though Farmer died in 1838, his efforts led to the founding in 1845 of the New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS), one of New England's oldest and most prominent organizations dedicated to

384-685: A degree of scepticism. However, the desire to find ancestral links with prominent figures from a legendary or distant past has persisted. In the United States, for example, it does no harm to establish one's links to ancestors who boarded the Mayflower . And the popularity of the genealogical hypothesis of The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail (1982) demonstrates popular interest in ancient bloodlines, however dubious. Some family trees have been maintained for considerable periods. The family tree of Confucius has been maintained for over 2,500 years and

448-452: A doctrine of baptism for the dead , which necessitates that members of that faith engage in family history research. In East Asian countries that were historically shaped by Confucianism , many people follow a practice of ancestor worship as well as genealogical record-keeping. Ancestors' names are inscribed on tablets and placed in shrines, where rituals are performed. Genealogies are also recorded in genealogy books . This practice

512-430: A greater understanding of specific topics in their respective fields, and some may employ professional genealogists in connection with specific aspects of their research. They also publish their research in peer-reviewed journals. The introduction of postgraduate courses in genealogy in recent years has given genealogy more of an academic focus, with the emergence of peer-reviewed journals in this area. Scholarly genealogy

576-409: A means to reinforce lessons regarding immigration and history. Other benefits include family medical histories for families with serious medical conditions that are hereditary. The terms "genealogy" and "family history" are often used synonymously, but some entities offer a slight difference in definition. The Society of Genealogists , while also using the terms interchangeably, describes genealogy as

640-487: A particular group, e.g., a Scottish clan ; a particular surname , such as in a one-name study ; a small community, e.g., a single village or parish, such as in a one-place study ; or a particular, often famous, person. Bloodlines of Salem is an example of a specialized family-history group. It welcomes members who can prove descent from a participant of the Salem Witch Trials or who simply choose to support

704-428: A person's DNA contains information that has been passed down relatively unchanged from early ancestors, analysis of DNA is sometimes used for genealogical research. Three DNA types are of particular interest. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is contained in the mitochondria of the egg cell and is passed down from a mother to all of her children, both male and female; however, only females pass it on to their children. Y-DNA

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768-982: A place for one's family in the larger historical picture, a sense of responsibility to preserve the past for future generations , and self-satisfaction in accurate storytelling. Genealogy research is also performed for scholarly or forensic purposes, or to trace legal next of kin to inherit under intestacy laws. Amateur genealogists typically pursue their own ancestry and that of their spouses. Professional genealogists may also conduct research for others, publish books on genealogical methods, teach, or produce their own databases. They may work for companies that provide software or produce materials of use to other professionals and to amateurs. Both try to understand not just where and when people lived but also their lifestyles, biographies, and motivations. This often requires—or leads to—knowledge of antiquated laws, old political boundaries, migration trends, and historical socioeconomic or religious conditions. Genealogists sometimes specialize in

832-425: A principle for ecological action, such as the seven generation concept attributed to Iroquois tradition. The term refers to the impact which the currently living generation has on the world which future generations will live in, the world they will inherit from humans living today. This concept is referred to in the most widely quoted definition of sustainability as a part of the concept sustainable development ,

896-758: A relatively recent common ancestor. See, for example, the Molecular Genealogy Research Project . Some tests are limited to either the patrilineal or the matrilineal line. Most genealogy software programs can export information about persons and their relationships in a standardized format called a GEDCOM . In that format, it can be shared with other genealogists, added to databases, or converted into family web sites. Social networking service (SNS) websites allow genealogists to share data and build their family trees online. Members can upload their family trees and contact other family historians to fill in gaps in their research. In addition to

960-531: A result of oral tradition . Where people groups and communities rely solely on a patrilinear family line, their common ancestor often became the subject of a legend surrounding the origin of the family. By contrast, families and peoples with a matrilinear history trace themselves back to an original female progenitrix . Matrilinear rules of descent are found in about 200 of the 1300 known indigenous peoples and ethnic groups worldwide, whilst around 600 have patrilineal rules of descent (from father to son). In

1024-489: A unique area of focus, such as a particular surname, ethnicity , geographic area, or descendancy from participants in a given historical event . Genealogical societies are almost exclusively staffed by volunteers and may offer a broad range of services, including maintaining libraries for members' use, publishing newsletters, providing research assistance to the public, offering classes or seminars, and organizing record preservation or transcription projects. Genealogy software

