The GEDCOM header record contains the mandatory subrecords HEAD.SOUR and HEAD.DEST.
Those subrecors specify the source and destination for the GEDCOM file;
the genealogy application that created the GEDCOM file, and the genealogy application that it is for.
The GEDCOM SOUR and DEST article discusses their usage in some detail.
This article is an (incomplete) overview of collected GEDCOM system identifiers.
The system identifier can and should be used to determine how to interpret vendor- and product-specific extensions.
That is what it is for.
Be aware though that it is the HEAD.DEST line value, not the HEAD.SOUR line value, that indicate the GEDCOM dialect used.
You may in practice have to look at both HEAD.DEST and HEAD.SOUR, to distinguish between product X's dialect,
and product X's dialect as interpreted by product Y.
Products may be licensed and sold under mulitple names. It is good to know, as the dialects are likely to be the same or similar. Ancestral Quest is the most famous case of this.
Ancestral Quest has been sold as Family Ties, Family Trees Quick and Easy, Heritage Family Tree Deluxe, & Family Tree Heritage. It is fairly well known that Personal Ancestral File (PAF) is based on Ancestral Quest 3.0. Ancestry.com's Ancestry Family Tree (AFT) is also based on Ancestral Quest.
GEDCOM System Identifiers are case-insenstive.
The casing shown here is the casing used by the vendor.
Some vendors actually use both mixed and uppercase.
You may encounter both Ancestrologie and ANCESTROLOGIE,
both REUNION and Reunion, both GenJ and GENJ,GRAMPS and Gramps, and so on.
The FamilySearch GEDCOM 5.5.1 specification states that spaces are not allowed and should be replaced with underscores, so that it is one word.
However, FamilySearch themselves have been using spaces in system identifiers for years: PAF 2.0, PAF 2.1, PAF 4.0, even PAF 5.0.
Moreover, FamilySearch does not give a reason for this rather arbritary restriction either.
Spaces in the system identifier are officially illegal, but that restriction is not motivated.
Many other vendors use spaces in their system identifiers, and that has never been a problem.
Practically speaking, the use of spaces is no problem at all.
Several products use non-ASCII characters in their system identifier.
For example, DefCompany's Généalogie uses Généalogie and Dannbergs Data's MinSläkt uses the system identifer MinSläkt.
This is legal, but ill-advised, as a simple GEDCOM readers may fail to recognise it.
After all, a GEDCOM reader only knows the encoding of the GEDCOM header containing the system identifier after reading the header.
GEDCOM readers should take care to read the HEAD.SOUR value correctly, using the specified encoding.
The FamilySearch GEDCOM specification is not clear what values to use for the mandatory HEAD.DEST value.
The actual rule, first provided by GEDCOM SOUR and DEST, is simple: HEAD.DEST should default to the same line value as HEAD.SOUR.
After all, the HEAD.DEST value must contain your own system identifier for your GEDCOM dialect to be recognised as such.
Quite a few products have been using nonsense values such as GEDCOM, GED55, ANY and Other.
Any such nonsense value in HEAD.DEST should be understood as the instruction to use the HEAD.SOUR value instead.
Any such nonsense value in HEAD.SOUR should be considered a fatal error.
The maximum length of the system identifier is 20 character. The table shows that not all products respect that limitation.
The Nederlandse Genealogische Vereniging publishes GensData and GensData Pro, created by Bas Wilschut.
It uses two different system identifers, GensData and GensData Pro for the lite and full edition of the program.
This is neither necessary, nor illegal.
System identifiers for early GECOM versions included the version number in the system identifier, because GEDCOM did not support HEAD.SOUR.VERS yet.
So, that the Family History System (FHS) and early versions of Personal Ancestral File (PAF) uses version numbers in the system identifyer must be forgiven.
However, FamilySearch set a really back example with the PAF 4.0 and PAF 5.0 system identifiers.
The HEAD.SOUR line value should identify the system, and HEAD.SOUR.VER the version of that system.
The HEAD.SOUR should not contain any version indication.
The table shows that not all products follow that rule.
It is okay to have different system identifiers for different variant of the same product, for example the Windows and Mac OS variant.
