You are Here Because of 1,024 Ancestral Lines
You might have only thought you are a product of your parents (Mom and Dad), but it does go much further than those two. If you double the number of ancestors in each generation, 2 parents, 4 grandparents, and so on, we can see that by the time you are back 10 generations, you have the potential for 1,024 ancestral lines. True, you might not learn the names of over one thousand ancestors, but they did exist.
Another aspect is estimated that 80% of the marriages in history were between second cousins. With the population base being smaller, people lived in small communities and migrated within those same small communities, so not that many great a selection of mates. This tendency to marry cousins reversed itself in more recent years, due to larger population numbers, greater travel and easier access to possible mates.
Tracing the generations adds up quickly. If you go back to your great, great grandparents there are 16, go to your sixth great grandparents there are 256. Reaching your eighth great grandparents the figure is 1,024. Go back about 300 to 400 years and there is your 12th generation line with 4,094 ancestors. Count all those ancestors of the 12th genealogical line plus all born to present time of the family, the figure is about 8,190. Figure each generation is about 25 years, true that can vary, but for an approximate number of years, figure 25.
Most people doing their family lineage are happy to go back to their 6th generation, the third great grandparents. That is going back 100 to 150 years. However, if you reach that lineage, don’t stop, see if you can correctly locate the 7th or 8th generation.
You are the dream of many ancestors and the result of their love and sacrifice, and strength and determination.
Those hundreds of ancestors are not living today but their genes are doing just fine, living in other people – like you.
Photos: Ancestral lines charts
Related FamilyTree.com Blogs:
Tidbits to Learn about your Ancestors
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