About Genealogy

Originally, genealogy had the very practical purpose of proving claims of power, wealth and property among noble clans – the legitimacy of one's noble heritage is often put into question because there are many instances of con men or illegitimate children attempting to claim certain inheritances, titles and rights for themselves. The concept was also connected to heraldry, wherein royal families create a coat of arms or family insignia that is based on the heritage of their ancestors (a long line of soldiers or warriors, for example, often have weaponry depicted in their crests). Most of the early examples of genealogy are considered fake nowadays – many of them claim ancestries that involve myths or gods.

Today, genealogy has become fairly common, expanding beyond the nobles and catching on with regular people. It became a rather popular hobby in the 1970's, and since then, more tools have been developed to help enthusiasts trace their ancestries as far as they are willing. The dawn of the internet age only made the interest in genealogy more widespread, and genealogy has most definitely become one of the most searched topics in the world wide web.

Typically, genealogy involves the research of one's own family, but there are genealogists who have turned professional and would do specialized research on names, places and people. They also offer assistance in family tree-building, the efficient use of genealogy tools and methods, and cultural peculiarities in particular time periods.