Genealogy
Genealogy is the study of family ancestries and histories, focusing on the connections between generations. This practice has deep historical roots, as humans have long been interested in their lineage, which is reflected in naming conventions and cultural traditions around the world. Genealogy provides individuals with a sense of belonging and insight into their personal histories, revealing familial behaviors and shared traditions.
The evolution of genealogy has been influenced by various cultural practices, notably in ancient storytelling and medieval heraldry, where lineage played a significant role in social status. In modern times, advancements in technology have transformed genealogical research, with online platforms like Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org facilitating access to vast databases of records. DNA testing has emerged as a powerful tool for confirming lineage with high accuracy, enhancing the pursuit of personal heritage.
Genealogy can serve not only personal interests but also practical purposes, such as eligibility for scholarships based on ancestry. It offers opportunities for both amateur enthusiasts and professional genealogists, who may seek certification to pursue careers in this field. Overall, genealogy remains a meaningful way for individuals to connect with their past and understand their place within the broader context of history.
Genealogy
History
The history of genealogy, literally the study of generations, is essentially the history of history itself. People have been curious about their ancestry since the beginning of time. The simple fact that almost all modern human cultures rely on a naming convention that preserves part of the name of the parents attests to a desire for a connection to one's ancestors. For many people, knowing about relatives long gone gives them insight into their own lives.
Before the advent of writing, stories about one's ancestors were passed on through oral storytelling. For as long as humans have been inventing creation myths, they have been concerned with the genealogy of their heroes. Stories as old as those told by the ancient Greeks relied heavily on the genealogy of their gods to explain their behaviors, desires, strengths and weaknesses. The very first book of the New Testament of the Christian Bible (Matthew 1) mimics this technique, the first twenty verses consisting entirely of Jesus's lineage.
In Europe during the Middle Ages, knights displayed a coat of arms on their armor and shields, which both communicated their allegiance to other knights in battle, but also told the story of their lineage. Coats of arms were passed down through generations, from father to son, and each was personalized, distinct, but composed of similar elements related to one's family. Genealogy was particularly important in feudal Europe, because one's worth was judged by one's parentage. This type of genealogical dominance still exists in some of the monarchies of present-day Europe.
Despite the practice's extensive history, the concept of genealogy was refined and redefined by twentieth-century French philosopher Michel Foucault. Foucault considered genealogy to be a kind of alternate history of the world, a kind of history of ideas and thoughts, rather than of events; his objective was to set free this alternate history from the accepted record of events. The strictest definition of Foucauldian genealogy questions the very idea of truth, and allows persons to determine and define their conception of subjective identity in terms of knowledge, action, and ethics. In a way, an amateur genealogist is separating their truth from the larger truth of history.
Because of the migratory foundations of the United States, Americans have a particularly strong interest in genealogy. In a sense, all civilizations are migratory, in that all humans share common ancestry. But the United States' history is relatively young, and at a certain point, not too many generations past, one's family history will jump continents. The number of Americans seeking information about their heritage grew steadily and continued to increase into the twenty-first century.
Things to Look For
The detail of one's genealogical profile is theirs to determine. Many amateur genealogists simply record the names; birth, death, and marriage dates; and relationships of their relatives, a practice often known as "family tree climbing," but many take it much further. Almost every family has traditions that are passed down through the generations, and many may find it rewarding to trace the source of these traditions in addition to the source of relationships.
Amateur genealogists should understand that genealogy is a science, and to effectively and accurately trace one's lineage requires a sense of objectivity and skepticism. There is plenty of misinformation in the world, particularly on the internet; genealogists, like other scientists and historians, need to be able to recognize the verifiable facts from hearsay.
Trends
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) inadvertently spawned an increased general interest in genealogy during the twentieth century. LDS theology allows living members of the church to perform baptism for the dead, leading them to seek and record extensive genealogical resources and preserve them on microfilm, creating the International Genealogical Index. The records in the IGI are available to the public at LDS Family History Centers, and for free online, at FamilySearch.org.
