Genealogy has continuously been of interest and importance to people for hundreds of years.  Those of noble birth in the European courts especially needed to know their lineage to determine who was actually in line for the throne.  This has always been true within the United Kingdom’s long history.

The study of family ancestors with documentation of birth, marriage and death dates through parents, grandparents, great grandparents, as far back as possible is what the word genealogy means.  The phrase family history is a more in-depth study of the lineage in a family including the life stories of individuals; such as their education, occupations, medical conditions, military service, residences, etc.

If you are just beginning to investigate your lineage, you may only be familiar with your parents’ names, date of birth and possibly a marriage date.   There is so much more that can be added just to that parental generation.  Dates and location of events go hand-in-hand.  However, insert with that the knowledge of your parents’ full legal names.  An individual who was referred to as ‘W. F.’ during their whole life, might actually have a full legal name of Wilfred Franklin Smith, which can be a crucial piece of information.

Pedigree Chart

To begin any search genealogical undertaking you have to commence with a pedigree chart.  This is a listing of each known family person with their basic information.  Always start with yourself.  Write out your name, birth date, birth location, marriage date and location.  Draw two lines out or in two boxes and then place your parents’ names.   Add their birth, marriage and death dates along with locations.  Now this is the initiation of a pedigree chart.

Next you take each parent and another line or box is drawn out for their mother and father. Those individuals would be your grandparents.  This is forming a direct lineage of your ancestors (You > parents > grandparents > great grandparents, etc.).

Within a short period of time you can start to have a multitude of names; all your ancestors, from whom you descended.  Just starting with your parents (2), then grandparents (4), great grandparents (8) and to the 2nd great grandparents (16), there is now a total of 30 unique and different people, all who contributed to the future generations, including yourself.