Genealogies Reaching Back to Adam and Eve

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Summary

Many people have wished that they could trace their ancestry back to Adam and Eve. Here is a place where those lines can be identified, with commentary... but they are not reliable!

"[...] When asked if it is possible for living people to extend ancestral lines back to Adam and Eve, Robert C. Gunderson, Senior Royalty Research Specialist, of the [LDS] Church Genealogical Department, stated:

“The simplest answer is No. Let me explain. In thirty-five years of genealogical research, I have yet to see a pedigree back to Adam that can be documented. By assignment, I have reviewed hundreds of pedigrees over the years. I have not found one where each connection on the pedigree can be justified by evidence from contemporary documents. In my opinion it is not even possible to verify historically a connected European pedigree earlier than the time of the Merovingian Kings (c. a.d. 450–a.d. 752).

“Every pedigree I have seen which attempts to bridge the gap between that time and the biblical pedigree appears to be based on questionable tradition, or at worst, plain fabrication. Generally these pedigrees offer no evidence as to the origin of the information, or they cite a vague source.”
— Murphy, Nathan (10 Jan 2013). "I Have My Family Tree Back to Adam and Eve", quoting Gunderson, Robert C. (Feb 1984). “I Have a Question,” Ensign, 31.

Resources

Earliest ancestors identified in WikiTree

Geni: Descents from Antiquity

These profiles are connected to the main tree and are each appearing as at least one user's ancestor as of 4 January 2025, regardless of whether those connections are accurate or not:

• Ηλου (Heraios) – profile does not use this name but it was created from a GEDCOM and updated with information from the JDA genealogy website (fabpedigree.com). Heraios was a Kushan ruler; these were essentially a subgrouping of the Yuezhi. "Heraios" has been suggested as another name for Kujula Kadphises.^[1][2]
• 漢光武帝 (Emperor Guangwu of Han)
• Fiatach Finn mac Dáire
• Fedelm ingen Tuathal
• Κοζουλου Καδφιζου (Kujula Kadphises) began his reign as Kushan emperor in either 30 or 40 CE. Currently shows as grandson of Guangwu, which is probably not correct. His own grandson has also been skipped.
• Feradach Finnfechtnach
• Caradog Ap Bran, who seems to be a legendary version of Caratacus.
• Arvirargus
• Unnamed / unsourced profile – daughter of Guangwu, who did have daughters.
• Genuissa Claudius
• Dubun ap Bryddgwyn
• Eneid ap Eudos
• Walagaš (Vologeses I)
• Cormaic Gealtach
• Fíachu Finnolach

Regardless of their accuracy or status as real or fictional persons, they are all supposed to have been born in or before 30 CE.

G2G Discussions relating to Biblical genealogy

• (14 Sep 2012). "Surnames in biblical ancestry?"
• (26 Apr 2014). "Is there a category for biblical ancestors ?"
• (23 May 2014). "At what point in time does Wikitree prohibit profiles?"
• (1 Sep 2015). "How does this site regard biblical genealogy?"
• (20 Jan 2016). "Adam and Eve"
• (8 Mar 2016). "Can we eliminate BC TAGS please ? Especially Biblical............."
• (23 Nov 2016). "What's the oldest ancestor on WikiTree?"
• (16 May 2017). "Pepin's Mistresses"
• (10 Oct 2017) "Where is Adam and Eve?"
• (6 Apr 2018). "Why is Mthycal Merovingian-57 allowed, but not Biblical Adam and Eve?"
• (24 Apr 2019). "biblical geneology question"
• (28 Feb 2020). "Is it possible we a a profile for virgin mary or her decendents"
• (29 Feb 2020). "How would one find their personal connection to Jesus and HIS family?"
• (5 Nov 2020). "Does WikiTree have a genesis project To root with Adam & Eve?"
• (5 Dec 2020). "Anyone linked back to King Solomon and Queen Abyssina Sheba of Jerusalem?", duplicated /

Biblical Genealogy

Book of Genesis

The Book of Genesis (בְּרֵאשִׁית; pronounced Bərēʾšīṯ) is traditionally said to have been written by Moses. It was probably composed about the 400s BCE from the much older oral history and traditions of the Hebrews regarding their origins.^[3] This is the ultimate source—at least for Western people alive from the 16th century onward—from which the traditions of Adam and Eve and their immediate descendants come from, and is thus the basis for all genealogies which claim descent from them.

Mainstream consensus among modern scholars holds that the book moreso recounts mythology (i.e., origin myths) rather than history,^[3] with dozens of comparisons to other nearby belief systems having been made in relation to the primeval portion of the book (chapters 1–11). The rest, the ancestral history (chapters 12–50), relays the origin narratives surrounding Israel, the Twelve Tribes, their perceived relationships with other races and places, and their relationship with their own god.

