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Simple English definitions for legal terms
common ancestor
Read a random definition: inchoate right
A quick definition of common ancestor:
A common ancestor is a person who is related to two or more people in a family tree. They are like a puzzle piece that connects different parts of the family. An ancestor is someone who came before us, like a great-grandparent or even further back. When we talk about a common ancestor, we mean someone who is related to different people in the same way. For example, if two cousins have the same great-grandparent, that great-grandparent is their common ancestor.
A more thorough explanation:
Definition: A common ancestor is a person from whom the ancestry of two or more people is traced. It is the person who is related to both of them and from whom they both descended.
For example, if two cousins are trying to trace their family tree, they might find that they have a common ancestor in their great-grandfather. This means that their great-grandfather is the person from whom both of them descended.
Another example could be two siblings who are trying to find out more about their family history. They might discover that they have a common ancestor in their great-great-grandmother. This means that their great-great-grandmother is the person from whom both of them descended.
The concept of a common ancestor is important in genealogy and family history research. By tracing back to a common ancestor, people can learn more about their family history and how they are related to each other.