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Genealogy Quiz: How Well Do You Know These Terms?

Illustration: a logo made from the word “genealogy”

Introduction: In this article, Jessica Edwards offers a fun quiz of genealogy terms for family historians both experienced and new. Jessica has had a lifelong interest in her family’s history – especially on her father’s side, which goes back to the first settlers in Pennsylvania, Jamestown and New England – and has documented and added more than 21,000 people to her family tree!

How well do you know terms that are used in genealogy? I’ve compiled 33 common terms and their definitions – and it’s up to you to match as many as you can. Grab a sheet of paper and put the correct definition (letter) next to the related term (number). Answers are at the bottom – but no fair peeking!

Genealogy Terms

  1. Ancestor
  2. Archive
  3. Close-ended Questions
  4. Compiled Record
  5. Descendant
  6. Epitaph
  7. Family Group Record
  8. Family History
  9. Family Names
  10. Gene
  11. Genealogy
  12. Generation
  13. Genetics
  14. Given Name
  15. Jurisdiction
  16. Maiden Name
  17. Maternal Line
  18. Middle Names
  19. Open-ended Questions
  20. Oral History
  21. Original Record
  22. Paternal Line
  23. Patronymics
  24. Pedigree
  25. Pedigree Chart
  26. Primary Source
  27. Record
  28. Repository
  29. Secondary Source
  30. Social Security Death Index
  31. Surname
  32. Timeline
  33. Vital Record

Definitions

A. The science of studying about our ancestors, through names, dates and events.
B. A record created after an event by someone who either remembers it or from a primary source.
C. A person from whom one is descended.
D. The territory within which authority may be exercised.
E. A type of object that developed from another object existing before it.
F. The chemical unit that contains the traits that are passed on from one generation to the next.
G. More than getting the names and dates of ancestors; includes life stories/details about ancestors.
H. A branch of biology that deals with the traits inherited through genes.
I. The average span of time between the birth of parents and that of their children.
J. A way of charting historical events and dates, often including places.
K. A written account of a very important life event such as birth, marriage or death.
L. The family to which he or she belongs. This is called the family name, surname, or last name.
M. Names that identify an individual based on the father’s name.
N. A conversation with someone to learn information about a person or family.
O. Questions that can be answered with a free response, such as the answer to an essay question.
P. Questions that can be answered with a short response, usually about some fact.
Q. A chart that indicates a person’s descent.
R. A record (usually a book) of information that has been gathered from original records.
S. A record created at or close to the time of an event by an eyewitness to the event.
T. A person’s first name(s).
U. A person’s last name or family name.
V. A female’s surname at birth.
W. An ancestral line or line or descent.
X. The line of descent on a father’s side.
Y. The line of descent on a mother’s side.
Z. The engraving on a tombstone in memory of the person buried there.
AA. A place in which public records or historical documents are preserved and researched.
BB. A form used to write information about parents and children of the same family.
CC. An online database of more than 60 million people.
DD. A birth, marriage or death certificate as kept by a government official.
EE. A record created at or near the time an event occurred, often by an eye witness.
FF. A place, room or container where something is stored.
GG. Provides additional information. May be inherited, follow naming customs, or be treated as part of the family name.

Answers

  1. Ancestor: C
  2. Archive: AA
  3. Close-ended Questions: P
  4. Compiled Record: R
  5. Descendant: E
  6. Epitaph: Z
  7. Family Group Record: BB
  8. Family History: G
  9. Family Names: L
  10. Gene: F
  11. Genealogy: A
  12. Generation: I
  13. Genetics: H
  14. Given Name: T
  15. Jurisdiction: D
  16. Maiden Name: V
  17. Maternal Line: Y
  18. Middle Names: GG
  19. Open-ended Questions: O
  20. Oral History: N
  21. Original Record: S
  22. Paternal Line: X
  23. Patronymics: M
  24. Pedigree: W
  25. Pedigree Chart: Q
  26. Primary Source: EE
  27. Record: K
  28. Repository: FF
  29. Secondary Source: B
  30. Social Security Death Index: CC
  31. Surname: U
  32. Timeline: J
  33. Vital Record: DD

How Did You Do?

Note on the header image: “Genealogy” logo designed and copyrighted by Mary Harrell-Sesniak.

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