- Over 20 billion historical records
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“MyHeritage employed generative AI to create tools for finding records and stories of family history... AI Record Finder and AI Biographery.“ (Jan 2024)
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- Over 100 million family trees
- Trace your origins to 1,000+ regions
- Extensive people search & family tree tool
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- Over 80,000 years of records
- Maps ancestry across 150 regions in the UK
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- Over 500 million historical records
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- Over 12,000 genealogy experts
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- Over 250 million pedigree-linked entries
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What You Need to Know About Genealogy and Family Tree Building Tools
If you’re one of the millions of people who’ve caught the genealogy bug and are itching to learn more about your family’s ancestry, you’ll want some resources to help you out in your genealogy research. After all, the ancestry journey to "find my ancestors" requires navigating the multigenerational web of births, marriages, migrations, and milestones that have made you uniquely you.
Luckily, growing interest in genealogy and DNA testing has made it easy for amateur genealogists to uncover deep insights about where they came from and their ancestors. With genealogy and family tree building tools, you can sleuth out your long-ago origins and discover more about who you are and where you came from and find your ancestors, all from the comfort of your computer.
Why do I need genealogy and family tree building tools?
Interviewing a grandparent can only take you so far. To truly learn about your family history and ancestors or build a family tree, you’ll have to go back hundreds of years or more.
Before family tree building tools, genealogy research typically included hours spent digging through government records, archival materials, newspaper clippings, and other resources that are likely hard to track down—or may even be in a different language.
This is where genealogy research and family building tools come in. Using vast historical databases and interactive tools, they do all the hard work for you by automatically retrieving even the oldest or most obscure pieces of information that can shed new light on your family’s history to build the most extensive family tree that looking for a free ancestry search or looking at free ancestry records couldn't provide.
And with state-of-the-art matching technology, they can even automatically match your family tree with others who share similar ancestors, connecting you to others who have important pieces of the puzzle—and perhaps even share your DNA.
What should I look for in a genealogy and family tree building tool?
Every family tree building tool is a little different. But hey—every family is a little different too. So finding the right one means making sure its features meet your personal needs and ancestral origins. Here are a few key things to keep in mind when shopping for a good genealogy tool for family tree and ancestry searches.
A large database of historical records
Having access to a large database of historical records is the best way to ensure a successful genealogical search. Most genealogical tools will give you access to some sort of database, but they may differ in size and scope. Some of the larger companies, such as Genes Reunited and OneGreatFamily, give you access to millions of documents, records, and archived information that can instantly and infinitely propel your search forward and give you much more than free ancestry records.
A relevant geographic focus
It’s important to make sure that the tool you choose can serve your ancestors’ geographic location. FindMyPast, for example, is a treasure trove for those with British and Irish ancestry, though it may not be ideal for those whose branches extend into, say, Russia or Asia. Some family tree building tools will have a general focus and draw from databases all around the world, while others are specific to certain countries or continents. It’s important to consider your background and make sure the tool you choose can access the right historical records.
DNA test or compatibility
This isn’t vital, though it may be important if you’ve taken or plan on taking a DNA test. Some companies offer tests and family tree building tools in one. Others may only offer the family tree software, so if you choose one of those and are interested in DNA tests, you may want to check whether you can upload the results from that DNA test company into the site.
Community forums
Genealogy searches are an exciting, invigorating, but sometimes frustrating experience. There’s no doubt that when you’re tracking family clues across centuries and continents you’re likely to run into some false-starts or dead-ends. This is why genealogy forums tend to be so active—discussing common obstacles and solutions with other, more experienced genealogists is a great way to improve your family tree. Many sites offer community chats and forums, and it may be worth it to find one with an active community and other helpful resources.
Get Building
The number of tools available for building a family tree and learning about your ancestry is rapidly growing. That’s good news. If you’re interested in finding out more about your family’s history and researching the best genealogy sites, you have many options to choose from. The tips above can help you narrow down your search and find the best one for nourishing the branches rather than stunting their growth. Then you’ll be well on your way to the exciting discoveries and connections that come from building your own family tree.
Make sure it supports your heritage (i.e. some are better for British/Welsh heritage, some focus on this or that place, etc)
Access to historical records - cross-referencing with other databases
Chat rooms and community to help you navigate common roadblocks
Matches your family tree with others who have similar branches
Interactive family tree builder
DNA test included? Can it accommodate results from other test companies?
Our Top 3 Picks
- A large database of genealogical resources Visit Site
- Exploring your genetic ethnicity and ancestry
- Over 20 billion historical records
- 5.7 billion profiles
A large database of genealogical resourcesRead MyHeritage ReviewMyHeritage is a name you’ve heard of if you have done any type of family research before. That’s because it is a major player in this field. MyHeritage currently has over 20 billion records, 5.7 billion profiles, 96 million users, and 82 million family trees under its belt. Those are impressive numbers. With an online tool that can be used on tablets, mobiles, and desktops, MyHeritage is a convenient option for research from everywhere.
MyHeritage Pros & Cons
PROS
Huge database of usersWebsite provides free basic family tree and photo featuresAccess to vast record libraryCONS
Health risk report requires paid upgradeFull-featured family tree services are expensive - A large database of historical recordsVisit Site
- Learning ethnic origins and researching ancestors
- Over 100 million family trees
- Trace your origins to 1,000+ regions
A large database of historical recordsRead Ancestry ReviewAncestry has billions of public records on file. It offers a useful online family tree builder, making Ancestry a good option for anyone doing genealogical research into their heritage. The system is user-friendly, offers suggestions for possible matches, and has a 2-week free trial to test it out.
Ancestry Pros & Cons
PROS
Huge database of over 15 million peopleAdds family tree connections based on DNAVast research library of billions of recordsCONS
More expensive than other testsSaliva sample is less convenient - Easy family tree connectionsVisit Site
- Discover your roots and honor your loved ones
- Access millions of records on the go
- Explore historical family data
Easy family tree connectionsRead BeenVerified ReviewBeenVerified offers a robust platform for genealogy enthusiasts, providing extensive access to public records, vital for tracing family history. Its user-friendly interface simplifies searching birth, marriage, and census records, making it easier to build family trees. A valuable tool for anyone delving into their ancestry, BeenVerified bridges past and present, bringing family stories to life.
BeenVerified Pros & Cons
PROS
Huge database of information and recordsCompetitive pricing plansExtensive public records searchCONS
Product requires a subscriptionLimited international records