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IDs through the ages: How people have proven their identity over time

Beth Mowbray on

Published in Slideshow World

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IDs through the ages: How people have proven their identity over time

With over 8 billion people spread across the Earth's nearly 25 million square miles of habitable land, proving one's identity has become more complex than it was with smaller populations thousands of years ago. Whereas ancient Greeks could just pair their name with that of their father to confirm who they were, modern-day home sapiens need more details to find the right John Smith.

Ever since humans evolved to build geographically diffuse social networks around 130,000 years ago, the need to identify oneself and those around them has been critical. On a basic level, identification explains familial connections and preserves ancestry. In interactions with others, it builds relationships, trust, and understanding.

From a legal standpoint, identity confirmation is required for social rituals like marriage as well as for secure financial transactions like opening a bank account, selling property, or validating the recipient of an inheritance. Over the centuries, identification also began to signify belonging in a certain geographic area by establishing citizenship.

The methods used to confirm identity have changed dramatically over time. Increasingly complex government systems, social structures, and technological growth have both aided and complicated the process of verifying identity. Simple tracking based on name and appearance in the ancient world was left behind with the advent of government-issued IDs and technology like biometric scanning.

New processes continue to emerge each year as authorities worldwide seek more secure forms of identification and technology advances to meet these needs. For instance, May 7, 2025 marks the deadline for U.S. residents to obtain their Real ID. This new form of identification meets minimum security standards recommended by the 9/11 Commission and will be a requirement to fly commercially, as well as to access federal facilities and nuclear power plants.

Spokeo looked at the history of identification and its evolution throughout the centuries, from seals to biometrics. Keep reading for a deep dive into how people have identified themselves over time, including how technology continues to shape the ways we prove who we are—for better and for worse.

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