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How to Find Descendants in the United States (view source)
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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> | ||
'''Motives for descendancy research.''' Researchers sometimes do descendancy research in order to: | '''Motives for descendancy research.''' Researchers sometimes do descendancy research in order to: | ||
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'''To understand the family better.''' Understanding the children often leads to more information about the parents. The best researchers seek to understand a family in community context. Learning about descendants is part of understanding the family's community and why they lived their lives the way they did.<br> | '''To understand the family better.''' Understanding the children often leads to more information about the parents. The best researchers seek to understand a family in community context. Learning about descendants is part of understanding the family's community and why they lived their lives the way they did.<br> | ||
'''More recent records''' are usually easier to find, more complete, and easier to understand. Descendancy research takes advantage of more recent records over earlier, usually harder-to-find older records. | '''More recent records''' are usually easier to find, more complete, and easier to understand. Descendancy research takes advantage of more recent records over earlier, usually harder-to-find older records. | ||
== '''Risks of Descendancy Research''' == | == '''Risks of Descendancy Research''' == | ||
'''''It may increase the chances of an error.''''' If the goal is to gather as many names as fast as possible, there is a risk the research and documentation will become casual or sloppy. Undue haste may result in unnecessary duplication of research and name submissions.<br> | '''''It may increase the chances of an error.''''' If the goal is to gather as many names as fast as possible, there is a risk the research and documentation will become casual or sloppy. Undue haste may result in unnecessary duplication of research and name submissions.<br> | ||
Also, descendancy researchers are sometimes trying to prove their relationship to a famous ancestor. When celebrity is involved, there is a greater temptation to make child to parent linkage decisions than cannot be proved. | Also, descendancy researchers are sometimes trying to prove their relationship to a famous ancestor. When celebrity is involved, there is a greater temptation to make child to parent linkage decisions than cannot be proved. | ||
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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=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&amp;amp;locale=0&amp;amp;sourceId=165c6f708ee71110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&amp;amp;hideNav=1 Branching Out on Your Family Tree]," ''Ensign'', April 2007, 44-47.</ref> by the wagon full. | 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=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&amp;amp;amp;locale=0&amp;amp;amp;sourceId=165c6f708ee71110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&amp;amp;amp;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 and submit for temple ordinances direct-line ancestors and their children. Private extraction programs are not appropriate. Further, living children and spouses may wish to have the ordinances 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/31377165&amp;referer=brief_results ''A Member's Guide to Temple and Family History Work: Ordinances and Covenants''] (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. | '''''Latter-day Saints''''' have the responsibility to research and submit for temple ordinances direct-line ancestors and their children. Private extraction programs are not appropriate. Further, living children and spouses may wish to have the ordinances 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/31377165&amp;amp;referer=brief_results ''A Member's Guide to Temple and Family History Work: Ordinances and Covenants''] (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. | ||
== '''Doing Descendancy Research'''<br> | == '''Doing Descendancy Research'''<br> == | ||
<div class="Section1"> | <div class="Section1"> | ||
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Step 4: Consult Additional Sources | Step 4: Consult Additional Sources | ||
Step 5: Compile and Share What You Have Learned<br> | Step 5: Compile and Share What You Have Learned<br> | ||
|} | |} | ||
<br> | <br> | ||
=== '''''Step 1: Prepare''''' === | === '''''Step 1: Prepare''''' === | ||
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*'''''Begin with individuals or families alive around 1850.''''' People who lived in the period from the mid-1800s to the present are usually easier to find. In many countries, birth, and death records began to be created by the mid-1800s. Also, some countries began to keep census records showing the names and ages of each family member. | *'''''Begin with individuals or families alive around 1850.''''' People who lived in the period from the mid-1800s to the present are usually easier to find. In many countries, birth, and death records began to be created by the mid-1800s. Also, some countries began to keep census records showing the names and ages of each family member. | ||
*'''''Record what you find on family group records.''''' A family group record will enable you to record information for all the children in a family, parents and grandparents. As you search for the descendants of your ancestors, family group records will help you organize your work. | *'''''Record what you find on family group records.''''' A family group record will enable you to record information for all the children in a family, parents and grandparents. As you search for the descendants of your ancestors, family group records will help you organize your work. | ||
</div> <!--{12051889909210} --> | </div><!--{12051889909210} --> | ||
=== '''''Step 3: Collect Previous Research''''' === | === '''''Step 3: Collect Previous Research''''' === | ||