Most modern translations of Genesis are derived from the Masoretic Text (נֻסָּח הַמָּסוֹרָה; pronounced Nūssāḥ). There are two other versions, being the Samaritan Pentateuch and the Septuagint, which is a Greek translation of a Hebrew text. Most Western Christians – including Roman Catholics and Protestants – and Orthodox Jews use the Masoretic Text. One of the biggest differences between the versions is the number of years that the patriachs lived, Methuselah making it to 969 years old in the Masoretic and Septuagint texts.

Pre-Flood

According to these traditions, the first man created by ʾĔlōhīm (אֱלֹהִ֜ים) – God – was Adam (אָדָם), and from his rib bone was created the first woman, Eve (חַוָּה). The children of Adam and Eve were Cain, Abel, and Seth. Lines of descent from Cain and Seth are thus:

Note that comparisons have been made between Seth's line and the Sumerian King List, particularly between Enoch and Enmeduranna of Sippar. Also note that many of the names are similar, possibly suggesting that the two lines originate from one single tradition that diverged at some point.

Lamech married Adah and Zillah. Adah gave birth to Jabal and Jubal, the fathers (ancestors) "of those who dwell in tents and raise livestock", and "of all who play the harp and flute", respectively. Zillah gave birth to Tubal-cain, "a forger of every implement of bronze and iron", and a daughter Naamah.

Noah's sons were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. In these traditions, the Great Flood was unleashed upon the earth to cleanse it of almost all living beings (including the Nəfīlīm, "the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown" – Genesis 6:4 – which the apocryphon Book of Giants names Gilgamesh and Humbaba as such) and the corruption arising from them, so all who were not Noah and his immediate family died (Genesis 7:21). The exception to this is Methuselah according to the Septuagint.

Post-Flood

The sons of Shem were Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud, and Aram – these and their descendants were the Semites.

• Arphaxad was the father of Shelah.
  • Shelah was the father of Eber, whose own sons were Peleg and Joktan.
    • Peleg's line of descent is such:
      • Reu
        • Serug
          • Nahor
            • Terah – every person mentioned in this ancestral path back to Shem is asserted to have "had other sons and daughters".
    • Joktan was the father of Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, Obal, Abimael, Sheba, Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab.
• The sons of Aram were Uz, Hul, Gether, and Mash.

The sons of Japheth were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras – these and their descendants were the Japhethites.

• The sons of Gomer were Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah.
• The sons of Javan were Elishah, Tarshish, the Kittites, and the Rodanites.

The sons of Ham were Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan – these and their descendants were the Hamites.

• The sons of Cush were Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, Sabteca, and Nimrod.
  • The sons of Ramaah were Sheba and Dedan.
• Mizraim was the father of the Ludites, the Anamites, the Lehabites, the Naphtuhites, the Pathrusites, the Casluhites (from whom the Philistines came), and the Caphtorites.
• Canaan was the father of Sidon, the Hittites (Zohar and his son Ephron are named later), the Jebusites, the Amorites, the Girgashites, the Hivites (Hamor and Shechem are named later), the Arkites, the Sinites, the Arvadites, the Zemarites, and the Hamathites.

Abraham's family

Terah was the father of Abram (later called Abraham), Nahor, and Haran.

• Abram's wife was Sarai (later called Sarah), whose Egyptian maidservant Hagar became pregnant by Abram and gave birth to Ishmael. Sarah also gave birth to Isaac. Abraham took another wife, Keturah, who bore Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.
  • Ishmael's sons were Nebaioth, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. His daughter was Mahalath.
  • Jokshan's sons were Sheba and Dedan, the latter of which is the father of the Asshurites, the Letushites, and the Leummites.
  • Midian was the father of Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah.
• Nahor's wife was Milcah daughter of Haran and sister to Iscah. Milcah bore sons: Uz, Buz, Kemuel, Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel. Nahor’s concubine, Reumah, also bore Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.
  • Haran was the father of Lot.
    • Lot had two daughters by his wife. They became pregnant by him, and their sons were Moab and Ben-ammi, ancestors of the Moabites and Ammonites.
  • Kemuel was the father of Aram.
  • Bethuel was the father of Rebekah, who was also the sister of Laban, and married Isaac.
    • Laban's daughters were Leah and Rachel. He also had sons.
    • The sons of Isaac and Rebekah were Jacob (later called Israel) and Esau.
      • Esau's wives were Judith daughter of Beeri the Hittite, Basemath (and/or Adah) daughter of Elon the Hittite, Mahalath, Oholibamah daughter of Anah and granddaughter of Zibeon the Hivite, and Basemath daughter of Ishmael and sister of Nebaioth. Adah bore Eliphaz; Basemath bore Reuel; and Oholibamah bore Jeush, Jalam, and Korah.
        • Eliphaz's sons were Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz, and Korah, and he fathered Amalek by his concubine Timna.
        • Reuel's sons were Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah.

