If you are new to genealogy there are a few terms you should know. Understanding the meanings ahead of time could prevent following the wrong branch of the family tree.
Genealogy is the study of family descent. This means the family from which you have descended. You are actually working backwards to discover your ancestors.
Beginning Terms Relating to Genealogy
- Ancestor-person or people from whhom one is descended. A relative.
- Biography-a narrative of important event's of a person's life.
- Census-list of inhabitants of a certain area or region, done on a federal or state basis.
- Death notice-a short mention of a person's death, usually in a newspaper. Shorter than an obituary.
- Deed-a legal document conveying real property.
- Descendant-a person who descends from an ancestor.
- Emigration-moving from one country to another, or one area to another.
- Estate-property owned by a person at their time of death.
- Executor-person named in a will to handle the deceased estate.
- Extract-to copy a record or portions of it, verbatim(word for word)
- Family group sheet-a standard chart used to record the genealogical information pertaining to one family.
- Generation-all the progeny that are at the same stae of descent of a common ancestor.
- Head of household-person whose name appears first in the census record of a household. Generally male if husband or father is living .
- Immigration-the act of moving into one country from another to establish a residence.
- Issue-children of a couple.
- Naturalization records-documents that are produced when an immigrant becomes a citizen of the United States.
- Obituary-a detailed announcement of a person's death that lists biographical data, surviving relatives, religion and burial information.
- Original source-the original form of a historical document.
- Pedigree-one's lineage or ancestory.
- Pedigree chart-chart used to record detailed genealogical information.
- Plat-a map showing details of who owns property. Often used in cemetaries to show locations of graves. Some small towns also publish plat books.
- Primary source-a record created at the time of an event by someone with personal knowledge of the even.
- Secondary source-a record created long after the original event;not as reliable as a primary source.
- Surname-family name or last name.
- Tax record-list of people paying taxes in a given area and their property; usually compiled on a county level every year.
- Vital records-legal records of births, deaths, marriages and divorces.
- Will-a legal document explaining the desired disposition of a person's property upon their death.
How These Terms Will Help Your Search
Knowing and understanding these terms will help your search progress more accurately and quickly. Maintaining accurate records is just as important as locating records. Genealogy can be time consuming and it is disappointing when you find you have followed the wrong leads. Looking for, and following the proper branches of your family tree will make the fruits of your labor that much sweeter.
The copyright of the article Beginning Terminology for Geneaologists in Genealogy is owned by Sandra Webster. Permission to republish Beginning Terminology for Geneaologists in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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