How to Start Your Family History Search on FamilySearch

How to Start Your Family History Search on FamilySearch

This guide will walk you through the initial steps to begin building your family tree and discovering your ancestors on FamilySearch.org.

Getting Started on FamilySearch.org

1. Create an Account and Sign In:

   Go to FamilySearch.org. If you don't have an account, click the "Create Account" button in the top right corner and follow the prompts. If you already have one, click "Sign In" and enter your credentials.

2. Navigate to Your Family Tree:

   Once logged in, locate the main navigation bar at the top of the page. Click on "Family Tree", then select "Tree" from the dropdown menu. This will take you to your personal family tree view.

3. Add Yourself and Your Parents:

   Your tree will likely start with you. If not, you may need to add yourself first. From your entry, click the "+ Add Father" and "+ Add Mother" boxes. A pop-up window will appear. Enter as much information as you know for each parent: first name, last name, gender, living status ("Living" or "Deceased"), birth date, and birthplace. Click "Next" or "Continue".

   FamilySearch may suggest existing records or people in the shared tree. Carefully review any suggestions. If it's a match, click "Add Match". If not, click "Create New Person".

4. Expand Your Tree with Grandparents and Beyond:

   Once your parents are added, you will see "+ Add Father" and "+ Add Mother" boxes next to each of them. Click these to add your grandparents, entering their known details as you did for your parents. Continue this process for great-grandparents and other ancestors as far back as your personal knowledge, family documents, or living relatives can take you. Focus on deceased ancestors as they are more likely to have public records available.

5. Utilize Record Hints:

   As you add deceased ancestors, keep an eye out for a blue square icon with a number (e.g., ). This indicates that FamilySearch has found potential record hints for that ancestor. Click on the icon or the ancestor's name to go to their Person page, where you'll find the "Research Help" or "Record Hints" section.

   Review each hint carefully. If it matches your ancestor, click "Review and Attach" to link the record to your ancestor in the tree. This process adds valuable source information and often expands your tree with new family members.

6. Explore the "Person" Page and Direct Search:

   Click on any ancestor's name in your tree to access their "Person" page. Here you can view their "Details", attached "Sources", "Memories", and other information. The Details tab allows you to edit information, add spouses, and children. For more advanced searching, you can use the main "Search" menu at the top of the page, then select "Records" to directly search for ancestors by name, birth year, and location.