1088-494: A wide variety of records in their research. To effectively conduct genealogical research, it is important to understand how the records were created, what information is included in them, and how and where to access them. Records that are used in genealogy research include: To keep track of their citizens, governments began keeping records of persons who were neither royalty nor nobility . In England and Germany, for example, such record keeping started with parish registers in

1152-461: 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. In many instances, genealogists must skillfully assemble indirect or circumstantial evidence to build

1216-410: Is a growing interest in family history in the media as a result of advertising and television shows sponsored by large genealogy companies, such as Ancestry.com . This, coupled with easier access to online records and the affordability of DNA tests , has both inspired curiosity and allowed those who are curious to easily start investigating their ancestry. In communitarian societies, one's identity

1280-449: Is beginning to emerge as a discipline in its own right, with an increasing number of individuals who have obtained genealogical qualifications carrying out research on a diverse range of topics related to genealogy, both within academic institutions and independently. In the US, the " one-drop rule " asserted that any person with even one ancestor of black ancestry ("one drop" of "black blood")

1344-422: Is defined as much by one's kin network as by individual achievement, and the question "Who are you?" would be answered by a description of father, mother, and tribe. New Zealand Māori , for example, learn whakapapa (genealogies) to discover who they are. Family history plays a part in the practice of some religious belief systems. For example, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) has

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1408-822: Is encoded as a legal duty in the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 and in the role of the Future Generations Commissioner. The first commissioner Sophie Howe modeled the role, proposing a number of new policies designed for future-thinking policy in Wales, including a 2020 Manifesto for the Future . Similarly in Hungary the office of the Hungarian Parliamentary Commissioner for Future Generations

1472-704: Is limited to 50 living fellows. ASG has semi-annually published The Genealogist , a scholarly journal of genealogical research, since 1980. Fellows of the American Society of Genealogists , who bear the post-nominal acronym "FASG", have written some of the most notable genealogical materials of the last half-century. Some of the most notable scholarly American genealogical journals include The American Genealogist , National Genealogical Society Quarterly , The New England Historical and Genealogical Register , The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record , and The Genealogist . Genealogical research

1536-634: Is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest extant family tree. The fifth edition of the Confucius Genealogy was printed in 2009 by the Confucius Genealogy Compilation Committee (CGCC). In modern times, genealogy has become more widespread, with commoners as well as nobility researching and maintaining their family trees. Genealogy received a boost in the late 1970s with

1600-552: Is present only in males and is passed down from a father to his sons (direct male line) with only minor mutations occurring over time. Autosomal DNA (atDNA), is found in the 22 non-sex chromosomes (autosomes) and is inherited from both parents; thus, it can uncover relatives from any branch of the family. A genealogical DNA test allows two individuals to find the probability that they are, or are not, related within an estimated number of generations. Individual genetic test results are collected in databases to match people descended from

1664-606: Is rooted in the belief that respect for one's family is a foundation for a healthy society. Royal families , both historically and in modern times, keep records of their genealogies in order to establish their right to rule and determine who will be the next sovereign. For centuries in various cultures, one's genealogy has been a source of political and social status. Some countries and indigenous tribes allow individuals to obtain citizenship based on their genealogy. In Ireland and in Greece , for example, an individual can become

1728-687: Is that of the Brundtland Commission of the United Nations on March 20, (1987): "sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." The use of future generations in international law is in part recognized by the Charter of the United Nations which focuses on preventing the "scourge of war" on future generations. With

1792-587: Is the progenitor of all mankind. In the Abrahamic religions , Adam , Noah , Abraham and others are described as progenitors (see also Biblical patriarchy ). In archaeogenetics (archaeological genetics), a human Y-chromosomal Adam has been named as the most recent common ancestor from whom all currently living people are descended patrilinearly. This Adam lived in Africa at a time variously estimated from 60,000 to 338,000 years ago. And Mitochondrial Eve ,

1856-400: Is thought of as an important, neglected cause by the effective altruism community. The term is often used in describing the conservation or preservation of cultural heritage or natural heritage . The sustainability and climate movements have adopted the concept as a tool for enshrining principles of long-term thinking into law. The concept is often connected to indigenous thinking as

1920-454: Is used to collect, store, sort, and display genealogical data. At a minimum, genealogy software accommodates basic information about individuals, including births, marriages, and deaths. Many programs allow for additional biographical information, including occupation, residence, and notes, and most also offer a method for keeping track of the sources for each piece of evidence. Most programs can generate basic kinship charts and reports, allow for

