UPDATE: I’ve been very distracted for the last couple of days because our refrigerator totally quit! I didn’t realize that I hadn’t added in the stats graphs at the bottom of today’s post, but they are there now. 🙂

With the beginning of each new year, I take a look at the ancestor count statistics to gauge how many new direct ancestors have been identified during the preceding year.

This year, although it doesn’t look like much progress has been made, I have actually identified some ancestors (or read well-documented research in journals like The Register, published by the New England Historic Genealogical Society) for generations not depicted on these graphs.

I’ve also realized that, while using my PAPER 15-generation pedigree chart, I have missed out on counting some of those ancestors identified in the earliest generations. With my lengthy list of early New England families, only a limited number of the ninth generation could be continued on the back side of the chart.

I solved that problem by creating more paper pedigree charts that I began with my 2X great grandparents, which allowed me to easily count direct line ancestors back to the 15th generation. (I prefer the visual charts to using software for this particular task.)

For that reason, I’ve decided to increase the number of generations to fifteen generations. My percentage of ancestors identified will decrease significantly this year (and the 50% Slovak paternal side of the family will forever remain undiscovered due to no records in existence), but in the future, I will be able to more accurately count newly discovered ancestors on Mom’s side of the family.

Dave’s family will also have a lower beginning percentage of identified ancestors, but if I can ever figure out where some of these families left some documentation, his family tree has the potential for much more growth than mine.

Linda’s 2018 Ancestor Count

Dave’s 2018 Ancestor Count