New to Genealogy?
1. Introduction - What Is Genealogy?
Genealogy (from the Greek: 'genea' meaning "descent"; and 'logos', meaning "knowledge") is the study of families, their lineages and history to try to understand where and when people lived, their lifestyles and the events that took place in their lives.
Amateur genealogists typically pursue their own ancestry and that of their children and spouses, while professional genealogists conduct research on behalf of other people.
This guide is concentrates on the amateur genealogist.
Anyone can trace their family history. How successful you are depends on a number of factors. If your family is sprinkled with people who were wealthy or were well known, you are likely to find a great deal of documentation to help you. However, you do not have to descend from the rich and famous to be able to trace your ancestors. In most countries there are records of virtually everone who has lived over the last few centuries. The level of detail varies (particularly as you go back in time) but all of it is useful.
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