1984-577: The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 's tracing of the ancestry of several English kings to the god Woden . With the coming of Christianity to northern Europe, Anglo-Saxon royal genealogies extended the kings' lines of ancestry from Woden back to reach the line of Biblical patriarchs : Noah and Adam . (This extension offered the side-benefit of connecting pretentious rulers with the prestigious genealogy of Jesus .) Modern historians and genealogists may regard manufactured pseudo-genealogies with

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2048-570: The Indo-European world from Scandinavia through ancient Greece to India. Historically, in Western societies, genealogy focused on the kinship and descent of rulers and nobles, often arguing or demonstrating the legitimacy of claims to wealth and power. Genealogy often overlapped with heraldry , which reflected the ancestry of noble houses in their coats of arms . Modern scholars regard many claimed noble ancestries as fabrications, such as

2112-583: The common heritage of mankind . 'The present generations have the responsibility to bequeath to future generations an Earth which will not one day be irreversibly damaged by human activity. Each generation inheriting the Earth temporarily should take care to use natural resources reasonably and ensure that life is not prejudiced by harmful modifications of the ecosystems and that scientific and technological progress in all fields does not harm life on Earth.' 'With due respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms,

2176-647: The mythological beliefs of the Romans the god of war, Mars , was viewed as the progenitor of the Romans; which is why the Mars symbol ( ♂ , a shield and spear), is used to refer to the male sex . Besides cities and countries, ethnic groups may also have a progenitor (often a god) in their mythologies, for example, the Hellenistic Greeks look back to Hellen as their progenitor. In Indian Hinduism Manu

2240-813: The "establishment of a pedigree by extracting evidence, from valid sources, of how one generation is connected to the next" and family history as "a biographical study of a genealogically proven family and of the community and country in which they lived". Individuals conduct genealogical research for a number of reasons. Private individuals research genealogy out of curiosity about their heritage. This curiosity can be particularly strong among those whose family histories were lost or unknown due to, for example, adoption or separation from family through divorce, death, or other situations. In addition to simply wanting to know more about who they are and where they came from, individuals may research their genealogy to learn about any hereditary diseases in their family history. There

2304-777: The (SNS) websites, there are other resources that encourage genealogists to connect and share information, such as rootsweb.ancestry.com and rsl.rootsweb.ancestry.com. Volunteer efforts figure prominently in genealogy. These range from the extremely informal to the highly organized. On the informal side are the many popular and useful message boards such as Rootschat and mailing lists on particular surnames, regions, and other topics. These forums can be used to try to find relatives, request record lookups, obtain research advice, and much more. Many genealogists participate in loosely organized projects, both online and off. These collaborations take numerous forms. Some projects prepare name indexes for records, such as probate cases, and publish

2368-487: The 16th century. As more of the population was recorded, there were sufficient records to follow a family. Major life events, such as births, marriages, and deaths, were often documented with a license, permit, or report. Genealogists locate these records in local, regional or national offices or archives and extract information about family relationships and recreate timelines of persons' lives. In China, India and other Asian countries, genealogy books are used to record

2432-494: The FamilySearch indexing effort produced more than 1 billion searchable records. Future generations Future generations are cohorts of hypothetical people not yet born. Future generations are contrasted with current and past generations and evoked in order to encourage thinking about intergenerational equity . The moral patienthood of future generations has been argued for extensively among philosophers , and

2496-722: The Founding Fathers and the heroes of the Revolutionary War became increasingly popular, however, the pursuit of "antiquarianism", which focused on local history, became acceptable as a way to honor the achievements of early Americans. Farmer capitalized on the acceptability of antiquarianism to frame genealogy within the early republic's ideological framework of pride in one's American ancestors. He corresponded with other antiquarians in New England, where antiquarianism and genealogy were well established, and became

2560-666: The United States and around the world, where volunteers assist the public with tracing their ancestors. Brigham Young University offers bachelor's degree, minor, and concentration programs in Family History and is the only school in North America to offer this. The American Society of Genealogists is the scholarly honorary society of the U.S. genealogical field. Founded by John Insley Coddington, Arthur Adams, and Meredith B. Colket Jr., in December 1940, its membership

