Pyramid Theory of Doubling Ancestors

                             SELF
                           2 PARENTS
                        4 GRANDPARENTS
                     8 GREAT-GRANDPARENTS
                  16 GREAT-GREAT-GRANDPARENTS
               32 GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GRANDPARENTS
            64 GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GRANDPARENTS
         128 GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GRANDPARENTS
      256 GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GRANDPARENT 
   512 GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GRANDPARENTS
1024 GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GRANDPARENTS

In this theory the number of ancestors double each generation. I can’t represent the rest of the generations on this page, so following is the number of theoretical ancestors in each generation, starting at Generation 12 where the figure above leaves off.
Gen. 12: 2048
Gen. 13: 4096
Gen. 14: 8192
Gen. 15: 16384
Gen. 16: 32768

Diamond Theory of Ancestors

In this theory the pyramid begins to narrow beyond the 10th generation. I can’t represent this with numbers as they would be unknown, so I am representing the basic shape with x representing the number of individuals in each generation. I will, however make some assumptions about the number of parents and grandparents back to the 10th generation.

                             SELF
                           2 PARENTS
                        4 GRANDPARENTS
                     8 GREAT-GRANDPARENTS
                  16 GREAT-GREAT-GRANDPARENTS
               32 GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GRANDPARENTS
            64 GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GRANDPARENTS
         128 GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GRANDPARENTS
      256 GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GRANDPARENT 
   512 GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GRANDPARENTS
1024 GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GRANDPARENTS
  x G-G-GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GRANDPARENTS
    x G-G-G-G-G-GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GRANDPARENTS
       x G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G-GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GRANDPARENTS
          x-G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G-G-GREAT-GRANDPARENTS

This article was researched by Lorine McGinnis Schulze of The Olive Tree Genealogy at http://olivetreegenealogy.com/index.shtml” Permission to copy is granted as long as the article remains AS IS. No changes may be made to the article and all identifying information and website link must remain intact. This Permission to Copy notice must remain with the article