The 17 Rules of Gnealogy now a video

 

https://youtu.be/mDIGO80_xCM?si=aJ3VMb6oCkHCpRBY

I have been developing these rules for many years and now the number stands at 17. Watch this video for a quick view (an hour) about each one of the 17 Rules. Here is a summary of the rules, not necessarily in numerical order. 

In this video, James Tanner presents his updated 17 Rules of Genealogy, which serve as "guard rails" to keep researchers grounded in historical reality and logic.

The Basics & Physical Realities

• Rule 1: When the baby was born, the mother was there. 04:13 Opens in a new window A mother cannot give birth in two places at once or after her death; records contradicting this are incorrect.

• Rule 2: Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. 05:48 Opens in a new window The lack of a death record or obituary does not mean a person is still alive; many deaths were simply never recorded.

• Rule 3: Every person has a unique identity. 07:38 Opens in a new window Every individual has a unique birth order and biological parents. Use "FAN" (Friends, Associates, Neighbors) research to differentiate between people with the same name.

The Nature of Records

• Rule 4: There are always more records. 10:04 Opens in a new window Most researchers only reach the end of "BMD" (Birth, Marriage, Death) and census records. Countless other categories (land, tax, court, church) often remain unexplored.

• Rule 5: You can't get blood out of a turnip. 12:06 Opens in a new window If a record was never created or has been destroyed, you cannot force a conclusion. You must accept the limitations of available data.

• Rule 6: Records move. 14:15 Opens in a new window Records rarely stay where the event happened. They migrate to county seats, state archives, or national repositories, often following boundary changes.

• Rule 17: Where life happened, records remained. 18:24 Opens in a new window Even if formal birth/death records don't exist (common in early Latin America), other records of a person's life usually do. You must identify who had the authority to record events at that time.

Movement & Patterns

• Rule 7: Information and genealogical flow move downhill. 20:50 Opens in a new window It is easier to trace descendants forward in time than ancestors backward. Records become scarcer and oral histories fade as you go further back.

• Rule 8: Everything in genealogy is connected. 25:34 Opens in a new window Unconventional records—like cattle brands, which were inheritable property—can reveal family connections and maiden names.

• Rule 9: Patterns are everywhere. 28:10 Opens in a new window Human behavior is patterned. Understanding naming conventions, migration routes, and social behaviors helps predict where an ancestor went or who they were.

• Rule 10: Read the fine print. 34:38 Opens in a new window Answers to "brick walls" are often hidden in witnesses' signatures, marginal notes, or the neighbors listed on a census page.

Truth & Verification

• Rule 11: Coincidences happen. 37:32 Opens in a new window Matching names, dates, and places do not guarantee it is your ancestor. You need corroborating evidence to prove identity.

• Rule 15: A fact is not a fact without a record. 41:17 Opens in a new window Pedigrees that go back centuries into nobility are often just theories or hearsay unless backed by contemporaneous historical records.

Methodology & Philosophy

• Rule 12: The end is always there. 45:30 Opens in a new window All lineages eventually end where records no longer exist. Recognizing this prevents the fabrication of false lineages back to antiquity.

• Rule 13: Don't just fill in the blanks. 50:29 Opens in a new window Genealogists can be "collectors" who feel compelled to fill every spot on a fan chart. This pressure often leads to adding names without proper evidence.

• Rule 14: You aren't responsible for what you find. 53:25 Opens in a new window You may discover ancestors who were criminals or slave owners. You are simply an observer and recorder of history, not responsible for their actions.

• Rule 16: Gravity always wins. 54:05 Opens in a new window Physical deterioration (fire, mold, pests) destroys records. Don't build "false pedigrees" on shaky ground, as they will eventually fall apart.

For more details, you can view the full video An Update of the Now Seventeen Rules of Genealogy.