Family Tree

A Definition of Family and Family Tree
Familia, ‘family’ can refer to several units connected
by kinship bonds: a nuclear unit, generally known
as your immediate family, consisting of two parents
and their children; an extended unit, made up of all living relatives;
and all individuals that have descended from
a shared ancestor, tribe, clan or race.

In genealogical terms, familia refers to the latter.
A family tree then, is a genealogical map, a drawing of all kinship
bonds that can be traced in your family.

It is the result of the family genealogist’s research,
which involves perusing archival records,
such as property deeds, wills and marriage certificates, to name a few.

Family Trees Uproot Family History
Family genealogists also construct family trees through one-name studies or one-place studies
to track all ancestors with the same surname or same place of residence, respectively.
This means that your family tree can tell you about when your family adopted your family name or
where your ancestors lived. A family tree shows the eldest generations at its pinnacle and the
youngest at its base. It can depict all those who are direct forebearers or simply all known
descendants of an individual. A family tree can also depict all those with the same surname,
such as all males of a particular pedigree, or all those that have inherited a particular title, such as a line of kings.

Practical Usage in Times Past and Today
It is when we speak of kings, as well as nobles, that the importance of family trees in times past becomes clear.
In order to succeed as king or inherit a title, one had to irrefutably prove oneself to be a direct heir
of whomever held the office previously. This goes back to the meaning of genealogy, ‘knowledge of generations’,
which is the discipline of tracing ancestral roots and mapping family trees. Today, family trees are often created for
medical purposes to help discover one’s medical history and aid diagnoses.

Family Tree: One of Many Symbols of Family Heritage
A family tree’s significance for family history and heritage, as both a practical map of bloodlines and pictorial
representation of a kinship group and its members’ shared heritage, remains strong and relevant in today’s world.
Other pictorial representations of a family’s heritage are family symbols, such as shields, crests and coats of arms.
These recall the days when heraldry, the art of emblazoning coats of arms, was established to grant individual
recognition in combat. Their heritage can be traced back to medieval tournaments in the twelfth century.
You can trace your heritage back to those times with the help of your family tree.
A Coat of Arms is sometimes also called a Family Shield, Family Seal or Family Crest.

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