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How to Find Descendants in the United States: Difference between revisions
How to Find Descendants in the United States (view source)
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<br>See also [[United States, How to Find Genealogy Records]]<br> | <br> | ||
See also [[United States, How to Find Genealogy Records]]<br> | |||
The goal of descendancy research is to find the children (and spouses), grandchildren (and spouses), and so forth of an ancestral couple. Descendancy research starts farther back in time and moves toward the present. <br> | The goal of descendancy research is to find the children (and spouses), grandchildren (and spouses), and so forth of an ancestral couple. Descendancy research starts farther back in time and moves toward the present. <br> | ||
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*locate living descendants of ancestors for DNA testing purposes. | *locate living descendants of ancestors for DNA testing purposes. | ||
<br><br><br><br>[[Image:Mahala-mullins-cabin-porch-tn1.jpg|frame|right|280x230px]] | <br><br><br><br>[[Image:Mahala-mullins-cabin-porch-tn1.jpg|frame|right|280x230px|Mahala-mullins-cabin-porch-tn1.jpg]] | ||
== '''Value of Descendancy Research''' == | == '''Value of Descendancy Research''' == | ||
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'''More names per generation.''' One advantage of descendancy research is the potential number of names you could find. Most families have more than two children per couple. If all those children marry and have more than two children, there is a potential to find more relatives by descendancy research than in the same number of generations of pedigree research. However, to be fair, pedigree researchers also usually research the immediate children of each couple on their pedigree. In theory, assuming each generation has exactly four children who live, marry once, and have exactly four children, in three generations, pedigree researchers would find 42 relatives (counting spouses and immediate children), and descendancy researchers would find 106 relatives. With larger families the difference can increase dramatically. This way of counting names does not change the number of actual people who have lived—it only changes because of who you count as a relative. | '''More names per generation.''' One advantage of descendancy research is the potential number of names you could find. Most families have more than two children per couple. If all those children marry and have more than two children, there is a potential to find more relatives by descendancy research than in the same number of generations of pedigree research. However, to be fair, pedigree researchers also usually research the immediate children of each couple on their pedigree. In theory, assuming each generation has exactly four children who live, marry once, and have exactly four children, in three generations, pedigree researchers would find 42 relatives (counting spouses and immediate children), and descendancy researchers would find 106 relatives. With larger families the difference can increase dramatically. This way of counting names does not change the number of actual people who have lived—it only changes because of who you count as a relative. | ||
[[Image:Descendancy research 3.jpg|frame|left | [[Image:Descendancy research 3.jpg|frame|left]] | ||
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'''''It may be harder.''''' Some genealogists consider descendancy research more difficult than pedigree research. This is because finding children is sometimes more difficult than finding parents. There are always exactly two parents of each child, but the number of children of each set of parents can vary widely. In many cases there tends to be more documents that are likely to name the parents of a child, and fewer documents that list all the children of a set of parents. Finding children who died young and between censuses is often more difficult than finding parents. | '''''It may be harder.''''' Some genealogists consider descendancy research more difficult than pedigree research. This is because finding children is sometimes more difficult than finding parents. There are always exactly two parents of each child, but the number of children of each set of parents can vary widely. In many cases there tends to be more documents that are likely to name the parents of a child, and fewer documents that list all the children of a set of parents. Finding children who died young and between censuses is often more difficult than finding parents. | ||
On the other hand, some genealogists consider descendancy research easier—an opportunity to snatch the low-hanging fruit<ref>Sam Lower, "Picking the Low-Hanging Fruit," ''Ensign'', April 2007, 46. On the Internet with the article by George D. Durrant, "[http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid= | On the other hand, some genealogists consider descendancy research easier—an opportunity to snatch the low-hanging fruit<ref>Sam Lower, "Picking the Low-Hanging Fruit," ''Ensign'', April 2007, 46. On the Internet with the article by George D. Durrant, "[http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRDsourceId=165c6f708ee71110VgnVCM100000176f620a____hideNav=1 Branching Out on Your Family Tree]," ''Ensign'', April 2007, 44-47.</ref> by the wagon full. | ||
'''''No shortage of pedigree names.''''' It is true you can find more names in three generations of descendancy research than in three generations of pedigree research. So what? There is no shortage of names for a pedigree researcher willing to go back a few more generations and concentrate on the immediate children of direct line ancestors. | '''''No shortage of pedigree names.''''' It is true you can find more names in three generations of descendancy research than in three generations of pedigree research. So what? There is no shortage of names for a pedigree researcher willing to go back a few more generations and concentrate on the immediate children of direct line ancestors. | ||
'''''Latter-day Saints''''' have the responsibility to research direct-line ancestors and their children. Further, living children and spouses may wish to have the work postponed for near relatives. Acting in conflict with the wishes of the closest living relative can result in bad feelings.<ref>Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, [http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/ | '''''Latter-day Saints''''' have the responsibility to research direct-line ancestors and their children. Further, living children and spouses may wish to have the work postponed for near relatives. Acting in conflict with the wishes of the closest living relative can result in bad feelings.<ref>Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, [http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/31377165referer=brief_results ''A Member's Guide to Family History Work''] (Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1993), 14.</ref> Mass descendancy research and submissions by an overzealous distant cousin often deprive more closely related family members of the joy of contributing work on their nearer relatives. | ||
'''''Protect privacy and the feelings of others.''''' When doing descendancy research please be protective of the privacy of living people. Please be respectful and considerate of the feelings of living relatives regarding their deceased ancestors. | '''''Protect privacy and the feelings of others.''''' When doing descendancy research please be protective of the privacy of living people. Please be respectful and considerate of the feelings of living relatives regarding their deceased ancestors. | ||
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*[https://www.familysearch.org/learningcenter/lesson/descendancy-research/568 Descendancy Research] (40 minute online video) | *[https://www.familysearch.org/learningcenter/lesson/descendancy-research/568 Descendancy Research] (40 minute online video) | ||
[[Image:Descendancy research.jpg|thumb|650px]] | [[Image:Descendancy research.jpg|thumb|650px|Descendancy research.jpg]] | ||
*George D. Durrant, "[http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=165c6f708ee71110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&hideNav=1 Branching Out on Your Family Tree]," ''Ensign'', April 2007, 44-47. | *George D. Durrant, "[http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=165c6f708ee71110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&hideNav=1 Branching Out on Your Family Tree]," ''Ensign'', April 2007, 44-47. | ||
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{{featured article}} | {{featured article}} | ||
[[Category:Beginners]] [[Category:United_States]] [[Category:FamilySearch_Research_Classes_Online]] [[Category: | [[Category:Beginners]] [[Category:United_States]] [[Category:FamilySearch_Research_Classes_Online]] [[Category:How_to_articles]] | ||