Since its birth in 1995, Linhagens has developed several innovative concepts and approaches on how genealogy and research are viewed.

We use these concepts in our work and set universal standards for professional genealogists.


Genealogy-for-Women

Linhagens believes in gender equality and in active measures to promote it. We believe all cultural social and economic hurdles which prevent women from coming into their own will progressively be destroyed. We also believe that many of these hurdles are not just the result of the present constraints or of what we will be able to do in the future, but also the consequence of how we perceive and present the past.

However, genealogy keeps the past still present in the behaviours and cultures of communities. In fact, concepts like primogeniture and agnatic succession (i.e., patrilineal succession) which governed family and legal relations and the structure of societies.

Just look at a run of the mill family tree and it is clear to see that men have the position of superiority when compared to women. Genealogical documents are usually structured by branches, and male branches are preferred. They also include many expressions with no scientific meaning, which are derogatory to women and find roles for them, which are merely secondary or connected to reproduction. One cannot forget expressions like “bore children to” or “gave birth in” in the context of the relationship between a male ancestor and the mother of his children. Ultimately, what we see as a meaningless tradition is kept alive in our family memories and records

Now that genealogy is the second largest interest in countries like the USA, and genealogy sites are the second most visited category of sites online, we can no longer disregard the preservation of centuries of inequality see in an uncritical fashion through genealogy, as well as the impact of certain expressions in the promotion of gender equality.

We believe modern genealogy can play a role in accelerating the changes we all want in the battle of gender equality, provided that genealogists play an active role and rethink the way they contemplate, conduct, and present their researches.

Genealogy-for-Women reflects our revision of genealogy as an instrument to serve the promotion of women in their own right and Linhagens’ commitment to:

  • Change and promote a change of methods and software which in one way or another give men greater relevance than women;
  • Refrain from using expressions and concepts void of scientific use; concepts which reflect misplaced views on the role of women;
  • Actively promote the research of feminine ancestors, by developing processes and ways to overcome information indexation and organisation methods which favour the male elements;
  • Promote the involvement of women in the world of genealogy with a fully level playing field allowing them to effectively contribute towards the way genealogy is conceived and conducted;
  • Ensure all our workers collaborators and partners adhere to the principles and practices of Genealogy-for-Women.

Genealogy-as-a-product

One of the main challenges for every research has to do with that clear communication and understanding of the object to be researched and the price to be paid. For a long time professional genealogy has used a free model akin to consultancy services wherein results in price hinge upon the number of hours spent.

Linhagens realise that transparency and loyalty demand another type of commitment from the researcher. In 1995 we developed a unique concept: a fixed price research service for a preset number of generations.

We were happy to play our part in one of the most disruptive innovations in the world of professional genealogy with clear benefits for the user.

This solution will allow the client to understand exactly what they will receive and how much they would pay with no uncertainty and all as to the final amount or the scope of the research.

This will also allow the client to choose to resume the research at a later date and by modules; the client can then research on their own or get in touch with us again and choose to research specific branches following a specific budget.

SmartGenealogy

Loyalty towards our client demands steady and sustainable commitment with ethics and transparency. This commitment in itself will have little use without specific guidelines to implement it on a daily basis. We were pioneers when we decided to apply to geology the S.M.A.R.T. methodology. This allows us to define criteria which will be used by the client to rate our work and decide whether or not the goals have been reached, hence our concept of SmartGenealogy.

Specific. At the beginning the client decides what kind of research they want and what they’ll to achieve from it. We will not deviate from this path nor waste time in useless chores.

Measurable. The client could easily check whether or not to the goals have been reached. They can check the number of generations or how much information they requested. Everything is quantifiable.

Attainable. We are open to new challenges but we only conduct research is when our skills and experience allow us to ensure and That the desired goals are going to be met.

Realistic. We are straightforward with our clients and we do not promise I’m feasible results or solutions. We shall use all our expertise and creativity in our clients’ behalf, but we will never profit from that which cannot be achieved.

Timely. Depending on the clients’ expectations and on the type of research we will set and meet all agreed-upon deadlines.

E-Genealogy

The fast growth of genealogy, the number of users and the resources available to all researchers and enthusiasts have created new opportunities namely are when it comes to developing new projects and skills.

Fostering entrepreneurship is arguably one of the main factors for the economic development of countries, on par with training, investment and public employment policies.

There must be structured and across-the-board responses to the high rate of unemployment in countries like Portugal. However, these rates are also a decisive factor in finding new approaches to the employment market.

In countries such as Portugal genealogy is a unique opportunity, as there are numerous people of Portuguese descent all over the world with a growing interest in their roots and in the available digital media – which allow outermost countries to bring goods and services to all corners of the earth.

However, the market of genealogy in Portugal is cornered by highly specialized researchers, who show little availability to pass on their art and with limited background in providing services.

This is why we developed a social entrepreneurship project connected to genealogy – E-Genealogy.

Through E-Genealogy we provide sustainable support to public employment bodies, namely by organizing professional training courses open to all. The goal of these courses is to have a practical and targeted approach to:

  • The major trends in the market of genealogy.
  • New technologies at the disposal of researchers.
  • Methods and procedures used in genealogic research.
  • The meanings and fundamentals of a professional service.

This project is geared towards entrepreneurs wishing to develop new genealogy-related businesses and all attached knowledge and technology, and to speed up their incubation and marketing.

Linhagens’ contribution ranges from internal support to the incubation of new ideas and businesses, to paid internships and partnership agreements with entrepreneurs wishing to market-test these solutions following strict professional standards.