Regular builds and debug builds should be distinguishable from each other by the HEAD.SOUR.VER line value.
There are more inconsistent system identifiers around, that all indicate the same system.
For example, Individual Software's Families Ties uses both Family Ties and FamilyTies, and even FamTiesDlx.
| system id | vendor | application |
|---|---|---|
| ANY | nonsense, use HEAD.SOUR | |
| GEDCOM | nonsense, use HEAD.SOUR | |
| GED55 | nonsense, use HEAD.SOUR | |
| Other | nonsense, use HEAD.SOUR | |
| 0 | Tamura Jones | The Smallest GEDCOM File |
| AGES | Daub EVD-Beratung | Ages! |
| AGF | TLC-EDUSOFT | Arbre Généalogique |
| Ahnenforscher | Remo Schlauri | Ahnenforscher |
| AHNENGALERIE | MindScape | Ahnengalerie |
| Albero genealogico GSP | Ancestry.com | Ancestry Member Trees (Italy) |
| Aldfaer | Stichting Aldfaer | Aldfaer |
| ALTREE | Genery Software | AgeLong Tree |
| AncestQuest | Incline Software | Ancestral Quest |
| Ancestris | Ancestris Team | Ancestris |
| Ancestrologie | Ancestrologie.org | Ancestrologie |
| ANCESTRY | Online Family Tree | Ancestry Member Trees |
| Ancestry.com Family Trees | Ancestry.com | Ancestry Member Trees |
| Anetavle | ?? | Anetavle |
| ANSTFILE | FamilySearch | Ancestral File |
| ARBRE GENEALOGIQUE | TLC-EDUSOFT | Arbre généalogique |
| Arbre généalogique GSP | ?? | Arbre généalogique GSP |
| ArbrEdit | ?? | ArbrEdite |
| Behold | Louis Kessler | Behold |
| BRANCHES | Sherwood Electronics Laboratories | Branches |
| BROSKEEP | John Steed | Brother's Keeper |
| CFTREE | Cumberland Family Software | Cumberland Family Tree |
| CN | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints | Census |
| Corel Family Tree | ?? | Corel Family Tree |
| Created by ZOOOF | Jean Paul Busker | ZOOOF |
| CreateSiblings | Tamura Jones | Sibling1200.ged exmaple for Sibling Torture Test |
| Crusader Kings | Paradox Entertainment | CK Family Tree Maker |
| DC Thomson Family History - Find My Past US | DC Thomson Family History | findmypast |
| DISGEN 4.5 | Foreningen | DISGEN |
| DISGEN 6.0.5-beta | Foreningen | DISGEN |
| DISGEN 6.0-6 | Foreningen | DISGEN |
| DOROTREE | DoroTree Technologies Ltd | DoroTree for Windows |
| DYNAS-TREE | Gerhard Bauch Software Entwicklung | DYNAS-TREE |
| Easy Family Tree | Sierra Home | Easy Family Tree |
| EFT | ?? (Incline Software) | (rebranded) Ancestral Quest |
| EasyTree | Siera On-Line | EasyTree |
| Embla_Familie_og_Slekt | Embla Norsk Familiehistorie AS | Embla Family Treasures |
| FAMGATH | Palladium Interactive, Inc. | family Gathering |
| Familienbande | Stefan Mettenbrink | Familienbande |
| Family Echo | familyecho.com | Family Echo |
| Family Edge Plus | Carl J. Cox | Family Edge Plus |
| Family For Windows | ?? | Family for Windows |
| FAMILY_HISTORIAN | Calico Pie Ltd | Family Historian |
| FAMILY_TREE_FOR_JAVA | ?? | Family Tree for Java |
| Family Ties | Individual Software | FamilyTies |
| FamilyTies | Individual Software | FamilyTies |
| FamilyOrigins | FormalSoft | Family Origins for Windows |
| FAMROOTS | Quinsept | Family Roots |
| FamTiesDlx | Individual Software | Family Ties Deluxe |
| FamTreeHrtg | Individual Softare | Family Tree Heritage |
| FamTreesQE | Family Trees Quick & Easy | |
| FHS 96 | Phillip E. Brown | Family History System |
| FHSV2 | Phillip E. Brown | Family History System |
