How To Fill in Six-Generation Blank Trees and Charts?

Blank trees and charts for six generations will be a great help to you in your genealogy research. Tracing your ancestors as far back as six generations can be an adventure in history. Researching back this far into time will inevitably expose you to a way of life much different than your own. You’ll not just discover your own ancestors; you’ll be introduced to entire generations that will give you a unique insight into society and how it has developed. One of the most important factors in being able to trace our family tree is the availability of accurate information, including places and place names.

The address is a simple form of identification, but there are many variances in recording them. For research and recording purposes it is a good idea to familiarise oneself with the different terminology used. The way your six generation blank tree or chart is recorded will effect the way future generations are able to follow it. The need for accuracy is crucial. Your great-great-great grandparents may have lived in a totally different country so learning to record foreign addresses is of paramount importance.

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Ireland is a genealogical hub, so I’ll use it as an example which can be used as a simple guide for other countries as well. Often the breakdown of geographical units are the same, they just have different names in different countries. But in some cases there are important differences which should be noted when writing in your six generation blank tree or chart. The main geographic and administrative units in Ireland are:

• Provinces - Modern Ireland contains four main provinces, though there were originally five. The province is the largest division in Ireland of which there are now four – Connaught (west), Ulster (north), Munster (south) and Leinster (east).
• Counties - Counties in Ireland are the same as "shires" in England, i.e. Staffordshire, Hampshire etc.
• Baronies – The baronies were sub-divisions within the counties, however they have been obsolete for around a hundred years. They were frequently used right up till 1900, so you may encounter them when filling in a six generation family tree.
• Parishes – Parishes have been in existence since the religious Reformation in the 16th century and are simply an area within a county that is administered to by the church.
• Townlands – If your ancestors were Irish you will most likely encounter this term. It’s the smallest administrative unit in Ireland, and in spite of its name, doesn’t relate to any town. It is a rural terminology of which there are over 60,000 in Ireland.
• County Districts Areas – These are divisions within a county which are administered by a separate council.
• District Electoral Divisions – These consist of a group of townlands clustered together.
• Ward Administrative Division – These minute divisions exist within a city or large town.

As you can see, addresses are specific units of identity which can help you to locate and obtain information on your ancestors. The address can take many forms, especially in older time periods. Understanding them can assist you in honing your research skills and in the accurate recording of your data. Filling out your six-generation blank trees and charts can be a challenge, but with the right tools, it can be very rewarding.