• • • • • Timna was Lotan's sister. He, along with Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan, was a son of Seir the Horite. His sons were Hori and Hemam.
        • Shobal's sons were Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, and Onam.
        • Zibeon's sons were Aiah and Anah, the latter being the same father of Oholibamah and Dishon.
        • Dishon's sons were Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Cheran.
          
        • Ezer's sons were Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan.
          
        • Dishan's sons were Uz and Aran.

Symbols of the Tribes of Israel

Israel

Jacob married Leah and Rachel. Leah bore Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, and Dinah. Jacob also had sons, Dan and Naphtali, with Rachel's maidservant Bilhah. Leah also gave her maidservant, Zilpah, to Jacob, and thus Gad and Asher were born. Rachel conceived Joseph and Ben-oni (soon after changed to Benjamin).

• Reuben's sons were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
• Simeon's sons were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman.
• The sons of Levi were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
• Judah's wife was the daughter of Shua. Their sons were Er, Onan, and Shelah. Judah also had sons by his daughter-in-law Tamar, whose names were Perez and Zerah.
  • Perez's sons were Hezron and Hamul.
• The sons of Issachar were Tola, Puvah, Job, and Shimron.
• Zebulun's sons were Sered, Elon, and Jahleel.
• Gad's sons were Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli.
• Asher's children were Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, and their sister Serah.
  • Beriah's children were Heber and Malchiel.
• Joseph's sons by Asenath daughter of Potiphera were Manasseh and Ephraim.
• Naphtali's sons were Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem.
  
• Dan's son was Hushim.
  
• Benjamin's sons were Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard.

Book of Exodus

Traditionally ascribed to Moses, the Book of Exodus (שְׁמוֹת; pronounced Šəmōṯ), is estimated to have been written as early as about the 500s BCE, again from much older oral traditions. Moses's ancestry comes from the passage Exodus 6:14-24 – the beginning draws from the descent of Jacob's sons Rueben, Simeon, and Levi. Jochebed is named as a sister to Kohath.

• The sons of Gershon, by clans, were Libni and Shimei.
• The sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.
  • Amram married Jochebed who bore him Aaron and Moses, and an unnamed sister but who is identifed as Miriam.
    • Aaron married Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab and sister of Nahshon, and she bore him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.
    • Moses married Zipporah, daughter of Reuel, also referred to as Jethro. Their sons were Gershom and Eliezer. Moses also married a Cushite woman.
• Eleazar married a daughter of Putiel, and she bore him Phinehas.
  • The sons of Izhar were Korah, Nepheg, and Zikri.
    • The sons of Korah were Assir, Elkanah, and Abiasaph – these were the Korahite clans.
  • The sons of Uzziel were Mishael, Elzaphan, and Sithri.
• The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi.

Gospel of Matthew

According to Papias, the Gospel according to Matthew (ευαγγελιον κ̣ατ̣α μαθ᾽θαιον) was written by Matthew the companion of Jesus. Most modern scholars hold that it was written in the last quarter of the first century (i.e. about 75 to 100 CE). The earliest surviving copies are written in Greek.

This genealogy is from the passage Matthew 1:1–17. Verse 17 (English Standard Version) explains:

So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.

Gospel of Luke

The Gospel according to Luke (Εὐαγγέλιον κατὰ Λουκᾶν), along with the Acts of the Apostles (Πράξεις Ἀποστόλων), is traditionally thought to have been authored by Luke the Evangelist, being companion to Paul, but many contradictions between the Acts of the Apostles and the authentic Pauline letters would instead suggest these books to have been written about CE 80–110 by an anonymous author, although one who still may have met Paul.

This genealogy is from the passage Luke 3:23–38.

Mediæval genealogies

Nennius

Nennius was a Welsh monk who lived in the 800s CE, said to have written the Historia Brittonum. The work connects the Gaulish deity Alaunus to Adam and Eve through Noah and Japheth, reflecting the Genesis narrative. Afterwards, the line of descent looks like this:

Alanus was also connected as the husband of Rhea Silvia, mother of Romulus and Remus.

The book further says that Britain was named for Brutus of Troy.

The book is also the earliest-known reference to "King" Arthur (see also Space:King_Arthur and Space:King_Arthur_Legend).

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle was created during the reign of Ælfred (r. 871–899). It gives a short family tree from Noah to Woden:

An alternate line of descent from Noah is written later into the work:

* who was born in the ark
** [legendary king, who mysteriously came from the sea aboard a skiff as a baby,] born in Noah’s ark.

Judah to Troy to Woden

Later monks traced Woden through Troy back to Judah through his son Zerah, reflecting the Genesis narrative.

