Thought his to be an eye opener for researchers. Shows clearly the exponential growth rate encountered when attempting to trace your ancestors. Please feel free to share with others! Enjoy, William W. Hatcher Sr. Milledgeville, Ga. God Bless America! Subject: Fw: numberofancestors.htm  This is what is encountered when your search for your ancestors. You can see you have 256 grandparents after going back just eight generations. (and a few great internet cousins along the way.)                 The average number of relatives to 20 generations of grandparents                          You       2               parents       4               grandparents       8               ggrandparents       16             gggrandparents       32             ggggrandparents       64             gggggrandparents       128           ggggggrandparents       256           gggggggrandparents       512           ggggggggrandparents       1,024        gggggggggrandparents       2,048        ggggggggggrandparents       4,096        gggggggggggrandparents       8,192        ggggggggggggrandparents       16,384      gggggggggggggrandparents       32,768      ggggggggggggggrandparents       65,536      gggggggggggggggrandparents       131,072    ggggggggggggggggrandparents       262,144    gggggggggggggggggrandparents       524,288    ggggggggggggggggggrandparents      1,048,576  gggggggggggggggggggrandparents      2,097,152  ggggggggggggggggggggrandparents      4,194,304  gggggggggggggggggggggrandparents       =================================================       8,388,606 Ancestors to 20 Great Grandparents