FamilySearch is only one of the many online resources that have taken advantage of the power of the internet for genealogical research. Some websites offer the kind of research that would take an individual years, or an entire lifetime, to compile. Such sites have turned genealogy research into an industry, with some, such as Ancestry.com, charging a subscription fee and others, such as MyHeritage.com, allowing users to access certain features of the site for free while charging fees to use specific or expanded services. These sites allow users to build family trees, search records, and join communities from computers as well as mobile applications on their smartphones or tablets. During the first decades of the twenty-first century, private companies such as these, as well as some government agencies, contributed to efforts to digitize old records and expand the amount of information people doing genealogy research could access online.
Another, much more expensive trend in genealogical research is the use of DNA analysis to confirm lineage. Unlike paper documents and anecdotal evidence, genetic evidence cannot be falsified or corrupted by memory. DNA matching allows two people to confirm a blood relationship with 99.9 percent accuracy. By the early 2020s, a number of companies offered this type of service. Both Ancestry and MyHeritage as well as the company 23andMe offered consumer DNA test kits; while the DNA kits for Ancestry and 23andMe require saliva samples, MyHeritage's test uses a cheek swab. The samples are then sent away to labs for analysis.
Genealogy Hobby for Fun vs. Profit
Genealogy offers many intangible benefits, including a strong bond between living relatives and ancestors. Learning about one's family's past may elucidate familial behaviors and traditions, and will provide future generations of one's family with a priceless heirloom and record of history. Genealogy can add relevance to world history, with the knowledge of an ancestors' participation in a historic event.
More practically, genealogical research may provide eligibility for certain types of scholarships and grants, particularly if one's ancestry reveals minority status.
The field of professional genealogy offers many opportunities for those who wish to make a career out of their hobby. To be taken seriously in the field, however, one must attain certification from an accredited school or course. There are several schools that offer genealogy courses and seminars, including some online.
The Board for Certification of Genealogists confers two credentials: Certified Genealogist (CG) and Certified Genealogical Lecturer (CGL).
Organizations
The Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS), www.fgs.org.
The National Genealogical Society (NGS), www.ngsgenealogy.org.
The Association of Professional Genealogists, www.apgen.org.
Books
Balhuizen, Anne Ross. Searching on Location: Planning a Research Trip. Ancestry Incorporated, 1992.
Eichholz, Alice. Ancestry's Red Book: American State, Country and Town Sources. Ancestry Incorporated, 1992.
Greenwood, Val D. Researcher's Guide to American Genealogy. 2nd ed., Genealogical Publishing Co., 1994.
Hone, E. Wade. Land and Property Research in the United States. Ancestry Incorporated, 1997.
Lainhart, Ann S. State Census Records. Genealogical Publishing Co., 1992.
Mills, Elizabeth Shown. Evidence! Citation and Analysis for the Family Historian. Genealogical Publishing Co., 1997.
National Archives and Records Administration. Guide to Genealogical Research in the National Archives. Rev. ed., National Archives Trust Fund, 1991.
Neagles, James C. U.S. Military Records: A Guide to Federal and State Sources, Colonial America to the Present. Ancestry Incorporated, 1994.
Szucs, Loretto Dennis, and Sandra Hargreaves Luebking. The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy. Ancestry Incorporated, 1997.
Smith, Juliana Szucs. The Ancestry Family Historians Address Book: A Comprehensive List of Local, State, and Federal Agencies and Institutions and Ethnic and Genealogical Organizations. Ancestry Incorporated, 1998.
Bibliography
“How to Begin Genealogical Research.” National Archives, 29 Sept. 2021, www.archives.gov/riverside/how-to-begin-genealogical-research. Accessed 24 Apr. 2023.
“NGS Recommends . . . Eighteen Important Free Websites for Genealogy Research.” National Genealogical Society, www.ngsgenealogy.org/free-resources/websites/. Accessed 24 Apr. 2023.
Saxena, Jaya. “Why You Should Dig Up Your Family’s History — and How to Do It.” The New York Times, 3 Feb. 2019, www.nytimes.com/2019/02/03/smarter-living/why-you-should-dig-up-your-familys-history-and-how-to-do-it.html. Accessed 24 Apr. 2023.