# What's the farthest back anyone has traced their genealogy? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 12, 2005, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-farthest-back-anyone-has-traced-their-genealogy/284318 "2005-01-12T02:29:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2005, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-farthest-back-anyone-has-traced-their-genealogy/284318/41 "2005-01-12T19:22:11Z")
Can’t find the link, but when genetic analysis of the 9,000 year old skeleton of “Cheddar Man” was done recently, some of the local residents were shown to be his descendents. Not sure if that counts… Does anyone have a good link about the geneology of the Japanese royal family? They might be able to trace their ancestry back farther than anyone else. The wikipedia articlel I looked up was a little confusing on the issue. Thre’s also a company in England that will trace anyone’s ancestry back to one of the hypothetical [Seven Daughters of Eve](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0393323145/102-0765342-5715315?v=glance), if you send them a DNA swab (and assuming your ancestors came from Europe). Some of those “ancestors” date back 10s of 1000s of years. Again, this might be stretching the question the OP is asking. ---
**Author:** ![vl\_mungo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc8723/32.png) [@vl\_mungo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vl_mungo)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2005, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-farthest-back-anyone-has-traced-their-genealogy/284318/42 "2005-01-12T19:26:01Z")
The Emperor of Japan can trace his genealogy back to 660 BC in theory… back to approx. 200 AD with slightly more accuracy. [Link.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_Household_of_Japan) ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2005, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-farthest-back-anyone-has-traced-their-genealogy/284318/43 "2005-01-12T19:39:22Z")
t-keela was helping me do some personal geneology for a while. I e-mailed him yesterday, and it got bounced back as undeliverable. That, plus his absence from this thread, where he’d have something substantial to say, most likely, concerns me a bit… Carry on. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2005, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-farthest-back-anyone-has-traced-their-genealogy/284318/44 "2005-01-12T19:43:07Z")
For his 55th birthday my father paid some folks to do the leg work for him. It got back to the 1600 on both his father’s and his mother’s side. His mother traced back to the Massachusetts Bay colony. His father traced back to a man who suddenly appeared in the Carolinas in the 1600. Dad always brags that he was a transportee. He never took it any further but I bet we could if we wanted. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2005, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-farthest-back-anyone-has-traced-their-genealogy/284318/45 "2005-01-12T20:13:09Z")
I managed to trace my family back to our Scottish clan. A visit to the clan museum in the highlands turned up a chart of the origins of the clan, which goes back to a Viking named Thorfinn Skullcleaver in (if I recall correctly) the 800s. There are Norse records that go back even farther than that, I’m sure. Shortly after I discovered all of this, my wife became pregnant, and I suggested we name the little one Thorfinn Skullcleaver. She was not amused. ---
**Author:** ![Emony\_Dax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Emony\_Dax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emony_Dax)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2005, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-farthest-back-anyone-has-traced-their-genealogy/284318/46 "2005-01-12T20:26:28Z")
I’ve traced back to the 1500’s on my mom’s side. It was exceedingly easy, and my work was verified by my father-in-law (a semi-professional genealogist). I think it may have been so easy because my great (great?) grandfather was a second cousin to Abe Lincoln and other relatives were involved in the early settling of America. I’d agree with previous posters that if there’s any significant historical figures in your past, the genealogy will be pretty well documented. On my dad’s side, I got to the late 1800’s (his dad) and hit a brick wall. Nothing, nada, zilcho. Probably better off that way 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2005, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-farthest-back-anyone-has-traced-their-genealogy/284318/47 "2005-01-12T20:36:48Z")
Thanks to a relative who, in the later 1800’s, did a _lot_ of genealogical research, I can trace one line of family back to a man born in 1681, who emigrated to the American colonies in 1722. One of my aunts very much wants to join the DAR, but is embarassed to present her documentation. A son of the man above fought in the Revolution, but at one point he was court-martialed, although the sentence was later commuted. He refused to fight with the French auxiliaries that aided the American cause. They were Catholic and he was a bone deep Protestant. It’s stories like that that make history more real. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2005, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-farthest-back-anyone-has-traced-their-genealogy/284318/48 "2005-01-12T20:44:25Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > One of my aunts very much wants to join the DAR, but is embarassed to present her documentation. One of my uncles claims that our family is descended from Benedict Arnold. I don’t know if we have any documentation of that. If we did, though, I might try to join the DAR… ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2005, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-farthest-back-anyone-has-traced-their-genealogy/284318/49 "2005-01-12T20:57:47Z")
