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My family tree

CassandraLopez1
CassandraLopez1 ✭
August 21, 2021 edited July 18, 2024 in Family Tree

I first created my account like 8 or 10 years ago, anyways when I go to my tree view there are many many many names extending very far back with certain ancestors I was just wondering how this is possible?

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Answers

  • Brett .
    Brett . ✭✭✭✭✭
    August 21, 2021

    @CassandraLopez1

    Cassandra

    Welcome to the "Community.FamilySearch" Forum.

    I am just another 'lowly' User/Patron ...

    Short Answer: Because of the "Collaborative" nature of "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch'.

    Brett

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  • Brett .
    Brett . ✭✭✭✭✭
    August 21, 2021

    @CassandraLopez1

    Cassandra

    Furthermore ...

    Here an old 'standby' of mine, that I have previously proffered on occasion ...

    ------------------

    Most new (and, some old) Users/Patrons DO NOT understand the basic 'nature' and 'premise' of "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch', when they join in.

    We do not have our OWN "Tree" in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch'.

    We ONLY have "Branches" (ie. Ancestral" lines), that are interconnected, in this SINGLE "One" World "Tree", for all of us, that is "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch'.

    "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch' is NOT like 'On-Line' "Websites" (eg. "Ancestry_com"; or "MyHeritage_com"; or, the like); and/or, 'standalone' personal (computer) programmes (eg, the OLD, now no longer supported, "PAF"; or, "Ancestral Quest"; or, the like).

    We DO NOT have "Private"/"Personal" 'Trees' in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch' like other 'On-Line' "Websites"; and/or, 'standalone' personal (computer) programmes.

    We do not even, own; or, manage; and, are NOT even responsible for, the "Deceased" individuals/persons in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch'.

    And, most importantly ...

    We DO NOT even, own; or, manage; and, are NOT even responsible for, Our OWN "Deceased" Ancestors/Family/Relatives in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch'.

    "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch' is built on a "Open Edit" Platform - hence, why any registered User/Patron can "Edit" (ie. Add, Delete; and/or, Change) ANY "Deceased" individual/person in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch'. 

    ------------------

    I hope this helps; and, gives you some perspective.

    Brett

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  • Dennis J Yancey
    Dennis J Yancey ✭✭✭✭✭
    August 21, 2021

    Please check out this video - and it will be explained

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwRSRZ9amlM

    You are not alone in your work - this is a collaborative system by design.

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  • Brett .
    Brett . ✭✭✭✭✭
    August 21, 2021

    @CassandraLopez1

    Cassandra

    Plus ...

    Here is a good place to start, with how things work in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch' (and, other programmes as well):

    Overview

    'FamilySearch'

    "Family Tree"

    https://www.familysearch.org/tree/overview

    Getting Started with Family History

    Here are the main things you need to know as you get started

    https://www.familysearch.org/home/etb_gettingstarted

    How to Use the Family Tree

    https://www.familysearch.org/blog/en/how-to-use-family-tree/

    What is The Family History Guide?

    https://media.familysearch.org/what-is-the-family-history-guide/

    The Family History Guide

    Introduction

    About The Family History Guide

    https://www.thefhguide.com/introduction.html

    The Family History Guide

    https://www.thefhguide.com/.

    I hope this also helps.

    Brett

    1
  • dontiknowyou
    dontiknowyou ✭✭✭✭✭
    August 21, 2021

    when I go to my tree view there are many many many names extending very far back with certain ancestors I was just wondering how this is possible?

    How far back?

    Centuries? Your ancestors are also other people's ancestors. Many early immigrants into British Colonial America have hundreds of thousands of documented descendants. Hundreds or even thousands of those descendants, all cousins, can be working on the same parts of Family Tree.

    Millenia? Some tall trees here are tall tales.

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  • dontiknowyou
    dontiknowyou ✭✭✭✭✭
    August 21, 2021 edited August 21, 2021

    As an illustration, here is a typical 4-generation ancestry tree for Benjamin Merrill 1748-1825:

    Screen Shot 2021-08-21 at 10.06.08 AM.png

    And for just one of those 16 4th generation ancestors, here is the matching 4-generation descendancy tree:

    Screen Shot 2021-08-21 at 10.06.48 AM.png

    And that is just the first 4 generations. To reach the present there are another 6 to 8 generations. Thousands and thousands more decendancy trees just like this one. Twelve generations at an average of 6 children per generation is 6^12 = 2,176,782,336. That would be over 2 billion descendants in the United States and Canada alone, a part of the world that has roughly 300 million living persons. There has been much tree collapse: we are all related, usually by many paths through the one global family tree.

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