How far back is it possible to trace one's family history?

[Rakhel]

My own family tree (on the branch where my family name comes from, anyhow) just kind of ends after not too many generations. The family story is that while he was in port in Belfast, a sailor - supposedly from Denmark - jumped ship and assumed a new identity to avoid getting caught, taking on a common name. On that side, I have absolutely no idea of my lineage beyond that point.

Sounds like my Polish ancestors.
We know what port their ship left from in Prussia and what port they landed in in Canada. Beyond that, all information is lost. Including the exact spelling of the surname.

 

[InformedIgnorance]

Surname spelling is an incredibly common problem (since most people could not read or write more than one hundred years ago), within genealogy a common issue is attempting to work out the various variants that could have been used to identify a person's name... not to mention it is quite possible that they only had a given name and either they or another (such as someone responsible for processing their paperwork) merely made up a surname.

 

[Rakhel]

Yeah, I know. and then you add on Anglicizing of names. It's maddening.

 

[tumbleweed41]

Do you believe a group of kings decided to write a fake geneology linking them to Adam and Eve?

Yes. The fiction lent credibility to their claim of monarchy.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Yes. The fiction lent credibility to their claim of monarchy.

... even though it really shouldn't have. Not in a society that relied on heredity for status and titles, anyhow. As the rhyme went, "when Adam delved and Eve span, who was then the gentleman?"

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ball_(priest)

 

[fantome profane]

You can doubt it if you want but I do have it. I am a very avid geneologist. I am just curious about where you doubters believe it crosses over from fact to fiction. Do you believe a group of kings decided to write a fake geneology linking them to Adam and Eve? If so which kings? What is fact and what is fiction? I wish I could upload my file. I could type it out but it would take awhile. Do you want me to?

Let me ask another question.

Is this a joke?

 

[Flat Earth Kyle]

No I am being serious.
I feel family history research reveals a lot about history itself.
I remember a black woman did a bunch of her research and found
Enough research to tell her that the history books were in accurate
When it came to American black history. I'll have to dig around for
the article so I can go more into detail on the subject.

 

[Bob Dixon]

So, when're you posting your evidence, then?

Because, you know, I highly doubt anyone can trace their ancestry back 6000 years (assuming Adam and Eve were historical characters).

Some people claim descent from Muhammad, but even that isn't as incredible as your claim.

 

[Tristesse]

Is it possible to trace one's family history to the Neanderthals?

Considering that neanderthals were a different species from humans, I'm gonna say no.

 

[Tristesse]

You can doubt it if you want but I do have it. I am a very avid geneologist. I am just curious about where you doubters believe it crosses over from fact to fiction. Do you believe a group of kings decided to write a fake geneology linking them to Adam and Eve? If so which kings? What is fact and what is fiction? I wish I could upload my file. I could type it out but it would take awhile. Do you want me to?

Well, Adam and Eve from the bible never existed, so I sincerely doubt that anyone could trace their lineage back to mythological individuals.

 

[Gjallarhorn]

Considering that neanderthals were a different species from humans, I'm gonna say no.

They interbred early on though. Theoretically, you would find a few of them in your tree.

 

[Flat Earth Kyle]

Okay here we go, I will start with my 7th generation Grandfather Samuel Adams who was born in the year 1805 in Staffordshire England. I have more info for every single one of these people so if you want more info on one of them let me know. This line goes from 1805 to 1 B.C. Like I said before the names go all the way back to Adam and Eve, but what is the point of posting that if you claim there is something fictitious about this?
So this is part one and when you are ready I'll give you part 2.