| FSB | Visionary Endeavors | Family Scrapbook |
| FTL | Pearl Street Software | Family Tree Legends |
| Ftree | Clive Stubbings | Ftree |
| FTM | Banner Blue Software Brøderbund Software, Inc | Family Tree Maker (for MS-DOS) |
| FTM | Ancestry.com / The Generations Network Software MacKiev | (New) Family Tree Maker |
| FTW | Banner Blue Software Brøderbund Software, Inc The Learning Company (TLC) Genealogy.com MyFamily.com Ancestry.com | Family Tree Maker for Windows |
| FullerFamilyHistory | Charles Fuller | fullerfamilyhistory.org |
| GD-Win | Nederlandse Genealogische Vereniging | GensData for Windows |
| GEDBAS | CompGen - Verein für Computergenealogie | Die GEnealogische DatenBASis |
| GedCom Explorer | GedComSolutions | GedCom Explorer |
| GedFamilies | TelGen | GedFamilies |
| GEDFAN | Tamura Jones | The GEDCOM Fan Creator |
| GEDitCOM | RSAC Software | GEDitCOM |
| GedLink Editor | Infoduc | GedLink Editor |
| Genbox | Thoughtfull Creations | Genbox Family History |
| Gene | David & Diana Epstein | Gene |
| GENEALOGIC | Infoduc | Genealogic |
| GeneWeb | INRIA | GeneWeb |
| Geni.com | Geni.com | Geni.com |
| Genealogia | Stefano Boscolo | Genealogia |
| Généalogie | DefCompany | Généalogie |
| Genealogie-AB | André Bouwmeester | Genealogie-AB |
| GENEALOGIE.COM | NotreFamilie | genealogie.com |
| Généalogos | Editions Profil | Généalogos |
| Généamania | Jean-Luc Servin | Généamania |
| GENEATIQUE | Centre de Développement de l’Informatique Personnelle (CDIP) | Généatique |
| GENEATIQUE_POUR_WINDOWS | Centre de Développement de l’Informatique Personnelle (CDIP) | Généatique |
| GENDESIGNER_2 | PolishExpress, Inc. | GenDesigner |
| Genius for Windows | ?? | GENIUS for Windows |
| GenJ | Nils Meier | GenealogyJ |
| GensData | Nederlandse Genealogische Vereniging | GensDataPro |
| GensDataPro | Nederlandse Genealogische Vereniging | GensDataPro |
| GenoPro | GenoPro | GenoPro |
| GENprofi - Stammbaum | Carsten Leue | GENprofi - Stammbaum |
| GENTREE | ?? | GenTree |
| GESW2004 | ?? | GESW2004 |
| Geves | Gevesoft Ltd | Geves |
| GIM | David Blaine Wasden and Brian C. Madsen | The Genealogical Information Manager |
| GL_MONITOR | Bob Coret | Genlias Monitor |
| GP_96_STD | Heiko Thimm | GenProfi (Classic) |
| Gramps | Gramps | GRAMPS |
| GREATFAMILY_1.1 | ?? | GreatFamily |
| GRIOT | Elisabeth Sauquet and Yves de La Martiniere | GRIOT Alternative |
| GRUExport | Genes Reunited Ltd | Genes Reunited |
| GSP Family Tree | Avanquest Software | GSP Family Tree |
| Haza-Data | Telapas Software | Haza-Data |
| HEREDIS 5 PC | BSD Concept | Heredis |
| HEREDIS 6 | BSD Concept | Heredis |
| HEREDIS 6.1 PC | BSD Concept | Heredis |
| HEREDIS 7 PC | BSD Concept | Heredis |
| HEREDIS 8 | BSD Concept | Heredis |
| HEREDIS 8 PC | BSD Concept | Heredis |
| HEREDIS 9 | BSD Concept | Heredis |
| HEREDIS 9 PC | BSD Concept | Heredis |
| HEREDIS 10 PC | BSD Concept | Heredis |
| HEREDIS 11 PC | BSD Concept | Heredis |
| HEREDIS 13 | BSD Concept | Heredis |
| HEREDIS MAC X | BSD Concept | Heredis |
| HEREDIS PC2 | BSD Concept | Heredis |
| HEREDIS PC2018 | BSD Concept | Heredis |
| HOLGER 6.0 | Holger Data | Holger |
| iFamily for Leopard | Warwick Wilson | iFamily for Leopard |
| IGI | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints | International Genealogical Index |
