How to Build Your FamilySearch Tree

Building Your FamilySearch Tree: A Beginner's Guide

Welcome! You're about to embark on an exciting journey to discover your family history using FamilySearch's collaborative family tree. FamilySearch.org offers a massive, free database of genealogical records and a shared family tree where you can connect with relatives and learn about your heritage. This guide will help you get started building your FamilySearch tree.

Why Use the FamilySearch Tree?

The FamilySearch tree is a collaborative effort. This means that others might already have information about your ancestors. By contributing to and connecting with this shared tree, you can:

• Easily discover ancestors who are already in the system.
• Connect with living relatives researching the same family lines.
• Preserve your family history for future generations.

Step-by-Step: Building Your FamilySearch Tree

Here's how to start building your FamilySearch tree:

1. Create a Free Account: If you don't already have one, go to FamilySearch.org and click "Create Free Account." Follow the instructions to set up your account.
2. Navigate to the Family Tree: Once you're logged in, click on "Family Tree" in the top menu. Then select "Tree."
3. Add Yourself: The first person you'll add is yourself. Click on the "Add Yourself" button.
4. Enter Your Information: Fill in as much information as you know about yourself, including your name, birthdate, and birthplace. Accuracy is key! Click "Create Person" when you're done.
5. Add Your Parents: Now you can add your parents. Click on the "Add Father" or "Add Mother" button that appears on your profile. Enter their information in the same way.
6. Connect to Existing Profiles (Important!): As you enter information, FamilySearch will automatically search for potential matches. Carefully review any matches before accepting them. Connecting to an existing profile avoids creating duplicate entries and links you into a larger family network within the FamilySearch tree.
7. Continue Adding Ancestors: Keep adding parents, grandparents, and so on. The more information you provide, the easier it will be for FamilySearch to find records and connect you to existing family lines.

Tips for a Successful FamilySearch Tree

• Be Patient: Building a family tree takes time and effort. Don't get discouraged if you don't find information right away.
• Verify Information: Always try to verify the information you add with reliable sources, such as birth certificates, marriage records, and census records.
• Use the Hints: FamilySearch provides hints based on the information in your tree. These hints can lead you to valuable records and potential ancestors. Look for the blue icons!
• Collaborate: Don't be afraid to connect with other users and share information. Collaboration is what makes the FamilySearch tree so powerful.
• Be Mindful of Living People: Respect the privacy of living individuals by only adding information about them with their consent.

Navigating Your FamilySearch Tree

Once you've started building your tree, you can navigate it in several ways:

• Landscape View: This is the default view, showing ancestors in a horizontal format.
• Portrait View: Displays ancestors in a vertical format, often used for printing.
• Fan Chart: A visually appealing view that shows your ancestry in a circular chart.
• Descendancy View: Allows you to see all the descendants of a particular ancestor.

Building your FamilySearch tree is a rewarding experience. It connects you to your past, helps you learn about your heritage, and allows you to preserve your family history for future generations. Happy researching!