Free training · Using FamilySearch · Beginner · 25 min
Find Your Ancestors in Historical Records
Now that your tree has a few branches, learn to search FamilySearch's billions of records and attach what you find to the right person.
Learn to search FamilySearch historical records and attach record hints to the right ancestor, the next step after starting your tree. Free training from Stuck in the Branches.
What you will learn
- Run your first record search using only an ancestor's name and a place.
- Read a search results list and open the actual record image to confirm a match.
- Recognize blue record hints in Family Tree and attach the good ones as sources.
- Tell a true match from a near match so your tree stays accurate.
- Build a simple habit for searching one ancestor at a time.
The full written guide
Chapter 1. Welcome
The next step after your tree has a few branches.
Find Your Ancestors in Historical Records.
Now that your family tree has a few branches, this guide shows you how to search FamilySearch historical records and attach what you find to the right ancestor.
Chapter 2. Run your first search
Pick one ancestor, enter what you know, and search the records.
Start with the Search Historical Records page.
Start with the Search Historical Records page. This is your entry point into billions of birth, marriage, census, and death records, and everything here is free.
Pick one ancestor to focus on.
Pick one ancestor to focus on, ideally a deceased grandparent or great grandparent you already added to your tree. Searching one person at a time keeps you from getting overwhelmed.
Enter what you know, then search.
Enter what you know. To begin, all you really need is a name, but adding a birth year or a place helps narrow the list. Then click Search.
Use More Options when a name is common.
Use More Options when a name is common. Clicking More Options opens extra fields like a spouse, a parent, or a residence, which separates your ancestor from everyone with the same name.
Chapter 3. Read and confirm what you find
Work the results list, open the image, and search straight from your tree.
Read the results list carefully.
Read the results list carefully. Each result is tied to a real historical record. Scan the names, dates, and places to spot the entries that line up with what you already know.
Open a record and view the image.
Open a record and view the image when one is available. Seeing the original document lets you confirm the details for yourself instead of trusting the index alone.
Search straight from your tree.
Search straight from your tree. From an ancestor’s profile you can launch a search that is already filled in with their information, which saves you typing and finds better matches.
Chapter 4. Record hints in your tree
Spot the blue hint, review it honestly, attach it or dismiss it.
Watch for the blue record hint icon.
Watch for the blue record hint icon. When FamilySearch finds a likely record for someone in your tree, a small blue box appears next to their name. Click it to see the suggested records.
Review each hint before you trust it.
Review each hint before you trust it. Compare the names, dates, and relationships on the record to what is on the profile so you only keep the ones that truly match.
Attach the good record as a source.
Attach the good record as a source. Attaching ties the document to your ancestor permanently, adds any new details, and shows other relatives where your information came from.
Dismiss the hints that are not a match.
Dismiss the hints that are not a match. Marking a wrong hint as not a match keeps your tree clean and stops the same bad suggestion from coming back.
Chapter 5. Build the habit
One ancestor, one record, one source at a time.
Build the habit and go one ancestor deeper.
Build the habit and go one ancestor deeper. Each record you attach often reveals a parent, a child, or a new place to search, so repeat the cycle and watch your tree grow.
Chapter 6. Wrap up
Keep going, and ask when you get stuck.
Keep going, one ancestor and one record at a time.
That's the rhythm of good research, one ancestor, one record, one source at a time. Keep going, and reach out to Stuck in the Branches any time you would like a hand.