We have a historian and archivist in our family as well. And they proudly trace us back to **Robert the Bruce**. So roughly 13th century. ---
**Author:** ![Rex\_Fenestrarum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rex_fenestrarum/32/7265_2.png) [@Rex\_Fenestrarum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rex_Fenestrarum)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2005, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-farthest-back-anyone-has-traced-their-genealogy/284318/50 "2005-01-12T21:52:31Z")
Let’s see… my father’s mother’s mother’s family first came to America in 1668 (I think) as early settlers in South Carolina. Thanks to my somewhat uncommon last name, I also know that an extremely rare pistol (the [T.W. Cofer Revolver](http://www.antiqueguns.com/confedid.htm) - only 10 examples of which are known - was made by one of my ancerstors to use against the Yankees in the Civil War. Oh, and I’m also related to Georgia poet Sydney Lanier, but need my grandma to explain how for the 100th time. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2005, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-farthest-back-anyone-has-traced-their-genealogy/284318/51 "2005-01-12T22:07:37Z")
> [@Emony Dax](#): > > I’ve traced back to the 1500’s on my mom’s side. It was exceedingly easy, and my work was verified by my father-in-law (a semi-professional genealogist). I think it may have been so easy because my great (great?) grandfather was a second cousin to Abe Lincoln and other relatives were involved in the early settling of America. I’d agree with previous posters that if there’s any significant historical figures in your past, the genealogy will be pretty well documented. > > On my dad’s side, I got to the late 1800’s (his dad) and hit a brick wall. Nothing, nada, zilcho. Probably better off that way 😃 Your ancestors don’t even need to be prominent for large quantities of information to be available. I found books written about family lines that were immensely helpful, the research having been done by some curious ancestor. In one case, the author travelled throughout the U.S. on horseback and foot in the 1800s, chasing down the four ‘tribes’ of the family and documenting their connections. Then there are war pension records - which can contain an amazing amount of information - land records, inquest records, etc. The internet has been a godsend for genealogists, who can network with each other and request assistance with a keystroke. ---
**Author:** ![OxyMoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9a140/32.png) [@OxyMoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OxyMoron)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2005, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-farthest-back-anyone-has-traced-their-genealogy/284318/52 "2005-01-13T00:21:14Z")
> [@GingerOfTheNorth](#): > > One of the best things about being of Icelandic descent is knowing your geneology. I have not seen the documentation, but our family is said to have been traced back to 600 AD on paper, and prior to that without documentation. > > I emailed my name and date of birth along with that of my grandparents, to a fellow in Iceland about five or six years ago. He sent me back a detailed family tree, including the name of my then-boyfriend. I would imagine one of Mom’s cousins who takes care of the family geneology sent it to him. > > Ah, Iceland. Land of the anal. It’s no wonder scientists wanted to test the human genome project on them. Like **Gingy** , my godmother’s Icelandic, name of Laxdahl. Her geneology is available in [Penguin](http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0140442189/ref=sib_dp_pt/103-9089936-6517419#reader-link) paperback. Which I find incredibly cool. My own family gets very fuzzy much past my grandparents. ---
**Author:** ![robcaro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@robcaro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robcaro)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2005, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-farthest-back-anyone-has-traced-their-genealogy/284318/53 "2005-01-13T00:42:07Z")
I have traced my genealogy on my Mother’s side back to: Rollo (Rolf) The Conquerer. Born 845 in Maer Nord - Trondelag, Norway. Married 890 (Age 45) to Poppa Berenger, Duchess of Normandy. Died 931 in Notre Dame, Rouen, France (Age 86). ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2005, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-farthest-back-anyone-has-traced-their-genealogy/284318/54 "2005-01-13T01:35:27Z")
> [@](#): > > Then there are war pension records - which can contain an amazing amount of information - land records, inquest records, etc. The internet has been a godsend for genealogists, who can network with each other and request assistance with a keystroke. Don’t forget about church records. Churches will often keep records of baptisms (if not the births themselves), weddings, and funerals. So if you know of a particular ancestor, where he lived, and about when he was born, you go to the local church there and look for a baptism with that name sometime around then. Then, you look a year or few before that, and find a wedding with the same last name, and you’ve found two more ancestors. Dig around after the baptism for the funerals, and you know how old those ancestors were when they died, and go about 20 years back before the wedding, and look for two more baptisms. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2005, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-farthest-back-anyone-has-traced-their-genealogy/284318/55 "2005-01-13T02:57:44Z")
