Definition of genealogy

The word "genealogy" derives from the Greek word γενεαλογία (genealogia), consisting of two roots: "genos" (γένος) meaning "race," "family," or "kind," and "logos" (λόγος) meaning "word" or "study." In ancient Greece, "genealogy" referred to the study or record of family lineages, particularly those of the ruling class and prominent families. The term gained popularity during the Renaissance, as scholars in Europe began to take a renewed interest in classical Greek learning. Today, "genealogy" refers to the scholarly and genealogical pursuit of tracing family lineage, ancestry, and descent over multiple generations. It often includes the use of various records, documents, and sequences of genetic traits to reconstruct familial connections and relationships. Thus, the word "genealogy" continues to reflect the double meaning of its Greek origins, as it connotes both the study of family history and the tracing of ancestral roots.