Many years ago, my brother and I traced our family tree on my dad's side continuously back to the 1500s. We have an isolated record from 1428.
Now, each of us has 2 parents, 4 grand-parents, 8 great-grand-parents and so on. Going back to the 1500s I would have had about 8000 ancestors. Going back a few more generations and I would have had more ancestors than the whole population of England at that time! So, in all probability I am related to royalty, as are most in England!
If just one of these had not had children, I would not be here today. Sobering and humbling thought.
What people tend to forget is that, eventually, your tree starts turning in on itself. So, for example, my gg grandmother married her first cousin. Two lines become one because one set of their grandparents is the same. That limits the growth.
ReplyDeleteI've read that an estimated 220 living million people are descended from Charlemagne. That's hardly exclusive but does bring to mind the immortal words of Groucho Marx - "I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member."