Getting to know about one’s family history is one of the most interesting tasks that can let you discover a vast amount of information about yourself, your heritage, your traits and many other characteristics that are innate. One of the best ways to study your family history is to undergo several processes that are titled family tree studies, methods and techniques that match the precise information of your parents, grandparents and many of your other ancestors whom you probably did not have the opportunity to meet during your lifetime. Along with family tree studies lie the techniques used in genealogy, which is the systematic study of families and keeping track of their members, offspring and overall history.
Studying the family Tree
It is important to consider that family tree studies and genealogy are closely related but they are not the same in terms of definition and scope. In order to effectively conduct a precise family tree study, it is necessary to trace back family members according to a direct relationship between offspring, parents, grandparents and great grandparents. The most efficient way is by asking questions to each family member as each one has a direct connection with the other member, thereby studying the trends of a family tree and the origin of each family member.
Studying a family tree can be done by asking questions to one’s own parents and grandparents about their families, focusing especially on the parents of each member. However, the main difficulty and complexity of studying a family tree is directly associated with the limitation of information provided by each kind of family member, with special scenarios where the remaining ancestors up to a specific point are unknown in terms of identity and history. It is at this precise point where genealogy merges with family tree studies in order to effectively go beyond the information that is provided and known from a family tree.
Genealogy Processes
Genealogy processes are effectively conducted through studies of oral traditions, genetic analysis and a wide variety of records in order to obtain the necessary information about kinship and genetic information from an individual or family. The fundamental process in terms of genealogy is genetic analysis through each individual’s DNA. Since DNA contains valuable information about past ancestors, it is likely that traces of these ancestors can be effectively studied and traced back to which precise ancestors were family members of the given individual who is being studied.
Other advanced genealogy techniques consist of research through data sharing between institutions such as government entities, as well as information in birth records, death records, identity records and other agencies. These records provide effective descriptions, photographs or even biometrics about each given individual which can then be linked based on the surname of the family and obtain different pieces of information about each given family, based on traits, race, characteristics, demographics and other variety of identifiable characteristics.
Just like with any other type of research, genealogy research is important in terms of how it is conducted to effectively find the appropriate and reliable sources of information. Genealogy analysis in terms of dates, identifiable characteristics and other factors can be used to determine the right characteristics of each individual and trace back its origin by creating a family tree and create a solid family history of each overall member.
Are Family tree studies and genealogy effective?
Another important factor into family tree studies and genealogy analysis is the ability for both of these methods to be precise and reliable, especially when a long period of time has passes since the records were created. The complex process of genealogy is an overall challenge in itself that provides an interesting search of information that is highly recommended to only be conducted by experienced and professional genealogists.
In conclusion, family tree studies and genealogy research is an effective means in looking back to the past, both acting as a lens toward the overall family history that can be derived from the exact manipulation and research of information made by genealogists and family tree creators. One might also consider having either a maternal or a paternal lineage test or even an Ancestral DNA Origins test.