forbears
Those who came before
Forbears are one's ancestors or forefathers—the people from whom you descend.
The word usually implies generations back rather than immediate family: Our forbears settled this land two centuries ago.
Also spelled forebears.
Not to be confused with the verb forbear, meaning to refrain from something.
Original ancestors of a lineage
- forefathersAncestral predecessors
- foremothersFemale ancestors collectively
- patriarchsMale ancestral leaders
- matriarchsFemale family rulers
antecedents · sires · dams · elders · grandparents · great-grandparents · predecessors · precursors
Study of family descent
- pedigreeRecord of descent
- bloodlineAncestry through generations
- ancestryFamily line of descent
- descentDownward slope or lineage
family tree · kinship · dynasty · clan · heritage · roots · line · parentage
Sequential historical accounts
- annalsYear-by-year historical account
- archivesStored historical documents
- recordsStored data or albums
- documentsFormal written records
oral histories · family stories · sagas · narratives · accounts · memoirs · diaries · letters
progenitors
Original ancestors of a lineage
- forefathersAncestral predecessors
- foremothersFemale ancestors collectively
- patriarchsMale ancestral leaders
matriarchs · antecedents · sires · dams · elders · grandparents · great-grandparents · predecessors · precursors · founders
genealogy
Study of family descent
descent · family tree · kinship · dynasty · clan · heritage · roots · line · parentage · birthright
chronicles
Sequential historical accounts
- annalsYear-by-year historical account
- archivesStored historical documents
- recordsStored data or albums
documents · oral histories · family stories · sagas · narratives · accounts · memoirs · diaries · letters · photographs
inheritance
Property received from ancestors
endowment · birthright · traditions · teachings · values · wisdom · customs · stories · land · estate
- ancestorsancestor, ancestors, forefathers, foremother, foremothers
- kinshipmother, father, sister, brother, children
forbearsdescendants
Those who come after
offspring · progeny · posterity · heirs · future generations