May 15, 2026
Last week I wrote about using public trees on sites such as Ancestry to share your genealogy. This week I want to point out another important way that public trees can advance your genealogy.
Thousands of people post their research on Ancestry. Others contribute to collaborative trees such as FamilySearch’s Family Tree. I’ve posted on both types of trees. More importantly, I’ve made major discoveries on collaborative trees and public trees.
These trees are useful tools to help break down genealogy brick walls. Enter an ancestor’s name, approximate birthdate and place of birth into Ancestry’s database of public trees. Because the database is so large, you are likely to find multiple trees featuring your ancestor. This is especially true for ancestors from lines that have been in the United States for multiple generations.
The trees you find for an ancestor are often just clones of each other since copying is rampant among folks who post them. However, occasionally, you will find someone who has done some original research and has found and posted new information. If you’re lucky, the poster has included copies of documents to help verify dates and places. As a further bonus, you may even find copies of photos you’ve never seen before.
Collaborative trees such as FamilySearch’s Family Tree can be even more helpful. On this tree you will almost certainly find sources. Usually, you can click to view the actual document
For example, I found a document on a public tree that gave me the name of my husband’s second great grandfather’s father. This was information that I’d been searching for for over twenty years. On a collaborative tree, I found photos of my English great grandparents. I’d never seen their faces before. I’d never have found either of these tidbits without the trees.
The biggest issue with public and collaborative trees is that they sometimes include incorrect information. Researchers should be aware of this. I know researchers who copy entire trees stating that there are already so many errors online that any they help spread won’t matter. I strongly suggest not doing this. There are a lot of errors online, but adding another incorrect tree doesn’t help anyone.
I use the information I find on trees as clues for further research. Before I add any bit of data to my tree, I try to verify it with sources. If I can’t find sources, I may add the data to my offline tree with a note to continue researching. I don’t add it to my online tree.
Don’t forget that both public trees and collaborative trees allow you to contact the person who posted the tree. Not everyone you contact will respond. However, enough do that I think it’s worthwhile to try. You may find new cousins whose branch of the family can supply new family details.
Carol Stetser
Researcher
Larimer County Genealogical Society