| IGMGed | ?? | ?? |
| Issue | Armidale Software | Issue |
| Kith_and_Kin V2.03 | SpanSoft | Kith and Kin Pro |
| KITHKIN_PRO | SpanSoft | Kith and Kin Pro |
| KKN | MyTrees.com, Inc | MyTrees.com |
| LE GENEALOGISTE | Micro App | Le Généalogiste Deluxe |
| Legacy | Millennia Corporation | Legacy Family Tree |
| Lifelines | Tom Wetmore, Lifelines project | Lifelines |
| MagiKey Family Tree | Armidale Software | MagiKey Family Tree |
| MemorixMaior | Picturae | MemorixMaior |
| MinSläkt | Dannbergs Data | MinSläkt |
| My Family Heritage v4.0 | ?? | My Family Heritage |
| MYHERITAGE | MyHeritage | Family Tree Builder |
| ohmiGene | ohm inProduction | ohmiGene |
| OPENARCH | Bob Coret | Open Archieven |
| PAF | FamilySearch | Personal Ancestral File |
| PAF 2.1 | FamilySearch | Personal Ancestral File 2.1 |
| PAF 2.2 | FamilySearch | Personal Ancestral File 2.1 |
| PAF 2.3 | FamilySearch | Personal Ancestral File 2.1 |
| PAF 2.31 | FamilySearch | Personal Ancestral File 2.1 |
| PAF 4.0 | FamilySearch | Personal Ancestral File 2.1 |
| PAF 5.0 | FamilySearch | Personal Ancestral File 2.1 |
| PAFWiz | Incline Software | PAFWiz |
| PARENTELE | Mindscape France | Parentele |
| PAW2 | La Noparela | Personal Ancestry Writer II |
| PCAHNEN | Günther Schwärzer | PC-Ahnen |
| PedigreePursuit | ?? | Pedigree Pursuit |
| PhpGedView | PhpGedView | PhpGedView |
| PRO-GEN | PRO-GEN Genealogie à la Carte | PRO-GEN |
| REL2 | Guardian Data Systems Inc. | Relativity II |
| RELATIVELY_YOURS | Computability Pty., Ltd | Relatively Yours |
| Reunion | Leister Productions | Reunion |
| ROOTSIII | CommSoft | ROOTS III |
| ROOTSIV | CommSoft | ROOTS IV |
| ROOTSV | CommSoft | ROOTS IV |
| RootsMagic | RootsMagic | RootsMagic |
| ROOTSMASTER2 | ?? | RootsMaster |
| rootstrust | Atavus, Inc | rootsTrust |
| SCION_AMIGA | Robbie J. Akins | Scion Genealogist |
| SeeGEDCOMX | Keith McCulloch | SeeGEDCOMX |
| SIMPLE_FAMILY_TREE | ?? | Simple Family Tree |
| SNL | Centraal Bureau voor Genealogie | StamboomNederland |
| SSDI | FamilySearch site | Social Security Death Index |
| STAM | Lucien Lefevere | STAM |
| Stamboom 2000 | Patrick Oude Scholten | Stamboom 2000 |
| Stamboom De Luxe | TLC-EDUSOFT | Stamboom De Luxe |
| TempleReady | FamilySearch | TempleReady |
| THE FAMILY EDGE PLUS | ?? | Family Edge Plus |
| SUKU | Kaarle Kailan | Sukuohjelmisto |
| SyniumFamilyTree | Synium Software GmbH | MacFamilyTree |
| TJ | Tamura Jones | examples in GEDCOM Identifiers: CONC and CONT |
| TMG | Wholly Genes Software | The Master Genealogist |
| TMG 1.0 | Wholly Genes Software | The Master Genealogist |
| TMG 1.1 | Wholly Genes Software | The Master Genealogist |
| The Next Generation of Genealogy Sitebuilding | Next Generation Software, LLC | The Next Generation of Genealogy Sitebuilding (TNG) |
| TreeView | British Data Archive | TreeView |
| TribalPages | TribalPages | TribalPages |
| UFTREE | Palladium Interactive | Ultimate Family Tree |
| Verwandt | Verwandt | Verwandt |
| VISUGENE | Jerome Saynes | Visual Genelaogie |
| webtrees | webtrees team | webtrees |
| WikiTree | Interesting.com, Inc | WikiTree |
| WinFamily | WinFamily | WinFamily |
| WinGenea | CremSoft | WinGenea |
CK Family Tree Maker creates GEDCOM files from Crusader Kings files. Crusader Kings is a strategy game by Paradox Interactive, released in 2012.
