Ask not after a good man’s pedigree.
Ask not after a good man’s pedigree.
Meaning in plain English
Good conduct should not be dismissed because a person lacks an admired family background. The saying places the individual’s worth ahead of pedigree, without claiming that one favourable impression establishes character.
Example
A club evaluates a volunteer’s reliability and treatment of others rather than giving preference to someone with influential relatives.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
The question about ancestry is set against the person already described as good. That ordering challenges a judgement based on inherited status rather than conduct. In another setting, consider what someone does, how they treat others and what responsibilities they fulfil instead of demanding the right family connections. The saying does not prove that a particular person is good merely because someone introduces them that way. Its principle needs attention to actual behaviour, and it does not make ancestry a fault either. People deserve consideration as individuals.
When to use it
Use it to challenge judgements that substitute family status for individual conduct.
Keep in mind
A favourable label is not enough; assess conduct fairly rather than stereotyping any family or background.
Edsverb editorial interpretation · agent reviewed · 2026-10-05. This explains the saying; it does not establish its historical origin.
- Source
- A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (1857)
Printed page 196; Spanish section, paragraph 4096; source wording: Al hombre bueno, no le busques abolengo.
Read the original context ↗ - Attribution confidence
- traditional · historical anthology
Preserved as printed; independently unverified. - Historical coordinate
- Undated
No reliable date supplied by the collection. - Rights & edition
- Public domain (United States)
Translations and rights may differ elsewhere.
Provenance and licences ↗