45. A method for optimizing data queries for related records in a reliable fashion, to be used with a system having a first computing device communicatively coupled with a second computing device, and communicatively coupled to a first database that stores real-world entity data, having said second computing device communicatively coupled with said first computing device, and communicatively coupled to a second database that stores real-world entity data, comprising the steps of: creating a hierarchical system of Consolidation Strings for said first database, wherein each Consolidation String in said hierarchical system represents one or more key pieces of information relating to a real-world entity stored in said database, wherein the information represented in each Consolidation String is represented in a character format, and wherein the hierarchical ranking of Consolidation String priorities are used to optimize database queries to find matching records for at least one entity of interest with substantial certainty; creating a hierarchical system of Consolidation Strings for said second database, wherein each Consolidation String in said hierarchical system represents one or more key pieces of information relating to a real-world entity stored in said database, wherein the information represented in each Consolidation String is represented in a character format, and wherein the hierarchical ranking of Consolidation String priorities are used to optimize database queries to find matching records for at least one entity of interest with substantial certainty; providing the capability of said first computing device to query said first database and cause said first database to also query said second database, wherein an entity-record match between said first and second databases will be found and said matching entity records are consolidated from an end-user's point of view, if a pair of entity records have Consolidation Strings on the same priority level that are character-wise identical; and providing the capability of said second computing device to query said second database and cause said second database to also query said first database, wherein an entity-record match between said second and first databases will be found and said matching entity records are consolidated from an end-user's point of view, if a pair of entity records have Consolidation Strings on the same priority level that are character-wise identical.
45. A method for optimizing data queries for related records in a reliable fashion, to be used with a system having a first computing device communicatively coupled with a second computing device, and communicatively coupled to a first database that stores real-world entity data, having said second computing device communicatively coupled with said first computing device, and communicatively coupled to a second database that stores real-world entity data, comprising the steps of: creating a hierarchical system of Consolidation Strings for said first database, wherein each Consolidation String in said hierarchical system represents one or more key pieces of information relating to a real-world entity stored in said database, wherein the information represented in each Consolidation String is represented in a character format, and wherein the hierarchical ranking of Consolidation String priorities are used to optimize database queries to find matching records for at least one entity of interest with substantial certainty; creating a hierarchical system of Consolidation Strings for said second database, wherein each Consolidation String in said hierarchical system represents one or more key pieces of information relating to a real-world entity stored in said database, wherein the information represented in each Consolidation String is represented in a character format, and wherein the hierarchical ranking of Consolidation String priorities are used to optimize database queries to find matching records for at least one entity of interest with substantial certainty; providing the capability of said first computing device to query said first database and cause said first database to also query said second database, wherein an entity-record match between said first and second databases will be found and said matching entity records are consolidated from an end-user's point of view, if a pair of entity records have Consolidation Strings on the same priority level that are character-wise identical; and providing the capability of said second computing device to query said second database and cause said second database to also query said first database, wherein an entity-record match between said second and first databases will be found and said matching entity records are consolidated from an end-user's point of view, if a pair of entity records have Consolidation Strings on the same priority level that are character-wise identical. 46. The method of claim 45 , wherein: the highest-ranked Consolidation Strings are based on positive identifiers; the intermediate-ranked Consolidation Strings are based on demographic information; and the lowest-ranked Consolidation Strings are based on associative information that spans multiple-entity types.