Samuel Adams [Born in Norton Le Moors, Staffordshire England 2 August 1805] This line is just showing the fathers, but I have more info just ask for it.
John Adams
Ralph Adams
William Adams
Edward Adams
William Adams
John Adams
Richard Adams
John Adams II
John Adams Sr.
Thomas Adams
John Ap. Adam
Reginald Ap Adam
Adam “Fychan” ap Adam
Adam Ap Iorwerth
Iowerth ap Caradog
Caradog Ap Trahaearn
Trahaern ap Caradog
Caradog Ap Gwyn Wales
“Earl” Ragnvald (Rognvald) II, Brusesson (Earl of Orkney)
“Duke” Waldemar of Russia
Owain Ap Hywel
‘Prince’ Hywel ‘Dda’ Ap Cadell ‘of Wales’
Cadell
Rhodri the Great (King of all North Wales)
Merfyn ap Gwriad the freckled King of Gwynedd
Gwriad ap Eldir of Man King of Gwynedd
Eldir II of the Isle of Man ap Sande
King Sandde of the Isle of Man Ap Alewn
Gwair ap Dwywg
Uther “Pendragon” ap Cystennin King of Britain
Custennin de Bretagne
Aldrein ap Selyfan King of Brittany
Gladion De Brittany
Conan Meriadog King of Brittany and Domnoia
Gereint ab of Britain Einudd
Einudd Ap Gwrddwfn
Gwrddwfn Ap Cwrrig
Gorac Maw rap Meirchion Fawd filr
Meirchion ap Owain King of Ewyas
Owain ap Cyllin King of Ewyas
Cyllin of Siluria
Brons (Bran) Grail King
Archdruid Bran Fendigaid The Blessed [born about 1 B.C. in Britain]

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

You claim to be a direct male-line descendant of King Arthur? I don't buy it.

 

[Bob Dixon]

You claim to be a direct male-line descendant of King Arthur? I don't buy it.

And he also claims to be descended from Brian Blessed. I mean, claiming descent from a king is one thing, but from an actor is just something else!

 

[Flat Earth Kyle]

Which one are you claiming is King Arthur? I don't see any King Arthur.

 

[Flat Earth Kyle]

Here is part 2 Starting from where I left off

Archdruid Bran Fendigaid The Blessed [born about 1 B.C. in Britain]

King Lear of Britain[
Ceri
Digueillus ap Capoir King of Britain
Cerwyd ap Crydon of Cornwall
King Crydon ap Dyfnarth the Canbrian of Cornwall
Dyvnwarth ap Prydain Duke of Cornwall
Duke of Cornwall Prydain
Haedd ap Antonius
Antonius ap Serriol
Serriol ap Grwst
King of Briton Gwrwst
Henwyn Dux Cambria and Cornwall
Bleiddud ap Asser Duke of Cambria, Cornwall
Aser ap Cyngen
Dufnwal Hen ap Gorbonian Duke of Cambria, Cornwall
Duke Gorbonian ap Camber of Cambria, Cornwall
Camber ap Brutus Duke of Cambria, Cornwall
Brutus (Brwt) “The Dardanian A Trojan Warrior Latium King of Latium
Silvus Ap Iulis Ascarius
Aeneas (Annyn Tro)
Aeneas Ysgwydwyn ab Anchises Prince of Troy
Capps Capys
Ascaracus ben Tros
King Acadia Erichtonius
Dardanus King of Arcadia
Zarah (Progenator of Zarahites) Ben Judah
(Juda) Judah (Juda)
Jacob (Israel) Ibn Isaac
Isaac ben Abraham
(Abraham) Abram (Abraham)
(Teriah)(Thara) (King of Agade) Terah
Nahor
(Saragh)(Saruch)(King of Ur and Agede) Serug
Reu Ben Peleg
Peleg (Phalec)
Eber Ben Salah
Salah Ben Arphaxad
Arphaxed Ben Shem
Shem Ben Noah
Noah Ben Lamech
Lamech (Lamk) ben Methuslelah
Mattushalakh/Mathusala
(Henoch) Enoch
Ariel ben Jared
Mahalalel
Cainan
Enos
Seth
(First Man) Adam

 

[Flat Earth Kyle]

So there is my first line from my 7th generation great grandfather back to Adam and Eve.
The question is where do you claim it turns from fact to fiction?

I have 2 other lines that also go back to Adam and Eve through very different people. Would you like me to post them also, or would you rather sort through this one first?

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

So there is my first line from my 7th generation great grandfather back to Adam and Eve.
The question is where do you claim it turns from fact to fiction?

I have no idea, but I think it's strange that you seem to think that large parts of it are so suspect that we can't tell where it goes off the deep end is a poiny in your favour.

Let's check one link in your chain: can you give us a reliable source for the names of the children of Uther Pendragon?

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Which one are you claiming is King Arthur? I don't see any King Arthur.

Uther Pendragon. His name was modernized into "Arthur".

 

[Rakhel]

I once saw a tree where someone claimed to be descendant of Joan of Arc