(+) Kekule Numbering System

Genealogists often use terms that are not familiar to “outsiders.” Most of these terms become familiar soon after we get involved in searching for our family trees. We soon speak of pedigree charts, enumerators, Henry numbers, fan charts, and more. However, one term we do not hear often pops up occasionally: Kekule Numbers.

The German mathematician Stephan Kekulé of Stradonitz (1863-1933) was a genealogist as well as the son of famed mathematician and chemist Friedrich August Kekulé. He used a numbering system to show relationships in text format. In German-speaking countries, lists of names created with Stephan Kekulé’s numbers are still referred to by his name: Kekule numbers. 

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