Lineage Genie - Basic Lineage Research

Basic Lineage Research

To start your research, you must locate the appropriate vital records for generations 1 to 3 or 4, and then continue to locate proof for each successive generation. Where government issued birth, marriage, and death records are available, they should be ordered. The following list of vital records by generation will help to guide you in your research of all dates and locations, along with parentage, to support each generation.

Note: You may use abbreviations: BC = Birth Cert; DC = Death Cert; MR = Marriage Rec; TS = Tombstone

Gen #1 - You and Your Spouse
BC - yours (long form showing parents' names)
BC - your spouse’s (long form showing parents' names)
MR - yours

Gen #2 - Your Parents
BC - your father's (long form showing parents' names)
BC - your mother's (long form showing parents' names)
MR - your parents
DC - for each parent who is deceased (long form showing parents' names)

Gen #3 - Your Grandparents
BC - your grandfather's (long form showing parents' names)
BC - your grandmother's (long form showing parents' names)
MR - your grandparents
DC - for each grandparent who is deceased (long form showing parents' names)

Gen #4+ - for each successive generation identify proof of each birth, marriage, death, and parentage. Repeat this list for each generation from Gen #4 to your ancestor or to a proven application paper.
Birth - birth dates & locations for both male and female ancestors
Marriage - marriage date & location
Death - death dates & locations for both male and female ancestors
Parentage - connection to the parents of each generation

Stay organized with your research by using the Lineage Worksheet (click link) to keep track of the documents that you have found, along with names, dates, and locations for each of the ancestors in your lineage. Identify the document(s) that connects each generation.

Documentation Tips

As you begin to gather your documents, it may help to keep a working copy of your application nearby. It's important that you follow the standards and guidelines for preparing your application. For example, the following elements of the document must be clearly formatted:

Dates: document as dd mmm yyyy (e.g., 15 Mar 2015)
Locations: document as city, county, state (e.g., Summit, Union Co, NJ)
Abbreviations: BC = Birth Cert; DC = Death Cert; MR = Marriage Rec;
TS = Tombstone

When gathering proof documents, remember to avoid staples, paper clips, and sticky notes. Never use a highlighter pen on copies of your proof document, since this will only darken the text when photocopied. Use a red pen to underline important names, dates, and locations.

Lineage Society Links

Lineage Societies continue to change and fine tune their genealogy requirements for application preparation. It is important to follow the latest guidelines and find a local chapter that will sponsor your application.

Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) becoming a member
- click here to find a DAR local chapter
Children of the American Revolution (NSCAR) application requirements
- click here to find a CAR local society
Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) application requirements
- click here to find an SAR local chapter
Sons of the Revolution (SR) membership requirements
- click here to find an SR state society

Supporting Documents

To prove your lineage, the goal is to locate original supporting documents recorded at the time of the event. However, even with an exhaustive search that may not be possible. In such cases, multiple forms of indirect evidence may suffice. The determination of the suitability of evidence can only be made on a case-by-case basis. The list below offers some of the many supporting document options. While many records are available online, it is also important to explore local city, county, and state archives, courthouses, and other repositories.

Original Sources providing Primary Information:

Seek to find direct evidence from original sources, recorded at the time of the event by an informant with first hand knowledge of the event.

Vital Records – birth, marriage, and death records with parents names to connect generations:
- www.cdc.gov/nchs/w2w.htm - CDC site identifies where to write for vital docs
Pension Records – military files may identify birth, death, and family relationships
Bible Records – when recorded by a person present at the time of the event (e.g., a parent recorded child’s birth)
Probate / Wills / Court Records – check courthouses
Tombstones – pictures of tombstones that show birth and death dates and are contemporary to the death date (recently placed memorial stones are not accepted)
Land Records and Deeds – may show family relationships

Other Sources:

Extracts, abstracts, and transcriptions of original sources may be able to prove a fact. Use secondary information (that which was not recorded at the time of the event) with caution. Likewise, authored works can be fraught with errors and should be used for clues to locate the original sources.

Obituaries – when printed in local newspapers, may provide family relationships
Census Records – several census years may prove dates, locations, and family relationships
Books on Family Histories – copy cover page and all relevant pages (may be an authored work containing undetermined information - use with caution)
County Histories – copy cover page and all relevant pages (may be an authored work containing undetermined information - use with caution)
Local Historical Societies – may hold family records on file

Member, Association of Professional Genealogists