My Numbering System

The relationship of individuals can be determined using the numbering system I use. Although it may seem confusing at first glance, it can be easily followed once understood. Any system must have a base on which to build and in this case the base number is 1A, assigned to R. Lyle Brown. That's me!

The basics are as follows. The base number is 1, his father is 2, his father is 4, etc., doubling as the generations go back. The wife of each is one more than the husband. ie The wife of 2 is 3, the wife of 12 is 13, etc.

With my system, a letter also follows the first number to designate brothers & sisters. The brothers & sisters of 20A are 20B, 20C, 20D, etc. Ideally these would also indicate their order of birth. However, for my convenience only, all of my direct line ancestors carry the letter A, regardless of their order. Naturally as generations go farther back, it becomes more difficult to determine the exact order of children and many times other children are discovered after several hundred descendants have been numbered, thus making it impractical to re-number everyone. So bear in mind that although the numbers may not be genetically correct in all cases, they do represent direct relationship.

Now let's take a look at a number and follow the logic to give you a better understanding of how to locate relatives with this system.

As long as we are interested only in ancestors, the system is easy to use. However, once we start charting descendants of 3rd cousins twice removed, it gets complicated. 20B924C6(12)D might be a typical number. Starting with me as number 1A, my father is 2A, grandfather 4A, grandmother, 5A and her father 10A. His father is 20A so 20B is his brother or sister. The first spouse of 20B would be 20BA. Their children would be 20B1, 20B2, 20B3, etc. In this example there are at least 9 children as we see 20B9. Continuing on, the spouse of 20B9 is 20B9A and their children are 20B91, 20B92, etc. 20B92 and spouse had several children including 20B924. Now, this person obviously had children by more than one wife as we see another letter come into the picture. Thus, 20B924C6 would be the sixth child of 20B924 by his or her 3rd spouse (C). This person then had many children (at least 12) and that person was married at least 4 times as we note that our original number, 20B924C6(12)D is in fact the spouse of the 12th child, of the 6th child by the third marriage, of the 4th child, of the 2nd child, of the 9th child of a brother or sister (20B) to my ancestor 20A.

Suffice it to say that each successive number brings us forward one generation and each letter (after the first one) indicates an additional marriage. When relatives inter-marry, they will carry their original number. The children may carry numbers relative to either the father or mother depending on which was discovered first.

1A.... ME
1B.... Brother or sister of 1A

2A.... Father of 1A & 1B
3A.... Mother of 1A & 1B

4A.... Father of 2A
5A.... Wife of 4A, Mother of 2A

10A... Father of 5A

20A... Father of 10A
20B... Brother or sister of 20A

20B9......... 9th child of 20B

20B92........ 2nd child of 20B9

20B924....... 4th child of 20B92

20B924C6..... 6nd child of 20B924.

This child by 3rd spouse 20B924C. 20B924 must have had children by at least one of the previous spouses, otherwise the spousal designation (C) will not be carried in the number.

20B924C6(12)... 12th child of 20B924C6
20B924C6(12)D.. 4th spouse of 20B924C6(12)