A genealogy book or register is used in Asia, and Europe to record the family history of ancestors. It is the Chinese tradition to record family members in a book, including every male born in the family, who they are married to, etc. Traditionally, only males' names are recorded in the books. In India, the Hindu genealogy registers at Haridwar has been a subject of study for many years and have been microfilmed by Genealogical Society of Utah (GSU) USA .

During the Cultural revolution, many of the books were forcefully destroyed or burned to ashes, because they were considered by the Chinese communist party as among the Four Old Things to be eschewed. Therefore much valuable cultural history was destroyed forever. Fortunately in Taiwan many people still keep their genealogy books, some of which are even a few thousand years old.

Irish genealogical books

Genealogy has been a fundamental part of Irish culture since prehistory. Of the many surviving manuscripts, a large number are devoted to genealogy, either for a single family, or many. It was practised in both Gaelic and Anglo-Norman Ireland. A number of the more notable books include:

• Leabhar na nGenealach (The Great Book of Irish Genealogies]]
• The Ó Cléirigh Book of Genealogies
• The Book of the Burkes
• Leabhar Adhamh Ó Cianáin
• An Leabhar Muimhneach
• Leabhar Donn

Families who were professional historians inlcuded Clan Ó Duibhgeannáin, Ó Cléirigh, Clan MacFhirbhisigh, Ó Maolconaire.

See also

• Genealogy

References