Using GenealogyBank to Find Records for Your FamilySearch Tree

Using GenealogyBank to Find Records for Your FamilySearch Tree

This guide will show you how to leverage GenealogyBank from within FamilySearch.org to discover and add new records to your family tree.

Step 1: Navigate to a Person in Your FamilySearch Tree

• Open your web browser and go to FamilySearch.org.
• Log in to your FamilySearch account.
• From the top menu, click on Tree to open your family tree view.
• Navigate to the specific ancestor for whom you want to find records. Click on their name, then click Person in the pop-up summary to go to their detailed person page.

Step 2: Check for Existing GenealogyBank Hints

• On the person's page, look for the Record Hints section on the right-hand side. These are green icons that suggest potential records.
• Scroll through the hints to see if any are explicitly from "GenealogyBank" or a related partner site. If you find one:
  • Click on the hint to review it. This will typically open GenealogyBank in a new browser tab, pre-loaded with the specific record.
  • If the record is a match for your ancestor, follow the prompts within FamilySearch (after reviewing the full record on GenealogyBank) to attach it as a source to your tree.

Step 3: Manually Search GenealogyBank from FamilySearch

• If there are no existing GenealogyBank hints, or if you want to perform a broader search, locate the Search Records box on the right side of the person's page.
• Click on Search within this box. A new FamilySearch page will open, presenting various search options and partner sites.
• Under the "Find Records on Partner Sites" section, look for and click on the GenealogyBank logo or link.
• A new tab will open in your browser, directing you to the GenealogyBank website. FamilySearch will automatically pass over your ancestor's basic information (name, birth date, death date, etc.) to pre-populate the search fields on GenealogyBank.

Step 4: Conduct Your Search on GenealogyBank and Identify Records

• While on the GenealogyBank website (in the new tab), review the search results that appear based on the information provided by FamilySearch.
• You may need to adjust the search filters or terms on GenealogyBank to broaden or narrow your results, or try different spellings.
• Carefully examine any potential records (e.g., obituaries, newspaper articles, vital records, historical documents) that appear relevant to your ancestor.
• Once you find a record that matches your ancestor, make note of its important details, including the title, publication, date, page number, and any relevant quoted text. You may also wish to save or print the record from GenealogyBank for your personal files.

Step 5: Return to FamilySearch.org and Add the Record as a Source

• Switch back to your FamilySearch.org tab where your ancestor's person page is open.
• Scroll down to the Sources section on the person's page.
• Click on Add Source, then select Add New Source from the dropdown menu.
• A "Create Source" window will appear. Manually enter the citation information you gathered from GenealogyBank into the appropriate fields (e.g., Title, Author, Publication Information, Date).
• It is highly recommended to include the direct URL (web address) of the specific record on GenealogyBank in the "Web Page URL" field so you can easily return to it later.
• In the "Reason This Source Is Attached" field, explain how this record proves or supports the facts about your ancestor.
• Click Add Source to save the new source.
• Finally, link this new source to the relevant facts (e.g., birth, death, residence, marriage) on your ancestor's page by checking the boxes next to each fact.
• Click Attach to complete the process.