Z - Zodiac of Ancestors
April Challenge: A to Z of AI in Genealogy
Finding Patterns in the Stars of Family History
As we reach the final letter in our A to Z journey through AI in genealogy, it seems fitting to look to the stars—not for astrological guidance, but for a framework to understand the unique constellation of patterns that define each family across generations.
Just as ancient cultures gazed upward and found recurring celestial patterns they called the zodiac, family historians can now use artificial intelligence to identify the distinctive patterns of traits, tendencies, and timing that create our family's unique signature through time.
I call this concept the "Family Zodiac"—and no, I haven't gone all mystical in my final blog post! This isn't about whether your ancestors were stubborn Tauruses or dramatic Leos. Instead, it's about recognising that every family has its special constellation of recurring patterns that, when mapped, reveal the distinctive character of your lineage.
This visual representation was created by ChatGPT using the descriptions of the Twelve Houses of Family History below.
Note: the design is great, but the wording is not.
The Twelve Houses of Family History
To organise these patterns, I've created a framework that playfully borrows from astrological "houses" while providing a practical structure for understanding different dimensions of your family history:
Identity House (Aries): Naming patterns, physical traits, and personal characteristics
Is your family full of Williams who go by Bill, or perhaps there's a middle name that appears in every generation?
Resource House (Taurus): Financial patterns, property ownership, and material approaches
Perhaps your maternal line shows a pattern of property ownership, while your paternal side preferred liquid assets?
Communication House (Gemini): Education patterns, language use, and communication styles
Does your family tree reveal a surprising number of teachers, writers, or perhaps a pattern of education interrupted by historical events?
Home House (Cancer): Dwelling patterns, geographical attachments, and sense of place
Some families show remarkable geographical loyalty, while others seem to have inherited wanderlust!
Creation House (Leo): Artistic tendencies, creative outputs, and recreational patterns
Those musical abilities or artistic talents might not be random—they might be part of your family's creative signature.
Work House (Virgo): Occupational patterns, work ethics, and career approaches
Did you ever notice how many of your ancestors worked with their hands? Or perhaps they were all drawn to helping professions?
Relationship House (Libra): Marriage patterns, partnership tendencies, and relationship styles
Age at first marriage, number of children, and even the tendency to remarry after widowhood can form distinct patterns.
Transformation House (Scorpio): Patterns in how families handle crisis and change
Some families thrive after upheaval, while others struggle—these responses often follow generational patterns.
Exploration House (Sagittarius): Travel patterns, educational pursuits, and philosophical approaches
Was your family among the first to leave their homeland, or did they stay put while others ventured forth?
Achievement House (Capricorn): Status patterns, community involvement, and public recognition
Community leadership, professional achievements, and social mobility often cluster in particular family branches.
Connection House (Aquarius): Friendship patterns, community integration, and social networks
How your family builds relationships beyond blood ties can reveal fascinating community engagement patterns.
Spiritual House (Pisces): Religious tendencies, belief systems, and approaches to meaning
Religious transitions, spiritual explorations, and approaches to life's big questions often follow surprisingly consistent family patterns.
AI: Your Personal Astrologer (But Much More Reliable!)
Now, I'm not suggesting you consult AI the way some might visit an astrologer! But artificial intelligence does have an almost magical ability to detect patterns across massive amounts of family data—patterns that would take humans years to identify.
Here's how AI can help you map your own family zodiac:
Case Study 1: Temporal Patterns
I recently asked my AI assistant to analyse birth months across my family tree and discovered something I'd never noticed: a significant clustering of May births in my maternal line, including my great-grandmother Mary Ann Evans, born May 1833 in Haverfordwest, Wales.
What made this discovery particularly meaningful was the realisation that I, too, was born in May, creating a birthday connection that spans nearly two centuries. When viewed through the lens of the Family Zodiac, this becomes one thread in the unique temporal pattern of our family.
The AI suggested this might reflect agricultural cycles in rural Wales, traditional marriage timing (with August-September weddings leading to May births), or perhaps a self-reinforcing family tradition. What might have remained a simple factual connection gained deeper meaning through this analysis.
Case Study 2: Family Occupations
Today, I explored my paternal ancestors’ archives for clues and patterns and uploaded a register for the family of Richard Ellery, my paternal 7th great-grandfather, to ChatGPT. I prompted like this:
In a continued iterative conversation with ChatGPT, I was able to extract a useful description of the family occupations across 200 years.
Practical AI Prompts for Your Family Zodiac
Want to explore your own family's zodiac? Here are some prompts to try with your AI assistant:
For the Identity House: "Analyse my family tree and identify all naming patterns, particularly first names that repeat across generations or follow specific patterns."
For the Work House: "Analyse occupational data across my family tree and identify the most common professions, trades, or industries across generations."
For the Home House: "Map all residences in my family tree and identify patterns in urban vs. rural living choices across generations."
For all twelve houses: "After analysing my family data across all twelve houses, which three houses show the strongest pattern signatures in my family?"
Note: You will need to upload your research data for the AI tool to extract from. Be prepared for an interactive conversation to analyse, discuss, and generate reports on patterns found.
From Stargazing to Insight
I've found that discovering these patterns transforms genealogy from a collection of facts into a meaningful narrative. When I realised that my family showed a strong pattern in the Transformation House (Scorpio)—repeatedly rebuilding after significant setbacks—it helped me understand not just what happened to my ancestors, but the resilience that defined them across generations.
Similarly, noticing that certain family branches showed strong patterns in the Exploration House (Sagittarius) while others dominated in the Resource House (Taurus) helped me appreciate the diverse strengths that different lineages contributed to our shared heritage.
Note: Now I am keen to fill in the gaps in my family tree - the month of birth of many of my ancestors is not known. Another trail to follow.
Your family's zodiac will be uniquely yours—a special constellation of traits, tendencies, and patterns that have travelled through time to shape who you are today. With AI as your telescope, these patterns become visible in ways never before possible, revealing the distinctive signature of your family across the generations.
As we conclude our A to Z journey through AI in genealogy, I hope you'll take some time to gaze at your own family stars and discover the unique zodiac that defines your lineage. What patterns will you find written in your family sky?
Genealogy Assistant Claude @ Anthropic
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What patterns have you noticed in your family history? Have you discovered your own family "zodiac" of recurring traits or tendencies? Share your observations in the comments below!
I love your creative approach to this prompt Carole. Who would have thought family patterns would show up through the zodiac. I will be checking mine. Well done on completing the challenge. I've loved your educational posts and will definitely be back for a deep dive now that the AtoZ is done.
Congratulations on completing the challenge. I really like the idea of looking for patterns in family history. Many we get to know instinctively - a man of a certain age probably served in WW1 or WW2. Some families are likely to have served in the British Army or Navy during the Victorian era, other families have sons who served in the clergy or were merchants. I like how you have identified patterns in your family history.