2624-472: The United States was first systematized in the early 19th century, especially by John Farmer (1789–1838). Before Farmer's efforts, tracing one's genealogy was seen as an attempt by the American colonists to secure a measure of social standing, an aim that was counter to the new republic's egalitarian, future-oriented ideals (as outlined in the Constitution ). As Fourth of July celebrations commemorating

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2688-493: The ability to handle same-sex marriages and children born out of wedlock; searching the Internet for data; and the provision of research guidance. Programs may be geared toward a specific religion, with fields relevant to that religion, or to specific nationalities or ethnic groups, with source types relevant for those groups. Online resources involve complex programming and large data bases, such as censuses. Genealogists use

2752-524: The adults in almost every country agreed that the financial state of future generations would be worse. The 19-country median was 70-27-3 (worse-better-same). The Pew Research Center was responsible for conducting the survey. Most implementations of future generations focus on enshrining the rights and needs of future generations in law, in order to represent those unable to voice their needs. Several countries have tried enshrining obligations to future generations in law. In Wales , this moral obligation

2816-432: The early 2000s. The Internet has become a major source not only of data for genealogists but also of education and communication. Some notable places where traditional genealogy records are kept include Hindu genealogy registers at Haridwar (Uttarakhand) , Varanasi and Allahabad ( Uttar Pradesh ), Kurukshetra (Haryana) , Trimbakeshwar ( Maharashtra ), and Chintpurni ( Himachal Pradesh ). Genealogical research in

2880-487: The events that occurred in their lives. As a rule, genealogists begin with the present and work backwards in time. Historical, social, and family context is essential to achieving correct identification of individuals and relationships. Source citation is also important when conducting genealogical research. To keep track of collected material, family group sheets and pedigree charts are used. Formerly handwritten, these can now be generated by genealogical software. Because

2944-404: The group. Genealogists and family historians often join family history societies , where novices can learn from more experienced researchers. Such societies generally serve a specific geographical area. Their members may also index records to make them more accessible or engage in advocacy and other efforts to preserve public records and cemeteries. Some schools engage students in such projects as

3008-512: The import of digital photographs and the export of data in the GEDCOM format (short for GEnealogical Data COMmunication) so that data can be shared with those using other genealogy software. More advanced features include the ability to restrict the information that is shared, usually by removing information about living people out of privacy concerns; the import of sound files; the generation of family history books, web pages and other publications;

3072-483: The indexes, either online or off. These indexes can be used as finding aids to locate original records. Other projects transcribe or abstract records. Offering record lookups for particular geographic areas is another common service. Volunteers do record lookups or take photos in their home areas for researchers who are unable to travel. Those looking for a structured volunteer environment can join one of thousands of genealogical societies worldwide. Most societies have

3136-523: The indexing process. Since 2006, the microfilm in the FamilySearch granite mountain vault is in the process of being digitally scanned, available online, and eventually indexed. For example, after the 72-year legal limit for releasing personal information for the United States Census was reached in 2012, genealogical groups cooperated to index the 132 million residents registered in the 1940 United States Census . Between 2006 and 2012,

3200-655: The mid-17th century. Perhaps the most outstanding example of this genre is Leabhar na nGenealach / The Great Book of Irish Genealogies , by Dubhaltach MacFhirbhisigh (d. 1671), published in 2004. The LDS Church has engaged in large-scale microfilming of records of genealogical value. Its Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, houses over 2 million microfiche and microfilms of genealogically relevant material, which are also available for on-site research at over 4,500 Family History Centers worldwide. FamilySearch 's website includes many resources for genealogists:

3264-413: The most recent common ancestor in the matrilineal line, is estimated to have lived from 100,000 to 230,000 years ago. (There being no suggestion that these, “Eve” and “Adam”, lived at nearby times or places. And there were many other common ancestors in other lines of descent.) Genealogy The record of genealogical work may be presented as a "genealogy", a "family history", or a " family tree ". In

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3328-499: The names, occupations, and other information about family members, with some books dating back hundreds or even thousands of years. In the eastern Indian state of Bihar , there is a written tradition of genealogical records among Maithil Brahmins and Karna Kayasthas called " Panjis ", dating to the 12th century CE. Even today these records are consulted prior to marriages. In Ireland, genealogical records were recorded by professional families of senchaidh (historians) until as late as

3392-420: The narrow sense, a "genealogy" or a " family tree " traces the descendants of one person, whereas a "family history" traces the ancestors of one person, but the terms are often used interchangeably. A family history may include additional biographical information, family traditions, and the like. The pursuit of family history and origins tends to be shaped by several motives, including the desire to carve out