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'''Broadening your search.''' A quick review of published family histories, compiled genealogies, and resources on the Internet will tell you how much research may still be needed. For information on how to do basic research, go to [[How to Begin a Search for Your Ancestor|How to Begin a Search for Your Ancestor]].<br> | '''Broadening your search.''' A quick review of published family histories, compiled genealogies, and resources on the Internet will tell you how much research may still be needed. For information on how to do basic research, go to [[How to Begin a Search for Your Ancestor|How to Begin a Search for Your Ancestor]].<br> | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
=== '''''Step 4: Consult Additional Sources''''' === | === '''''Step 4: Consult Additional Sources''''' === | ||
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*or use a search engine like [http://www.google.com/ Google] or [http://www.yahoo.com/ Yahoo] to search for an individual and his or her obituary. | *or use a search engine like [http://www.google.com/ Google] or [http://www.yahoo.com/ Yahoo] to search for an individual and his or her obituary. | ||
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=== '''''Step 5: Compile and Share What You Have Learned''''' === | === '''''Step 5: Compile and Share What You Have Learned''''' === | ||
Each time you find information about an ancestor, [[Document AS YOU GO!|document it as you go]]. Good documentation will increase the value of your work when you share it with others. Sharing research with others helps verify the findings, and leads to new information.<br> | Each time you find information about an ancestor, [[Document AS YOU GO!|document it as you go]]. Good documentation will increase the value of your work when you share it with others. Sharing research with others helps verify the findings, and leads to new information.<br> | ||
'''Document what you find. '''As you identify the members of your ancestral families, put the information on [[Research Logs|research logs]] and family group records. The family group record is the most widely-used means for recording information about parents and their descendants. | '''Document what you find. '''As you identify the members of your ancestral families, put the information on [[Research Logs|research logs]] and family group records. The family group record is the most widely-used means for recording information about parents and their descendants. | ||
Several computer programs make the creation and updating of family group records and descendancy charts easier. A good no cost program is Personal Ancestral File (PAF). You can download this program starting from the [http://www.familysearch.org/ FamilySearch home page]. <br> | Several computer programs make the creation and updating of family group records and descendancy charts easier. A good no cost program is Personal Ancestral File (PAF). You can download this program starting from the [http://www.familysearch.org/ FamilySearch home page]. <br> | ||
'''Share Your Research.''' There are many ways to share. You could put up a genealogical web page, publish a genealogical magazine article, or publish a book, or contribute to a genealogical databases like the [[Submitting to the Pedigree Resource File|Pedigree Resource File]]. | '''Share Your Research.''' There are many ways to share. You could put up a genealogical web page, publish a genealogical magazine article, or publish a book, or contribute to a genealogical databases like the [[Submitting to the Pedigree Resource File|Pedigree Resource File]]. | ||
'''Conclusion''' Finding the descendants of your ancestors can be rewarding. This approach to family history research will help you find hundreds of relatives you would have missed had you focused your research only on your ancestors. It might also provide the clues and information you need to get past dead ends in your search for ancestors. Descendancy research will help you locate living relatives you didn’t know about. You can collaborate with living relatives and share the workload with others. Learning about the children, grandchildren, and even the great-grandchildren of your ancestors gives you a more complete picture of your family. | '''Conclusion''' Finding the descendants of your ancestors can be rewarding. This approach to family history research will help you find hundreds of relatives you would have missed had you focused your research only on your ancestors. It might also provide the clues and information you need to get past dead ends in your search for ancestors. Descendancy research will help you locate living relatives you didn’t know about. You can collaborate with living relatives and share the workload with others. Learning about the children, grandchildren, and even the great-grandchildren of your ancestors gives you a more complete picture of your family. | ||
== '''Related Content'''<br> | == '''Related Content'''<br> == | ||
*[http://www.familysearch.org/eng/lessons/desc_resch_L1.html Descendancy Research: Lesson 1] (30 minute online video) | *[http://www.familysearch.org/eng/lessons/desc_resch_L1.html Descendancy Research: Lesson 1] (30 minute online video) | ||
*[http://www.familysearch.org/eng/lessons/desc_resch_L2.html Descendancy Research: Lesson 2] (25 minute online video) | *[http://www.familysearch.org/eng/lessons/desc_resch_L2.html Descendancy Research: Lesson 2] (25 minute online video) | ||
*[http://www.familysearch.org/eng/lessons/desc_resch_L3.html Descendancy Research: Lesson 3] (21 minute online video) | *[http://www.familysearch.org/eng/lessons/desc_resch_L3.html Descendancy Research: Lesson 3] (21 minute online video) | ||
*[http://www.familysearch.org/eng/lessons/L1_Descendancy_Research.pdf Perform Descendancy Research] (pdf to accompany ''Descendany Research ''lessons 1, 2, and 3) | |||
*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. | |||
*Wiki Article, "[https://wiki.familysearch.org/en/Finding_Genealogy_Collections Finding Genealogy Collections]." | *Wiki Article, "[https://wiki.familysearch.org/en/Finding_Genealogy_Collections Finding Genealogy Collections]." | ||
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{{Reflist}} | {{Reflist}} | ||
[[Category:Beginners]] [[Category:United_States]] [[Category:FamilySearch_Research_Classes_Online]] </div> | |||
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