A person's file may indicate two sets of parents. There are two possibilities for that occurring.

1. There is some uncertainty or confusion as to which family a person was born into. This usually would apply to older records. If you check the file for William Hougham (1450-1509) you will see two sets of parents. If you go to the family file for each set of parents you will find William listed in both. There is conflict here between two sources - see diagram at right.

2. A person may have been brought up in a family other than that of their biological parent/s because of adoption, divorce, death or re-marriage of a parent. In order to "see" in what family context the person grew up, he/she is linked both to the "family of nurture" and to the biological parents. See the file for Nicholas George Thorburn and note two sets of parents. There is no either-or conflict here, as in the previous example, but a both-and record, one biological and one nurturing.

This raises a common controversy among genealogists: what is a family tree?

Is it a biological record tracing blood lines? Some genealogists are establishing DNA records for their family tree.

Is it a "story" of a family so that adopted children are just as much part of the story?

Or both. Roy~Royes Family Links is interested in the stories!

Unfortunately, unlike my genealogy software Reunion®, there seems to be no indication of this duplication unless you notice the two sets of parents. And even when you notice the two sets of parents, it is not clear whether you are dealing with an either-or conflict or a both-and record. And when you are dealing with a both-and record there is no indication which is the biological record and which the nurture record except perhaps for a surname. Usually the person's notes will tell you.