What is Ahnentafel?

Ahnentafel Tree c. 1600

Ahnentafel sounds like a yummy dessert but is actually a German numbering system for keeping track of ancestors.

AHNEN (ancestor) + TAFEL (table)

The system was invented in 1590 by Michael Eytzinger, the Austrian born historian.

Obviously family trees quickly become hard to keep track of after great grandparents, as each generation doubles in size. My tree goes back as far as 1600 through the Robertsons.

There are 240 known direct ancestors in my tree (not all lines go back further than 1750) and I use this numbering system to help me find people in the crowd. I’ve put them all on an Excel spreadsheet (the UR text) with all their data.

It’s not that hard to set up:

Everyone in my tree has a unique number that relates back to me:

father (#2) x 2 = his father (#4)

father (#2) x 2 + 1 = his mother (#5)

mother (#3) x 2 = her father (#6)

mother (#3) x 2 + 1 = her mother (#7)

If you want to make one for yourself you can copy my spreadsheet and change the people.

By doing the math backwards you can figure out how anyone in your chart is related to you - whether maternal or paternal line and number of generations back. That’s way too much work for me so I use color coding.

My Ahentafel Excel spreadsheet showing five generations

I can add lots of details for each individual. Above you can see which of the four grandparent lines they come from (colored coded for MOFFAT; MILLAR; ROBERTSON: and GREENAN).

From left to right it shows their unique number; first names; surnames; DOB; X shows I have the certificate; and place of birth.

I can also track date and place of marriage; date and place of death; burial place; cause of death; and occupation.

Section of Ahnentafel chart showing personal details

I can see my genetic health record e.g. only two died of cancer. On the far right I’ve added a “type of work” that allows me to see patterns within the family lines.

The MOFFATS were more entrepreneurial and craft oriented whereas the ROBERTSONS tended to do manual labor or factory work.

Over 50% of my ancestors were involved in the textile trade - as weavers, tailors, seamstresses, lacemakers, shoemakers, drapers, and salesmen.

The complete Ahnentafel chart can be seen by clicking on the link in the menu at the top of the page.