A confusing definition of genealogy

[Mart 'n' Al]

I was looking for a simple explanation of the difference between genealogy and family history and found this confusing statement on Wikipedia.

"Although generally used interchangeably, strictly speaking, "genealogy" begins with a person who is usually deceased and traces his or her descendants forward in time, whereas, "family history" begins with a person who is usually living and traces his or her ancestors."

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genealogy

It's nice to know that we can continue our interests after death. I wonder if you get reduced subscriptions.

Martin

[Jebber]

As I understand it  from what I was taught many years ago, “Genealogy” is  just researching ones ancestral line, concentrating on names and  dates. ‘Family History” is the wider research of the family, their past and their social history.

[Melbell]

I was looking for a simple explanation of the difference between genealogy and family history and found this confusing statement on Wikipedia.

"Although generally used interchangeably, strictly speaking, "genealogy" begins with a person who is usually deceased and traces his or her descendants forward in time, whereas, "family history" begins with a person who is usually living and traces his or her ancestors."

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genealogy

It's nice to know that we can continue our interests after death. I wonder if you get reduced subscriptions.

Martin

I like your tongue-in-cheek comment Martin!   
Of course, this is just a case of sloppy syntax.  What the writer should have said was "strictly speaking, "genealogy" begins with a person who is usually deceased and is a method of tracing his or her descendants forward in time, ......."  So that you can then quote "this is the genealogy of AB".

Melbell

[Mart 'n' Al]

A hate it when my tongue-in-cheek comments go unnoticed.  Well done.

Martin

[dowdstree]

No subscriptions needed Martin as we can get our information straight from the horses mouth - excuse the pun please 

Think of all those brick walls tumbling down - bliss 

Dorrie

[Melbell]

A hate it when my tongue-in-cheek comments go unnoticed.  Well done.

Martin

Keep them coming Martin!
Melbell

[Stanwix England]

No way I'm still doing all this once I'm dead, it's someone else's job then as far as I'm concerned. 

[Ayashi]

As I understand it  from what I was taught many years ago, “Genealogy” is  just researching ones ancestral line, concentrating on names and  dates. ‘Family History” is the wider research of the family, their past and their social history.

This is my understanding as well. Hence people like heir hunters would practice genealogy but not family history, which covers so much more information. If genealogy is the bare wood of the tree, family history is the twigs and leaves. All family historians practice genealogy, but not all genealogists practice family history.

[dowdstree]

Couldn't agree more Ayashi.

You have summed it up in a nut shell.

Dorrie