GENEALOGY
HELPER
Site Content © 2004 - 2008
WHAT IS genealogy ?
According to several encyclopedias and dictionaries, "genealogy" is, basically --
1. A record or listing of ancestors or descendants in a format that either starts in the present and goes backward or starts in the past and comes forward. In other words, a Family Tree.
2. A multigenerational history or biography of a family.
3. A study of a family's multigenerational history.
If you noticed, there's no "and" or "or" separating 1, 2, or 3. That's because a research into a family name usually encompasses all three aspects -- many times without your being aware of it.
WHY 'DO' genealogy ?
Simply answered -- "curiosity and interest."
However, there are many different reasons why anyone 'does' genealogy. He or she may be interested in how the family's last name came in to existence and how long it has been around. He or she may be curious about where the family ancestors originated and where they lived. He or she may be interested in finding long lost or separated relatives. He or she may be curious about family ties and other connections. He or she may be interested in a connection with the past due to having a family heirloom. He or she may be curious if they were named after a relative or where his/her own name came from. He or she may just be interested in family ancestry. He or she may just be curious. He or she may be interested in verifying family stories, traditions, and/or history. He or she may be curious if any ancestors were important people, or were associated with important people, or were involved in important events. He or she may be interested in family medical or legal history.
As you can see, 'doing' genealogy may help a person find answers to many questions.
And you don't have to be an expert to start, and continue, your very own genealogy research.
THIS SITE'S PURPOSE.
Though primarily done to help the person just starting out in genealogy, many of the items covered may also prove to be useful to those who've been involved in genealogy for any length of time.
This site focuses on helping you find people's names, dates, and places associated with them -- and suggestions on how to use any of that information to get even more data and information.
The creator of this site has been researching his own family tree off-and-on since 1980. What is included here are insights, hints, clues, suggestions, and helpers that he has discovered on his own. Also important is that he has never used an "expert genealogist" -- all the research he has done on his own (with a few suggestions from a friend). His computer has only one family tree program (rarely used) and his 5,600+ volume library contains only one ancestry-research book (1976 1st edition used even less than the program). Please don't exit this site because you might think he's too amateur or not an established pro -- his long-time experience and attention to detail have enabled him to accurately trace back one family line nearly 400 years and another line nearly 1,000 years. Just peruse the other pages at this site and judge for yourself.
The items covered at this site range from the very obvious to the very obscure; but all are presented to help you find out about your ancestors and to help you create a verifiably accurate family tree.
TERMINOLOGY
As with any speciality that has its own lingo and unique definitions, genealogy is no different. If you wish to make your researching less difficult, you need to know most of the following terms and abbreviations (some terms have been included just for clarification).ancestor ---- any relative born before you were
aunt ---- relationship name between any offspring and any of their parents' sisters
begat / beget / begot / begotten ---- to give birth (usually biblical or religious useage)
black sheep ---- any relative with a real or perceived negative influence; usually refers to a relative who has had run-ins with the law
census ---- an official counting of a population usually done every ten years; usually lists the name, gender, age, birthplace, and job of everyone in a household; may also include name and birthplaces of the parents of any adults in the household
cousin ---- relationship name between any offspring and any offspring of their parents' brothers or sisters; offspring of your aunts and uncles; aka "first cousin"; also see "second, third, fourth, etc. cousin"
descendant ---- any relative born after a specific person
descent ---- see "lineage"
DOB or dob ---- abbreviation for "date of birth"
document ---- any paperwork (printed, prepared, fill-in, written)
family name ---- see "surname"
family tree ---- a table or chart chronologically listing ancestors or descendants that usually includes birthdate, birthplace, marriage date, and date of death
first cousin ---- see "cousin"
GED ---- abbreviation of "GEDCOM"
GEDCOM ---- abbreviation for "Genealogical Data Communication"; standardized computer file format developed by the Family History Department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
generation ---- may vary between 17 and 40 years depending on time period and based on when birth occurs after marriage ("generation" is not based on slogans, catch-phrases, or 'names' of time periods); grandparents are of a generation, their offspring (e.g., 'parents') are of another generation, and their offspring are of yet another generation; a typical household contains two generations (parents and their offspring)
half-_____ ---- "half-brother" and/or "half-sister"; occurs when two adults get married and already have previous offspring (if any offspring are adopted into the new family and take a different surname--usually the man's--then the offspring become "half-brother"/"half-sister" to the other offspring)
heirloom ---- any item kept in the family and passed from one generation to the next
household ---- the dwelling (abode, home, house, apartment, condo) or property (land) where a family lives
illegitimate ---- offspring born outside of a marriage (depending on time period, may even refer to offspring resulting from a rape); though usually referring to the offspring of either a married or unwed woman resulting from an affair (since the offspring typically remained with the mother), it also may refer to any offspring a married man has with any woman other than his wife
immediate family ---- parents and their offspring
in-law(s) ---- relative(s) related only by marriage (typically indicates the parents of your spouse); most common useage preceded by "mother"; may also be preceded by "father", "son", "daughter", "brother", or "sister" but rarely by any other relationship term
lineage [li - nee - udge] ---- usually a name short form of a family tree; may or may not include all offspring
maiden name ---- a woman's original (birth) surname; see also "nee"
microfilm ---- storage method at places of research; usually a 1.5" wide roll of dark 'plastic' containing black-and-white images that have been reduced in size; the images are typically of old documents
microfiche ---- storage method at places of research; usually a 4"x6" sheet of dark 'plastic' containing black-and-white images that have been reduced in size; the images are typically of old documents
nee ---- literally "born;" term used to indicate a married woman's maiden name or previously married surname
nephew ---- male offspring of any brother or sister
niece ---- female offspring of any brother or sister
official document(s) / paper(s) ---- any type of paperwork (written, prepared, printed, or filled in) 'connected' to any level or branch of government -- business records, census records, tax records/returns, ID, military, public servant, elected, appointed, vehicle (car, boat, truck, plane) registration, voter registration, naturalization, most legal cases, land grants, mining claims, copyrights, patents, veteran benefits, social security, etc.; also includes birth certificates, marriage certificates, divorce decrees, death certificates, investment paperwork (stocks and bonds), checks, vouchers, contracts, employee lists, non-government records/paperwork, etc.; may include printed media like books, newspapers (mainly obituaries), magazines, flyers, advertisments, notices, announcements, etc., along with non-printed media like film, photographs, and paintings (portraits); key words are "verified" and "documented"
offspring ---- any child or children regardless if the biological mother and biological father are married
pedigree ---- usually a name short form of a family tree; typically only the 'important' people of each generation are listed (usually only the male since he is the one who carries and passes on the family name)
_____ removed ---- "once removed" or "twice removed", etc. and only preceded by "cousin"; indicates the number of generations separating cousins
second, third, fourth, etc. cousin ---- cousin who does not have the same grandparents, but has the same great-grandparents or great-great-grandparents or great-great-great-grandparents, and so on
sibling(s) ---- brother(s) and/or sister(s)
sire ---- the biological father of any offspring (old term; usually used in/with "lineage" and "pedigree")
spouse ---- the person a married person is married to; sometimes referred to as "husband", "wife", "significant other", "the other half", or "the better half"; slang references include "my old man", "my old woman", "the ball-and-chain", and many derogatory terms
SSDI ---- abbreviation for "Social Security Death Index"
step_____ ---- immediate family member related only by marriage (no adoption or changing of surname usually involved)
surname ---- a person's last name
uncle ---- relationship name between any offspring and any of their parents' brothers
Other terms and definitions may be added, so check back every once and a while.
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