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genealogyIn the United States, pedigree per se has not been crucial in determining status or in transferring property, but race formerly served as a great social divider (e.g., blacks were formerly enslaved in the South and were later denied their civil rights and prohibited from marrying whites in many states). In more limited situations, genealogy has had a degree of importance in the United States: Some societies limit membership to descendants of a particular group of ancestors; the Mormons collect genealogical information for religious purposes and have established a large Family History Library; and some families keep careful genealogical records and stage periodic reunions.
Since the 18th cent. genealogy has developed into a subsidiary academic discipline, serving sociology, history, medicine, and law. Libraries often have departments of genealogy, where volumes used in genealogical research are kept (e.g., passenger ship lists, immigration records, family genealogies, etc.); many historical societies also have such libraries. Many genealogical materials, such as those compiled by the Mormons, are now available for research on the World Wide Web.
See D. L. Jacobus, Genealogy as Pastime and Profession (2d ed. 1968); T. Bestermann, Family History (1971); V. D. Greenwood, The Researcher's Guide to American Genealogy (1974); G. H. Doane and J. B. Bell, Searching for Your Ancestors (6th ed. 1992).
The Columbia Encyclopedia. Copyright © 2001-09 Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
- Naham
Naham, in the Bible, name in a genealogy.
- Abiud
Abiud [Gr. for Abihud], son of Zerubbabel in the genealogy at the beginning of the Gospel of St. Matthew.
- Anah
Anah, in the Bible, name appearing several times in the genealogy of Esau's family. Three persons may be distinguished, but if the genealogy refers to tribes rather than to persons, Anah may b...
- Cainan
Cainan, in the genealogy in the Gospel of St. Luke. 1 The same as Kenan. 2 Son of Arphaxad.
- Pelet
Pelet. 1 Name in an obscure genealogy. 1 Chron. 2.47. 2 Benjamite leader with David. 1 Chron. 12.3.
- Eliakim
Eliakim. 1 King of Judah: see Jehoiakim. 2 Important officer of state under King Hezekiah. 3 Priest at the dedication of the new wall at Jerusalem. 4, 5 Names appearing in the Gospel genealogi...
- Eliezer
Eliezer, in the Bible. 1 Servant of Abraham. 2 Son of Moses. 3 Prophet who rebuked King Jehoshaphat. 4 Priest under David. 5 Chief Reubenite. 6 Messenger of Ezra. 7 Man in the genealogy in the...
- Eleazar
Eleazar, in the Bible. 1 Son of Aaron. 2 Keeper of the Ark of the Covenant. 3 Mighty man of David. 4 Man in the genealogy in the first chapter of the Gospel of St. Matthew. 5 One of the chief ...
- Mattathias
Mattathias [Gr. variant of Mattithiah]. 1, 2 Two in Luke's genealogy. 3 Father of the Maccabees. 4 Captain under Jonathan, the Maccabee. 5 Son of Simon, the Maccabee, murdered with his father....
- Rahab
Rahab, in the Bible. 1 Prostitute of Jericho whose protection of Joshua's two spies saved her and her family from destruction. She may be the same woman mentioned in the Gospel genealogy as Ra...
