*****PLEASE READ*****   

I try very hard to get my tree right and keep it updated. Please let me know if I have mistakes. Some lines are undocumented and are listed to the best of my ability. The page is usually updated about once per month with a new gedcom tree upload. I will note this page when a new file is uploaded.
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How far back can the average person trace their family tree?

About 20 generations (about 400 years), ago we each have about a million ancestors. Although many of those will show up more than once in your ancestral line due to pedigree collapse.

"Most people will be able to trace some lines of their family tree back to the 1600s.  Some people might be able to trace a few lines of their tree back a little further than that, especially if they have a very notable person in their family tree that has had a lot of independent research done about them. 
This means that some people might be able to trace some aspects of their tree back to as far as about 1400, which would be considered unusual.  Most serious genealogists would view a tree that goes back to the year 1400 with a large dose of skepticism." (information in quotes was taken from website - https://whoareyoumadeof.com/blog/how-far-back-can-you-go-with-genealogy/)

For this reason, although some trees on the internet will take some of these same lines and take them back into the 1400's and farther back, I simply will not. For one thing, the records become more inaccurate the farther back you go. For another thing, I just don't think that far back matters. I am slowly pruning my tree to eliminate MOST profiles from before 1500. At some point, I may eliminate MOST before 1600. (One notable exception is the Farley line, as this line has been extensively researched by a great number of high profile researchers. However, even that one will not be taken back farther than Thomas and Jane [parents of Archer – grandparents of John Farley – commonly referred to as John B Farley])

Most of these lines will be fought over and about for decades to come, maybe even centuries! I am going to concentrate on getting my closer family as correct as possible. After all, eventually, they will be long ago as well!