Blog Archives

How to Get the Most From FamilySearch.org Historical Records Searches

Posted on January 12, 2016 by Dana McCullough

As the largest free genealogy website—which is rapidly adding historical record images—FamilySearch.org should be a frequent stop for any family historian. And don’t let the simplicity of the search form fool you: As I share in the Unofficial Guide to…

Tagged with: family history, FamilySearch, genealogy, Unofficial Guide to FamilySearch
Posted in Genealogy/Family History

How to Attach Records to Your FamilySearch Family Tree

Posted on December 14, 2015 by Dana McCullough

FamilySearch.org has an awesome tool that lets you attach historical records you find on FamilySearch.org to your FamilySearch Family Tree. When you find a record, you’ll launch this tool when you select the Attach to Family Tree button. This tool…

4 Tips for Organizing Your FamilySearch.org Source Box

Posted on December 4, 2015 by Dana McCullough

If you’re like me, you enjoy having access to millions of free genealogy records on FamilySearch.org, and you may even find yourself having déjà vu as you conduct record searches. When I first started using FamilySearch.org, I didn’t really use…

How to Find Unsearchable Genealogy Records on FamilySearch.org

Posted on November 18, 2015 by Dana McCullough

Did you know that when you search the Historical Records collection on FamilySearch.org that you’re searching only a fraction of the website’s digitized records? That’s because many record image collections on the site are unindexed, and thus not included in…

3 Search Strategies for Military Records on FamilySearch.org

Posted on November 7, 2015 by Dana McCullough

What’s the key to finding military records on FamilySearch.org for your ancestors? Begin with these three search strategies. Start with the big picture Start broadly, then narrow your options by adding filters or additional search criteria. If you know your…

Tagged with: family history, FamilySearch, genealogy, military records, Unofficial Guide to FamilySearch
Posted in Genealogy/Family History

What to Do When You Find a Genealogy Record on FamilySearch.org

Posted on October 26, 2015 by Dana McCullough

After you’ve determined a record truly is for your ancestor, you’ve got several options for what to do with that record in FamilySearch.org and in your personal family history record files. Save it to your Source Box FamilySearch.org’s Source Box…

Tagged with: family history, FamilySearch, genealogy, Unofficial Guide to FamilySearch
Posted in Genealogy/Family History

History Lesson: Details to Know Before Doing Online Genealogy Searches

Posted on September 25, 2015 by Dana McCullough

Knowing some background information on genealogy records and their historical context can help you search more efficiently for records on websites such as FamilySearch.org. What information should you know before starting your online genealogy record searches? Ancestor birth and death…

The Two Ways to Search FamilySearch.org’s International Genealogical Index

Posted on September 10, 2015 by Dana McCullough

Since early 2015, FamilySearch.org has offered two different ways to search its International Genealogical Index (IGI), a collection that contains more than 400 million entries of vital events such as births, baptisms, marriages, and deaths collected since the IGI was…

The Value of FamilySearch Family Tree Record Hints

Posted on September 7, 2015 by Dana McCullough

Earlier this year, FamilySearch.org added Record Hints to its FamilySearch Family Tree. If you’re familiar with Ancestry.com, then think of these new Record Hints in FamilySearch.org as sort of the equivalent to Ancestry.com’s shaky leaf icons. If hints are available…

Tagged with: family history, FamilySearch, genealogy, Unofficial Guide to FamilySearch
Posted in Genealogy/Family History

How to Use Wildcards in FamilySearch.org Searches

Posted on September 1, 2015 by Dana McCullough

Decades or centuries ago, when many of the historical records on FamilySearch.org were originally created, the clerks and record keepers weren’t perfect. The volunteer indexers who transcribe records for FamilySearch.org aren’t infallible, either. That means spelling errors will almost certainly…