The 'Mormon Church' Genealogy Website: Your Guide to FamilySearch.org

Your Guide to FamilySearch.org

This guide will walk you through the essential steps to begin using FamilySearch.org, the extensive genealogy website provided by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to discover your family history.

1. Create Your Free Account

   Your first step is to establish a free account on FamilySearch.org. This allows you to save your progress and build your family tree.

   • Navigate your web browser to FamilySearch.org.
   • In the top right corner of the homepage, click the green button labeled "Free Account" or "Create Account".
   • Follow the prompts to enter your personal information, including your name, birth date, and a username and password. You will also be asked to provide an email address for verification.
   • After submitting your details, check your email for a verification link from FamilySearch and click it to activate your account.

2. Navigate the Homepage

   Once you are logged in, you'll see the main FamilySearch.org homepage, which serves as your central hub for all activities.

   • At the top of the page, you'll find a navigation bar with key sections: "Family Tree," "Search," "Memories," "Indexing," "Activities," and "Help."
   • Below the navigation bar, you'll often see a "My Contributions" section, showing recent activity related to your tree, and a "Recommended Tasks" area with suggestions for your research.

3. Start or Explore Your Family Tree

   The Family Tree is the heart of FamilySearch, where you connect generations of your family.

   • From the top navigation bar, click on "Family Tree" and then select "Tree" from the dropdown menu.
   • If you are starting fresh, you will see a simple tree view. Click the "Add Father" and "Add Mother" links next to your name to begin populating your direct ancestors.
   • For each person you add, fill in as much information as you know (name, birth date/place, death date/place). FamilySearch will automatically search for matching records or existing tree profiles as you enter information.
   • You can navigate the tree by clicking on individuals to see their person page, which displays their vitals, family members, sources, and memories.

4. Search for Ancestors and Records

   FamilySearch holds billions of records, and the search function is crucial for finding new information.

   • From the top navigation bar, click "Search" and then select "Records."
   • On the search page, enter your ancestor's name, along with any known details like birth year, birth place, or residence. The more information you provide, the more refined your results will be.
   • Click "Search" to view a list of potential record matches. These results might link to indexed records (like census entries, birth certificates) or scanned images of original documents.
   • You can also explore other search options under the "Search" menu, such as the "Catalog" (to browse records by location or topic) and "Images" (to directly browse unindexed historical records).

5. Add and Explore Memories

   The Memories section allows you to preserve and share family stories, photos, and documents.

   • Click on "Memories" from the top navigation bar.
   • You can upload photos, write stories, attach documents (like letters or certificates), and even record audio interviews.
   • Once uploaded, you can tag individuals from your Family Tree in these memories, linking the media directly to their profile pages for easy access and viewing by other family members.

6. Utilize Help Resources

   If you encounter challenges or need guidance, FamilySearch provides extensive support.

   • Click "Help" from the top navigation bar and select "Help Center" or "Learning Center."
   • The Help Center offers articles, how-to guides, and FAQs.
   • The Learning Center provides free online courses and webinars to enhance your research skills.
   • You can also use the "Community" forum to ask questions and get advice from other users and experienced genealogists.