Educational genealogy definitions and explanations designed to help beginners and experienced researchers better understand common family history terminology, records, DNA concepts, and research methods.
Genealogy Definition What Is Griffith’s Valuation? Griffith’s Valuation helps genealogists place Irish families in specific townlands and communities during the mid-1800s, often providing one of the clearest surviving snapshots of where ancestors lived before or after the Great Famine. Short Definition Griffith’s Valuation was a major property survey carried out across Ireland between 1847 and … Read more
Genealogy Definition What Is an Occupation? Occupations help genealogists understand how ancestors earned a living, experienced daily life, moved through society, and participated in the communities and industries surrounding them. Short Definition In genealogy and historical records, an occupation refers to a person’s job, trade, profession, or type of work. Occupation records can reveal important … Read more
Genealogy Definition What Is a Household? Households help genealogists understand how ancestors actually lived together, revealing family structure, economic realities, community relationships, and everyday life within a single home at a specific moment in time. Short Definition In census records, a household refers to the group of people living together in a single home or … Read more
Genealogy Definition What Is a Beneficiary? Beneficiary records help genealogists uncover inheritance patterns, family relationships, social connections, and the ways people chose to provide for those closest to them after death. Short Definition A beneficiary is a person or organization who receives money, property, possessions, or other assets from someone’s estate, will, trust, insurance policy, … Read more
Genealogy Definition What Is an Executor? Executors help genealogists uncover family relationships, inheritance practices, trusted social connections, and the people responsible for carrying out someone’s final wishes after death. Short Definition An executor is the person legally responsible for carrying out the instructions written in someone’s will after they die. In genealogy records, executors are … Read more
Genealogy Definition What Is an Estate? Estate records help genealogists understand inheritance, family relationships, property ownership, social status, and the everyday possessions and responsibilities people left behind after death. Short Definition In genealogy and legal records, an estate refers to everything a person owned at the time of their death, including property, money, possessions, land, … Read more
Genealogy Definition What Are Letters of Administration? Letters of Administration help genealogists uncover inheritance, next-of-kin relationships, estate management, and the legal process followed when someone died without leaving a valid will. Short Definition Letters of Administration are legal documents issued by a court giving someone authority to manage the estate of a person who died … Read more
Genealogy Definition What Does Intestate Mean? Intestate records help genealogists uncover inheritance patterns, family relationships, and estate administration when an ancestor died without leaving a valid will. Short Definition In genealogy and legal records, intestate means a person died without leaving a valid will. When someone died intestate, their estate was distributed according to the … Read more
Genealogy Definition What Is a Maternal Line? Maternal line research helps genealogists trace ancestry, migration, DNA inheritance, and family identity through generations connected by mothers and maternal ancestors. Short Definition A maternal line is the direct line of ancestry connected through a person’s mother. In genealogy, a maternal line usually follows the chain of mothers … Read more
Genealogy Definition What Is a Paternal Line? Paternal line research helps genealogists trace surnames, ancestry, migration, DNA inheritance, and family identity through generations connected by fathers and paternal ancestors. Short Definition A paternal line is the direct line of ancestry connected through a person’s father. In genealogy, a paternal line usually follows the chain of … Read more