A table, chart, or diagram representing the ancestral history of an organism, including humans.
A carefully constructed family tree showing the pattern of genetic inheritance of traits and disorders, for purposes of research and often for genetic counseling for prospective parents, especially those who are concerned about passing on genetic disorders to their children; sometimes more generally called a genealogy. Such information is not always easy to come by, given the prevalence of immigration, divorce, separation, and adoption, but various government departments can help in gathering genealogical data for reconstruction of meaningful family ancestry information. Where to Write for Vital Records: Births, Deaths, Marriages, and Divorces, published by the Public Health Service, National Center for Health Statistics, can help you locate and get copies of key records.
A chart, diagram, or table of an individual’s ancestors used in genetics to analyze or reveal inherited traits and illnesses.