June 27, 2025
Whenever I’m researching a new ancestor or helping someone else research an ancestor, my first step is to look for the ancestor on the Family Search Family Tree. It’s a quick way to see what research might already have been done on a particular ancestor. The fact that it’s free is a bonus.
Family Search does require you to have an account to access the tree. Creating an account is simple and free. You won’t need to give a credit card number or use any other type of ID to access the site.
More than 1.72 billion people can be found on the tree. It’s likely that you will find entries for many of your ancestors. Individual entries can provide you with names of parents, spouses and children. They often contain places and dates of birth, marriage and death as well. This can be a quick way to fit someone into your family tree.
However, finding your ancestor on the tree is only the beginning. Many entries on the tree will also include sources for the information posted there. There are often copies of the actual source along with a citation detailing where the information came from.
Anyone can add a source on the Family Tree so some sources may be incorrect. For example, I have three Parshall Terry’s in my family line. All three of them are on Family Tree, and all three of them have numerous sources. However, some of the sources are attached to the wrong Parshall. Anyone who consults the Family Tree’s sources should be aware that some sources may be incorrectly assigned to an ancestor. Always verify anything you find.
Another interesting section of an ancestor’s entry is called Memories. Memories are copies of actual photos and documents. I have found numerous photos that I’d never seen before in this section. In addition, you may find copies of marriages licenses, death certificates and obituaries in this area.
Sources and Memories are great places to verify the information found in an ancestor’s entry. Both include the names and usually contact information for the person who posted the document or photo. I’ve contacted several people I found in these sections. In a couple of cases, I’ve connected with long lost branches of my family and opened the door to sharing family information.
Even if you’ve been doing family research for decades, Family Search’s Family Tree is worth checking. It may be the key to breaking down longstanding brick walls.
Carol Stetser
Researcher
Larimer County Genealogical Society