Genealogy: What is Direct and Collateral lines?

In genealogy, a collateral line refers to the lineage of individuals who are not in the direct line of descent but are instead connected through a common ancestor. In other words, it’s the family line of aunts, uncles, cousins, and other relatives who are not part of your direct ancestral line. For example, if you’re tracing your direct lineage from yourself to your parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, and so on, that’s your direct or ancestral line. The collateral line, on the other hand, includes the siblings of your direct ancestors and their descendants. This means your aunts, uncles, and cousins – they’re all part of the collateral line. Collateral lines can be valuable in genealogy research for a variety of reasons. They can help you discover more about your family’s history, connections, and relationships, and they can provide a broader picture of your family’s story beyond the direct line of your direct ancestors.