Pedigree Analysis Steps One to Three - International Institute

Pedigree Analysis

When starting ancestral research, and as you move back each generation, carry out the procedure known as a pedigree analysis. This consists of three stages:

Organizing the facts that you have
Estimating dates and places
Planning the next research step

1. Organizing the Facts That You Have

The following chart shows part of my pedigree with the known facts organized in standard fashion.

Pedigree Analysis: Step 1-Organizing Known Facts

2. Estimating Dates and Places

Here we make some hypotheses by using the known facts and some estimates to provide a framework of dates and places with which to start searching for more information. We recognize that one or more may be incorrect, but we say to ourselves—if these assumptions are true then these are the most likely dates and places. The following chart shows our estimations and the 2nd chart adds these to the pedigree.

Pedigree Analysis: Step 2-Making Estimations

INFORMATION NEEDED	ESTIMATES BASED ON DEDUCTIONS
Name of Francis’s mother	Francis had 5 daughters, named (in order): Sophia Thom (after his wife) Rachel Henderson THOM (after wife’s mother) Elizabeth Moss THOM Isabella THOM (after wife’s father’s mother) Mary Preslay THOM (after his father’s mother). Using the Scottish naming pattern it seems highly probable that Francis’s mother was named Elizabeth MOSS.
Date of THOM - MOSS marriage	Between 1806 (John THOM age 20) and 1812 (christening of first child.
Place of THOM – MOSS marriage	He was a mariner, could be anywhere!
Death of John THOM	After 1821 (christening of last child), could be at sea
Death of Elizabeth MOSS	After 1821 (christening of last child), probably Scotland
Birth of John THOM snr	175/2 - from age at death, probably in Scotland
Birth of Mary PRESLAY	1741-1762 – assuming at least age 18 at marriage and not more than 45 at birth of John. She was probably younger than her husband, so most likely date range is 1752-1762. Probably in Scotland, possibly at Old Deer.
Birth of Elizabeth MOSS	Date estimated from childbearing date range to be 1776-1794. Place could be anywhere, perhaps where they married.

Pedigree Analysis: Step 3- Estimates Added

Now we have some concrete ideas of when and where to start our searches.

3. Planning the Next Research Step

Choose an ancestor and decide what source(s) would give you the needed information. Take into consideration the following:

Is there previous research that can be checked, for example the Ancestral File or contact with other researchers through genealogical directories?

Are there any indexes to original sources which would assist you? Examples are the Scottish OPR Index or probate indexes.

Can you conveniently access these indexes and the original sources? Or will you need to get someone else to look at them for you? Is it cheaper to do the research yourself by visiting the archives, on film at your FSC, or by using a record agent at a distant archive. Consider travel expenses and cost of time, films, library fees, and record agent fees.

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Information in this Wiki page is excerpted from the online courses Methodology - Part 1: Getting Started, Methodology - Part 2: Organizing and Skillbuilding], Methodology - Part 3: More Strategies], Methodology - Part 4: Effective Searching and Recording, Methodology - Part 5: How To Prove It, and Methodology - Part 6: Professional Preparation and Practice offered by The International Institute of Genealogical Studies. To learn more about these courses or other courses available from the Institute, see our website. We can be contacted at wiki@genealogicalstudies.com

We welcome updates and additions to this Wiki page.



The original content for this article was contributed by The International Institute of Genealogical Studies in June 2012. It is an excerpt from their course Methodology - Part 1: Getting Started, Methodology - Part 2: Organizing and Skillbuilding], Methodology - Part 3: More Strategies], Methodology - Part 4: Effective Searching and Recording, Methodology - Part 5: How To Prove It, and Methodology - Part 6: Professional Preparation and Practice by Louise St Denis, Brenda Dougall Merriman and Dr. Penelope Christensen. The Institute offers over 200 comprehensive genealogy courses for a fee ($).