What is a pedigree?

What is a pedigree?

Peter O'Donoghue (Bluemantle Pursuivant ) gives expert video advice on: What is Heraldry?; What is a pedigree?; How do I begin to research my pedigree? and more...

A pedigree is another word for a family tree. It comes from the French words 'pied de grue' meaning 'a crane's foot'. The reasoning is that a crane's foot starts with a thin line going down, and then spreads out with the crane's toes, and that's rather like the way a pedigree goes down and spreads out.