| In earlier times, parentage was of the utmost | | | | existed for most of the other people. Illiteracy was |
| importance. The ruling establishment, royalty, nobility, | | | | to blame for a good part of this, as well as lack of |
| and aristocracy all paid scrupulous attention to their | | | | interest. However, it is thanks to the record keeping |
| parentage. A great deal was at stake, and every | | | | skills of parish priests that some records of |
| aspect of the lineage of any houses contemplating | | | | parentage do exist at all for the lower classes. Even |
| marriage between their younger members was | | | | the poorest parish kept records of birth, marriage, |
| carefully researched by clerks. Clerks at the time | | | | and death. And, it is often to these that most people |
| were not the office do-alls that we are used to now, | | | | can turn for the oldest records of lineage, thus |
| but more in the nature of scholarly researchers. Many | | | | enabling Genealogy research nowadays. |
| of them were associated with the Church, and had | | | | In researching parentage today, there are many |
| access to the extensive records kept in those | | | | more tools and opportunities to allow nearly anyone |
| archives. | | | | to find out more about their background. Access to |
| While consanguinity (close blood relationship), was a | | | | old records, dating back to before the Revolutionary |
| very important part of parentage or lineage research, | | | | War in America are more easily attainable than ever, |
| the distribution of power, gold, and territory played a | | | | thanks in large part to the internet. It is now easier |
| very large role as well. When marriage between two | | | | than ever to research government records, customs |
| houses was being anticipated, each side would be | | | | passenger lists, birth and death records, court |
| jealous to protect as much of what they owned, as | | | | records, and so much more just by using search |
| well as attempting to get as much from the other | | | | engines. Additionally, there are many extremely |
| side as possible. | | | | capable and experienced genealogical research |
| Territories were often attached to obscure branches | | | | companies that will conduct a professional search for |
| of the family and conditions pertaining to marriage | | | | your parentage. |
| and alliances would have to be met if possession | | | | An awareness that everyone's history is interesting |
| continued in the family. The fixing of the future of | | | | and valid is now accepted, and the opportunity to |
| two people by such means is distasteful to most | | | | explore the lineage of any person is now available. |
| people today, but parentage and lineage were | | | | Finding out about one's background and parentage is |
| extremely important in previous times. | | | | not only fascinating, it can also be useful on a |
| Parentage research was largely confined to the upper | | | | practical level. |
| classes previously because few, if any, records | | | | |