> [@robcaro](#): > > I have traced my genealogy on my Mother’s side back to: > > Rollo (Rolf) The Conquerer. > Born 845 in Maer Nord - Trondelag, Norway. > Married 890 (Age 45) to Poppa Berenger, Duchess of Normandy. > Died 931 in Notre Dame, Rouen, France (Age 86). Popa (also written Papie) was the daughter of Berenger, Comte de Bayeux. Hrolf (called the Ganger, or walker, because he was too large to ride astride a horse, and customarily walked), was almost certainly the son of Rognvald, Earl of More, d.c. 890 and his wife Hild Rognvald was probably the son of Eystein Glumra, who was in turn the son of Ivar, Earl of Opland (sometimes written and apparently meaning Upland). who was in turn the son of Halfdan the Old (though I know no more about him than that). Hild was the daughter of Rolf Nefja. One of our Norwegian Dopers may be able to run down these folks for us in Norwegian history. ---
**Author:** ![stockton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@stockton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stockton)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2005, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-farthest-back-anyone-has-traced-their-genealogy/284318/56 "2005-01-13T04:14:15Z")
Piffle - don’t believe everything your “great-uncle twice removed” says - make him prove it. [/QUOTE] If this was the pit, you’d get the response this deserves. It’s not. I don’t know where you got the “twice removed” idea. I did not say that, and it’s not true - you made it up out of whole cloth. Please put that back in the ass you pulled it out of. He was my great uncle (my father’s uncle), and he served as archivist d’etat for a european country for many years (think of cheese with holes in it). I toured europe with him and was lucky enough to hear him narrate a tour of the Vatican in German, English, French, Italian and Japanese at the same time. He wasn’t a tour guide, he was a very knowlegeable guy and just spontaneously accumulated a crowd as we were walking and started his spiel. It didn’t hurt that he wrote the definitive history of the place, and had his own apartment there to do his research. I look forward to the genealogical input that YOUR uncle, Jerry Springer, can offer to the thread. ---
**Author:** ![stockton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@stockton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stockton)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2005, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-farthest-back-anyone-has-traced-their-genealogy/284318/57 "2005-01-13T04:19:41Z")
> [@violet9](#): > > Piffle - don’t believe everything your “great-uncle twice removed” says - make him prove it. …and I messed up the quotes, so no one could see who absorbed my wrath. My great uncle would be so proud of my stunning internet skills. It was violet9. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2005, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-farthest-back-anyone-has-traced-their-genealogy/284318/58 "2005-01-13T05:33:08Z")
**Rex** , write down your grandmother’s words so that you can pass on that information to your children and grandchildren. Sidney Lanier was a wonderful poet! You can be proud! One of my cousins was a writer who was well-known in the 1920’s and 1930’s. His father commissioned a geneological history of the family that was published several decades ago I am included and it goes all the way back to 1066 and an Anglo Saxon named Tructe. If any of you recognize this particular family history, don’t betray me. I would have to get out of Dodge. **Phlosphr** , which line of your family goes back to Robbie Bruce? I think you’re the third one of us cousins to show up since I’ve been here. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_loblaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@bob\_loblaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_loblaw)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2005, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-farthest-back-anyone-has-traced-their-genealogy/284318/59 "2005-01-13T05:55:00Z")
i’m a mathematical idiot. in my post near the beginning of this thread, i said my family has been traced back 14 generations to the 1700s. it’s more like nine or ten. fourteen would put it back close to 1600, and we haven’t researched that far. i wish i had a copy of the tree handy, but alas i do not. anyway, i did some googling, and found a bunch of info on my family in ontario. it seems i’m related to at least half of bruce county. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2005, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-farthest-back-anyone-has-traced-their-genealogy/284318/60 "2005-01-13T06:14:41Z")
BTW, **Phlosphr** , I’m surprised that the historian and archivist in your family didn’t take Robert Bruce’s ancestry back further for you. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-farthest-back-anyone-has-traced-their-genealogy/284318.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-farthest-back-anyone-has-traced-their-genealogy/284318.md?page=4)