GEDCOM Record Types

Objective:

Describe GEDCOM data format.

Conclusion:

GED files provide genealogy data encoded in record types. Common GED record types and their usage appear below.

Attributes -
NAME
Gender (SEX)
Dates

Birth,
Marraige (MARR),
Death (DEAT),

Family membership/relationship,

FAMC
FAMS
HUSB
WIFE

source of genealogy data

source

File encapsulating ged records

0 HEAD
0 TRLR

Records that define a Family or Individual or Event or Source

0 @Ixxx@ INDI
0 @Fxxx@ FAM

Records that provide attributes of Family or Individual or Event or Source

Rcd Type
1 BIRT	BIRTH - suceeding DATE line provides Date the INDI was Born , 'DD MON YYYY'
1 CHAR	CHARACTER ENCODING - ANSEL (ASCII +) is default
1 CHIL	CHILD record within FAM record set
1 CONC	CONTINUED from prior line without line break
1 CONT	CONTINUED from prior line with line break
1 DATE	Follows 0 EVEN Event recordset to provide event Date, 'DD MON YYYY'
1 DEAT	DEATH - suceeding DATE line provides RIP Date, 'DD MON YYYY'
1 DEST
1 EVEN	EVENT record
1 FAMC	Child to Family Link

Rcd Type
1 FAMS	Spouse to Family Link
1 FILE
1 GEDC
1 HUSB	HUSBAND internal to FAM recordset
1 MARR	Married - suceeding DATE line provides Wedding Date, 'DD MON YYYY' , and/or PLACE
1 NAME	Given Name, surname slash embedded John\Gaffey\
1 NOTE
1 OCCU	Occupation describes INDIvidual
1 SEX	M/F describes INDIvidual

Rcd Type
1 SOUR	SOURCE - where did the info come from
1 SUBM	1 SUBMITTER
1 WIFE	WIFE, FK pointer to INDI record @Ixxx@ follows where xxx is the sequential index record number (e.g. 1 - 278 for Charney ged file) internal to FAM recordset
1 _HEI
2 CORP
2 DATE	Follows BIRT,DEAT,MARR to provide event Date, 'DD MON YYYY'
2 FORM
2 NAME
2 PLAC	PLACE describes the location of the preceding 1 level record - Birth, Death, Marraige

Rcd Type
2 TYPE
2 VERS
2 _FRE
2 _MRE
3 ADDR
3 PHON
4 CONT	CONTINUED from prior line with line break

http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~pmcbride/gedcom/55gcch1.htm

A GEDCOM transmission consists of a sequence of logical records,
each of which consists of a sequence of gedcom_lines ,
all contained in a sequential file or stream of characters.

The following rules pertain to the gedcom_line :

•Long values can be broken into shorter GEDCOM lines by using a subordinate CONC or CONT tag.
The CONC tag assumes that the accompanying subordinate value is concatenated to the previous line
value without saving the carriage return prior to the line terminator.
The CONT assumes that the subordinate line value is concatenated to the previous line, saving the carriage return.

• The beginning of a new logical record is designated by a line whose level number is 0 (zero).

•Each new level number must be no higher than the previous line plus 1.

•Logical GEDCOM record sizes should be constrained so that they will fit in a memory buffer of less than 32K.
GEDCOM files with records sizes greater than 32K run the risk of not being able to be loaded in some programs.
Use of pointers to records, particularly NOTE records, should ensure that this limit will be sufficient.
The size of embedded multimedia records can be controlled through chaining MULTIMEDIA_RECORDS
(see multimedia record format on p. .)

•Any length constraints are given in characters, not bytes.
When wide characters (characters wider than 8 bits) are used, byte buffer lengths should be adjusted accordingly.

•Level numbers must be between 1 to 99 and must not contain leading zeroes, for example, level one must be 1, not 01.

•The cross-reference ID has a maximum of 22 characters, including the enclosing at signs (@),
and it must be unique within the GEDCOM transmission.

•Pointers to records imply that the record pointed to does actually exists within the transmission.
Future pointer structures may allow pointing to records within a public accessible database as an alternative.

•The length of the GEDCOM TAG is a maximum of 31 characters, with the first 15 characters being unique.

•The total length of a GEDCOM line, including leading white space, level number,
cross-reference number, tag, value, delimiters, and terminator, must not exceed 255 (wide) characters.

•Leading white space (tabs, spaces, and extra line terminators) preceding a GEDCOM line should be ignored
by the reading system. Systems generating GEDCOM should not place any white space in front of the GEDCOM line.

SOURCE
URL:	http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~pmcbride/gedcom/55gcch1.htm
Organization:
Date Acquired:	Wednesday October 17th, 2018 3:33:07 AM
Prepared By:	John Gaffey
Last Updated:	Wednesday October 17th, 2018 3:33:18 AM