How do I read a lineage Chart?



To successfully read the family lineage charts, you must start with the original family member. The children of the original family member will have a large number such as 1, 2, 3, etc placed in front of their name. The numbered children will be the first generation.

The children of the first generation (the large numbers) will have small letters such as a, b, c, etc placed in front of their name. Small lettered people will be the second generation.

The children of the second generation (small letters) will have small Roman Numbers such as i, ii, iii, iv, etc placed in front of their name. Small roman numbered people will be the third generation.

The children of the third generation (small roman numbers) will have squares placed in front of their name. Square people will be the fourth generation.

The children of the the fourth generation (squares) will have disks or circles placed in front of their name. Disk or circle people will be the fifth generation.

The children of the fifth generation (disks or circles) will start the same scenario again with large numbers and continue the same sequence until we run out of people. LOL...

Here is an example:

Big Daddy Dave and Pocahontas
The children of Big Daddy Dave and Pocahontas are:
  1. Dufus Smith (first generation)

    1. Dufus Smith Jr.(second generation)

      2. The children of Dufus Smith are:
      1. Turtle Smith (third generation)

        2. The children of Turtle Smith are:
        • Box Turtle Smith (fourth generation)

          • The children of Box Turtle Smith are:
          • Wood Turtle Smith (fifth generation)

            • The children of Wood Turtle Smith are:
            1. Purple Turtle Smith (sixth generation)

            2. Red Turtle Smith (sixth generation)

          • Desert Turtle Smith (fifth generation)

        • Sea Turtle Smith (died at sea) (fourth generation)

      2. Lizard Smith (third generation)

    2. Dufus Smith III (second generation)

  2. Rabbit Smith (first generation)(did not marry)





Lineage Summary Abbreviations


B or b. = born
D or d. = died
Bd or bd. = buried on or buried at
(m1) or m1 = first marriage
(m2) or m2 = second marriage
(cm1) or cm1 = child first marriage
(cm2) or cm2 = child first marriage
? = unknown
@ = approximately or about
NMN = no middle name
NFN = no first name
NLN = no last name
POM = place of marriage
RES = resided
DOM = date of marriage
MPOB = mother’s place of birth
FPOB = father’s place of birth
POB = place of birth
POD = place of death