1. study of history of families: the study of the history of families and the line of descent from their ancestors
2. family history: a pedigree or line of descent that can be traced directly from an ancestor or earlier form, especially that of a specific person or family
3. family tree: a chart or table that shows the line of descent from an ancestor or earlier form, especially that of a specific person or family
[14th century. Via French généalogie< Greek genealogia< genea "race, generation"]