Hello, Violet - I'm assuming that the names and numbers you sent are samples and not from the tree itself. With that in mind, it may be the programme's identification numbers and unique to that particular software. But, another possibility is - if you're lucky!!!! - ahnentafel numbers. These are numbers which tries to mathematically identify the relationships on your tree, generally going from your starting place in a direct line to your ending place. So, if you started with yourself, you might be assigned the #1. You then double that number for the next generation and add 1 for a spouse. Your father would be #2 and your mother #3. Your grandfather on your father's side would be #4 (grandmother = #5), on your mother's side #6 (grandmother = #7). Paternal great grandfather would be #8, maternal great grandfather #12 and so on. The numbers can get very large very quickly. The nice thing about the ahnentafel is that it gives a quick and clear line to to direct ancestors. Of course, the "bad" thing is that brothers and sisters are avoided. It is a very nice and helpful feature when working on direct lines. (Scary as all get out, tho!!!!!) Earl On 30/04/2015 8:16 AM, VIOLET MARTIN via wrote: > A few years ago I received a family tree from Norway. > There were numbers behind the family names; > Example: John Doe ( 139439) > Mary Smith ( 38164) > > There was an explanation for the numbers. > Somewhere I lost it. Could someone > explain to me what the purpose of the numbers > were and how to use them. > Thank You > > Sincerely, Vi Martin > Norwaylist Archiveshttp://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/index?list=norway > > RESUBSCRIBE UNSUB > http://lists.rootsweb.ancestry.com/index/intl/NOR/NORWAY.html > > guidelines http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~norway/guidelines.htm > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to NORWAY-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message