* drawn chiefly from nicknames of the old god Thor.

Harleian genealogies

Mediæval interest in genealogy raised claims that Joseph of Arimathea was a relative of Jesus; specifically, Mary's uncle, or according to some genealogies, Joseph's uncle.^[4]

This line was uploaded to WikiTree by David Ellis Anwyl via import of Ellis Anwyl Delong_2013-01-13.ged, which is probably a variant of the Harleian genealogies:

* married Mary
** married James the Just
*** married Bran Fendigaid

A genealogy for the family of Joseph of Arimathea provides material for the Estoire del Saint Graal and the Queste del Saint Graal of the Lancelot-Grail cycle and Perlesvaus.^[4]

Early modern period

Lewys Dwnn presents a pedigree of Pughe, of Mathavarn, in Cyveilog, to Adam, which illustrates the fondness of the Welsh for pedigrees as well as the difficulty of determining at what point the pedigree moves from history to legend.^[5] The first 12 generations presented in this genealogy reflect the Genesis narrative down to Noah and his grandson Javan. The rest of the descent to John Pughe, Esq. is this:

* the first King yt ever trode on this Island
** who had a Cell or an Hermitage upon the top of Cader Idris, and per that means the hill beneath yt name to this day [i.e. late 1500s]
*** [the latest individual where legends start creeping into the pedigree. Everyone who comes later seems to have existed and be in an historically correct position.]
**** the which David lloyd was created Esq of the body of Henry the 7th

Industrial Revolution

John O'Hart used ancient sources, such as the Lebor Gabála Érenn and the Annals of the Four Masters, to compile a genealogical history of Ireland, Irish pedigrees; or, The origin and stem of the Irish nation (1876). The work is flawed both by O'Hart's lack of citations, so that it is impossible to know where any given piece of information came from, and his having created connections.

The first dozen generations are from Adam to Noah's grandson Magog, reflecting the Genesis narrative.

Contemporary history

• The Royal Line pub. by A.F. Schmuhl pub:1929 NYC, NY (revised ed.1980) in which Albert F. Schmuhl charts an ancestry to Adam through nobility (mainly royalty of Great Britain) and Biblical lines for Morman leaders; Jedediah M. Grant (1816-1856), Daniel H. Wells (1819-1891), Orson F. Whitney (1855-1931), Richard R. Lyman (1870-1963), Joseph Smith Jr. (1804-1844) and others including George Washington and Abraham Lincoln
• Kinship of Families inc. charts compiled by Archibald F. Bennett charts a family tree between Adam, George Albert Smith, Heber J. Grant & other leaders of the LDS (Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints) pub: Genealogical Society of Utah c. 1936
• From Adam to Freeman lineage begins with Adam 4000-3070 BC via the Wessex Kings to Hayley Elyse Freeman, born 1988 at Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas
• Kinship of Families to Adam by Bennett - the pedigree chart begins with Adam & ends with Heber J. Grant.
• Royal Ancestors of some L.D.S. Families compiled by Michel L. Call with pedigree charts tracing Royal ruling families from c. 1500 AD to Adam c. 4000 BC
• Jamie Allen's Family Tree & Ancient Genealogical Allegations does not stop with Adam and Eve. Includes speculative connections to Pharaohs, deities, most royal families, etc. Thoroughly indexed.
• Cook Family Genealogy Pages begins Abraham ben Tarakr c. 2052 B.C.

Sources

1. ↑ Rezakhani, Khodadad (2017). "East Iran in Late Antiquity". ReOrienting the Sasanians: East Iran in Late Antiquity. Edinburgh University Press. pp. 1–256. ISBN 9781474400305. Via Oct 2019 edit by User:HistoryofIran to the "Heraios" article on Wikipedia.
2. ↑ Sinisi, Fabrizio (Oct 2022). "Again on “Heraios” Being Kujula and Some Related Problems". ResearchGate.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Ehrman, Bart D. (25 Feb 2022). "(New Course) In the Beginning: History, Legend, and Myth in Genesis by Bart Ehrman
   
   ".
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} User:Wetman's edit to "Joseph of Arimathea" article at Wikipedia on 16 August 2010. Cites C. Scott Littleton, Linda A. Malcor, From Scythia to Camelot: a radical reassessment of the legends of King Arthur, the Knights of the Round Table and the Holy Grail (1994) 2000:310.
5. ↑ Dwnn, Lewys; Meyrick, Samuel Rush (ed.). Montgomeryshire Pedigrees: Heraldic Visitations of Wales and part of the Marches. "Pughe, of Mathavarn, in Cyveilog, to Adam". Vol I, page 205. Printed and published by William Rees. Accessed via Google Books 5 Jan 2025. Also available via Internet Archive.