Basics
The study of your ancestors...
What is Genealogy?
A person's last name...
What is a Surname?
What is Oral History?
Images captured at much smaller size and stored on film or flexible cards...
What is microfilm, microfiche, or micrographics?
Most popular website, 20+ billion records, paid membership. Access free from public libraries...
What is Ancestry.com?
Relationship between you and the child of your mom's sister...
What are cousins or first cousins?
Your parents, grandparents, and so on...
What are your ancestors?
What is a maiden name, or "nee?"
Firsthand recording of a birth, death or marriage...
What is a Vital Record?
Images stored electronically, often shared on the internet...
What is a digital image?
Second most popular website, free, records of The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints...
What is FamilySearch.org?
The common ancestor of you and your first cousin...
Your children, grandchildren, and so on...
What are your descendants?
The person in the house responsible for all others...
What is the Head of Household?
Records kept by a place of worship, including baptism or christening records, and marriage records...
What are Church Records?
Founded in 1894 by The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints to aid members with genealogy research...
What is Family History Library / Family History Centers / FamilySearch.org?
A comprehensive, categorized and cross-referenced list of links that points to online genealogy resources...
What is Cyndi's List / CindisList.com?
Relationship between you and the child of your father's uncle...
What are your first cousins once removed?
All the relatives born of the same ancestor in your family tree...
What is a Generation?
Chart starting with known individual, including that individual's direct line of parents, grandparents, etc...
What is a Pedigree Chart?
Records created by U.S. government to representation, taken every 10 years since 1790, with all household members listed since 1850...
What are Census Records?
Founded in 1903, a center for genealogy interest and activities at the national level...
What is the National Genealogical Society (NGS)?
Most popular genealogy software, used mostly by individuals...
What is Family Tree Maker?
Relationship between your grandmother & grandfather, both descended from the same 8th great grandfather, but 1 generation apart...
What are 8th cousins once removed?
Person, book, record, document, tombstone, or other place where genealogical info is obtained...
What is a Source?
Form starting with an individual or couple, and including all information on their family unit, including children in birth order...
What is a Family Group Record (or Family Group Sheet)?
Shortcut to using historic records, created to make finding someone easier...
What is an Index?
Not in MB, a test which looks at a person's genome to determine ancestral ethnicity & genealogical relationships...
What is a spit or DNA test?
What is RootsMagic?
Relationship between your parent and the child of your great-grandfather...
What is my aunt or uncle?