3456-418: The old Roman legal concept of agnates ( Latin for "descendants") was based on the idea of the unbroken family line of a progenitor, but only includes male members of the family, whilst the women were referred to as " cognatic ". It is rarely possible to confirm biological parenthood in the case of ancient family lines (see bastardy ). In addition, the progenitor is often a distant ancestor, only known as

3520-701: The present generations should take care to preserve the cultural diversity of humankind. The present generations have the responsibility to identify, protect and safeguard the tangible and intangible cultural heritage and to transmit this common heritage to future generations.' 'The present generations may use the common heritage of humankind, as defined in international law, provided that this does not entail compromising it irreversibly.' '1. The present generations should ensure that both they and future generations learn to live together in peace, security, respect for international law, human rights and fundamental freedoms. 2. The present generations should spare future generations

3584-680: The preservation of public records. NEHGS publishes the New England Historical and Genealogical Register. The Genealogical Society of Utah , founded in 1894, later became the Family History Department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . The department's research facility, the Family History Library , which Utah.com claims as "the largest genealogical library in the world",

3648-782: The publication of UN Secretary-General 's landmark Our Common Agenda report in September 2021, there has been a renewed interest in understanding, action for, and representing future generations in the multilateral system. Proclaimed on November 12, 1997, the UNESCO Declaration on the Responsibilities of the Present Generations Towards Future Generations is an international agreement (potentially part of international customary law) which includes provisions related to

3712-627: The resilience of families that survived generations of poverty or slavery, or the success of families in integrating across racial or national boundaries. Some family histories even emphasize links to celebrity criminals, such as the bushranger Ned Kelly in Australia. Lawyers involved in probate cases do genealogy to locate heirs of property. Detectives may perform genealogical research using DNA evidence to identify victims of homicides or perpetrators of crimes. Historians and geneticists may carry out genealogical research to gain

3776-686: The scourge of war. To that end, they should avoid exposing future generations to the harmful consequences of armed conflicts as well as all other forms of aggression and use of weapons, contrary to humanitarian principles.' The financial state of people in future generations is widely debated. However, a study in 2022 revealed that a majority of people believe that the financial state of future generations will be worse than their current state. Adults were interviewed in 19 countries (Japan, France, Italy, Canada, Spain, United Kingdom, Australia, United States, Belgium, Greece, Netherlands, South Korea, Germany, Malaysia, Hungary, Sweden, Poland, Singapore, and Israel), and

3840-432: The status of a genealogical research project, or in order to compare the availability of genealogical data in different times and places. Often, progenitors are implied to be patrilineal . If a patrilineal dynasty is considered, each such dynasty has exactly one progenitor. Aristocratic and dynastic families often look back to an ancestor who is seen as the founder and progenitor of their house (i.e. family line). Even

3904-556: The television broadcast of Roots: The Saga of an American Family by Alex Haley . His account of his family's descent from the African tribesman Kunta Kinte inspired many others to study their own lines. With the advent of the Internet , the number of resources readily accessible to genealogists has vastly increased, fostering an explosion of interest in the topic. Genealogy on the internet became increasingly popular starting in

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3968-779: Was considered black. It was codified into the law of some States (e.g. the Racial Integrity Act of 1924 ) to reinforce racial segregation. Genealogy was also used in Nazi Germany to determine whether a person was considered a "Jew" or a "Mischling" ( Mischling Test ), and whether a person was considered as "Aryan" ( Ahnenpass ). Hereditary emperors, kings and chiefs in several areas have long claimed descent from gods (thus establishing divine legitimacy). Court genealogists have preserved or invented appropriate genealogical pretensions - for example in Japan , Polynesia , and

4032-487: Was established in 2008. While in the United Kingdom, an informal cross-party parliamentary group has been established to discuss issues around future generations. The rights of future generations are increasingly being protected in legal precedents as part of the global trends in climate litigation . Future generations were the defendant in the critical defendants in a 2018 case Future Generations v. Ministry of

4096-449: Was established to assist in tracing family lineages for special religious ceremonies which Latter-day Saints believe will seal family units together for eternity. Latter-day Saints believe that this fulfilled a biblical prophecy stating that the prophet Elijah would return to "turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers." There is a network of church-operated Family History Centers all over

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