Embla Family Treasures uses the system identifier Embla_Familie_og_Slekt.
That is 22 characters and therefore too long.
The original Family Tree Maker uses FTM,
its successor, Family Tree Maker for Windows, uses FTW.
For the next product with the same name, often called New Family Tree Maker to distinguish it from the older product,
Ancestry.com used FTM again.
That is a mistake, as the original Family Tree Maker (for MS-DOS) and New Family Tree Maker are two very different products,
but it is still quite easy to distinguish between them by checking the version number.
Well, the version checking is complicated abit by Ancestry.com consistently using invalid HEAD.SOUR.VER line values, such as Family Tree Maker (17.0.0.965).
When Software MacKiev took over, they continued to use the system identifier FTM, but fixed the version numbers.
The practical upshot is that the HEAD.SOUR.VER line valuesr does not only tell you the version number, but the vendor as well;
if the version number starts with Family Tree Maker
, it was made by Ancestry.com.
MyHeritage Family Tree Builder uses the system identifier MYHERITAGE.
This is arguably wrong, as they should reserve MYHERITAGE for GEDCOM files created by the MyHeritage web site.
That the Family History System uses version numbers in the system identifyer must be forgiven;
The Family History created GEDCOM files before GEDCOM supported HEAD.SOUR.VER.
It even was the only software to support GEDCOM 1.0.
The findmypast websites uses the system identifier DC Thomson Family History - Find My Past US.
That is quite obviously way too long, but that probably isn't the only mistake.
The U.K. and U.S.A. sites probably use the same code, and therefore should be using the same identifier.
DISGEN uses both version numbers and beta indicators in the system identifier. This is wrong.
Heredis includes the major version number in the system identifier. BSD Concepts creates a new system identifier for every major new version. This is wrong.
Early versions of Kith and Kin included the version number in the system identifier. The current version does not do so.
Versions of MacFamilyTree prior to 8.3.1 produce GEDCOM files without the mandatory HEAD.SOUR value.
The HEAD.SOUR record is not missing, but the line value is empty. That is illegal.
It is possible to recognise older MacFamilyTree GEDCOM files by their HEAD.SOUR.NAME value, but GEDCOM readers should reject files without a valid a GEDCOM header as not GEDCOM.
The Next Generation of Genealogy Sitebuilding uses the system identifier The Next Generation of Genealogy Sitebuilding.
That is quite obviously way too long.
The ostensible GEDCOM files that WieWasWie produces aren't GEDCOM files. The GEDCOM header is empty; all mandatory (and optional) subrecords are missing. There is no system identifier.
HEAD.SOUR.VERS for thatAdded about two dozen system identifiers and a note about MacFamilyTree based on feedback from Louis Kessler.
Added another three dozen, bringing the total to 175.
Added System Identifier Best Practice section.
Synium has decided to fix MacFamilyTree; the upcoming version 8.3.1 will produce GEDCOM files that use the system id SyniumFamilyTree.
The list of GEDCOM system identifiers presented will probably never be complete.
If your product is missing from the list, drop me an email to have it included.
Last update of the list: 2018 Feb 24.
Copyright © Tamura Jones. All Rights reserved.