Finding Mathematician Ancestors with the Mathematics Genealogy Project

Finding Mathematician Ancestors with the Mathematics Genealogy Project

This guide helps you use the Mathematics Genealogy Project in conjunction with FamilySearch.org to discover if you have any mathematician ancestors and connect them to your family tree.

Step 1: Understanding the Mathematics Genealogy Project

The Mathematics Genealogy Project (mathgenealogy.org) is a free, online database that tracks the advisor-advisee relationships of mathematicians. This means it primarily records who a mathematician studied under when earning their doctorate. You will use this valuable resource to find potential mathematician ancestors.

Step 2: Initial Search on Mathematics Genealogy Project

1. Open your web browser and go to https://www.mathgenealogy.org/
2. In the "Name" field, enter the surname of your ancestor you suspect might have been a mathematician. Start with the last name only.
3. Click the "Search" button.
4. Review the search results carefully. Look for individuals with first names and birth years that match your ancestor, or are close enough to warrant further investigation. Note down the full name and institution where they obtained their PhD.

Step 3: Researching Potential Ancestors on FamilySearch.org

Once you have a possible mathematician ancestor from the Mathematics Genealogy Project, verify their identity and connect them to your FamilySearch tree.

1. Open your web browser and go to FamilySearch.org.
2. Sign in to your FamilySearch account. If you don't have an account, create a free one.
3. Click on "Search" in the top menu.
4. Click on "Records" from the drop-down menu.
5. Enter the full name of the potential mathematician ancestor you found in the Mathematics Genealogy Project.
6. Enter a birth year (or approximate year if you only know the decade), if known.
7. Enter the location (city, state, or country) where they may have lived or been born, if known. This is important to narrow results. Consider the location of the university where they obtained their PhD.
8. Click "Search."
9. Carefully review the search results. Look for records that match the name, birth year, and location you entered. Pay attention to census records, birth records, marriage records, and death records. These records will provide clues about their parents, spouse, and children.

Step 4: Connecting to Your Family Tree

Once you've found records on FamilySearch.org that appear to belong to your mathematician ancestor, it's time to connect them to your existing family tree.

1. Click on a record that you believe belongs to your mathematician ancestor.
2. Review the details of the record to confirm it matches your research.
3. If the record is associated with a person already in your family tree, FamilySearch may suggest a match. Carefully review the suggested match and confirm the information is accurate before accepting it.
4. If there is no suggested match, you can create a new person in your family tree using the information from the record. Click the "Create New Person" button (or similar) on the record details page.
5. Fill in the information about your mathematician ancestor, including their name, birth date, birth place, death date, death place, parents' names (if known), and spouse's name (if known).
6. Continue to search for more records related to your mathematician ancestor to build out their profile and connect them to their parents, siblings, spouse, and children in your family tree.

Step 5: Expanding Your Search

If your initial search doesn't yield results, try these strategies:

• Use variations of your ancestor's name.
• Search for maiden names, if applicable.
• Expand the search date range.
• Look for obituaries or biographical information online.
• Consider the possibility that your ancestor's field of study was closely related to mathematics, such as physics or engineering.

By combining the power of the Mathematics Genealogy Project with the extensive resources of FamilySearch.org, you can uncover fascinating details about your ancestors and potentially discover a mathematician in your family history!