what is an ahnentafel?
From a German word meaning “ancestor table,” an ahnentafel is an ancestor based numbering system.
An ahnentafel is basically a list of all known ancestors of a specific individual. Ahnentafel charts use a strict numbering scheme which makes it easy to see, at a glance, how a specific ancestor is related to the root individual. They also include the full name, and dates and places of birth, marriage and death for each listed individual (when known).
The key to reading an ahnentafel is to understand its numbering system. Basically, you double any individual’s number to get his/her father’s number, and double a person’s number and add one to get his/her mother’s number. On your ahnentafel chart, you would be number 1. Your father, would then be number 2 (your number * 2 -> 1*2=2), and your mother, number 3 (1*2+1=3). Other than the starting person, males always have even numbers and women the odd numbers.
To look at it visually, here is the layout of a typical ahnentafel chart, with the mathmatical numbering system illustrated:1. person
2. father (1*2)
3. mother (1*2+1)
4. paternal grandfather (2*2)
5. paternal grandmother (2*2+1)
6. maternal grandfather (4*2)
7. maternal grandmother (4*2+1)
8. paternal grandfather’s father - great grandfather (4*2)
9. paternal grandfather’s mother - great grandmother (4*2+1)
10. paternal grandmother’s father - great grandfather (5*2)
11. paternal grandmother’s mother - great grandmother (5*2+1)
12. maternal grandfather’s father - great grandfather (6*2)
13. maternal grandfather’s mother - great grandmother (6*2+1)
14. maternal grandmother’s father - great grandfather (7*2)
15. maternal grandmother’s mother - great grandmother (7*2+1)
Ref: http://genealogy.about.com/cs/research/p/ahnentafel.htm
