ABSTRACT
Simply put, genealogy is the study of ancestry and of descent-the search for origins through bloodlines. Typically, it consists of tracing the lineage of individuals back for as many generations as possible with the purpose of positioning the individual with respect to his or her contemporaries and kin. During recent decades the study of genealogy has become popular with the onset of leisure time and with easier access to birth and death records, passenger lists, and immigration data. Using these materials, thousands of people have conducted research into their own ancestry and that of others.
