Family Tree

Explains how to build and verify a family tree using public records.

Before You Begin a Genealogy Search: A Preparation Checklist
Featured · Family Tree

Before You Begin a Genealogy Search: A Preparation Checklist

Work through this checklist before diving into public records—covering what to gather, document, and clarify to make your search more efficient.

By Genealogy Search Editorial Team · 6 min · Apr 10, 2023
Birth, Marriage, and Death Records: The Backbone of Genealogy Research
Family Tree

Birth, Marriage, and Death Records: The Backbone of Genealogy Research

Understand how vital records work, where they're held, and how to use them reliably when verifying family relationships.

By Genealogy Search Editorial Team · 9 min · Dec 27, 2025
Census Records vs. Vital Records: Choosing the Right Source for Your Research
Family Tree

Census Records vs. Vital Records: Choosing the Right Source for Your Research

Census and vital records each fill different gaps in a family tree. Here's how they differ and when to rely on each one.

By Genealogy Search Editorial Team · 6 min · Feb 14, 2023
Digitised Archives vs. Physical Record Repositories: Weighing Your Research Options
Family Tree

Digitised Archives vs. Physical Record Repositories: Weighing Your Research Options

Online databases are convenient but incomplete. Understand the trade-offs between digitised archives and in-person record searches.

By Genealogy Search Editorial Team · 5 min · Aug 13, 2024
Eight Types of Records That Fill In What Birth Certificates Miss
Family Tree

Eight Types of Records That Fill In What Birth Certificates Miss

Church registers, immigration files, probate records, and more—these sources surface family details that official vital records overlook.

By Genealogy Search Editorial Team · 7 min · Jun 8, 2023
Family Tree Research: A Complete Walkthrough From Concept to Documented Lineage
Family Tree

Family Tree Research: A Complete Walkthrough From Concept to Documented Lineage

An end-to-end guide covering methodology, record sources, verification, and documentation for building an accurate family tree.

By Genealogy Search Editorial Team · 8 min · May 3, 2026
Family Trees and Public Records: What You Can Actually Find
Family Tree

Family Trees and Public Records: What You Can Actually Find

Discover which public records are genuinely useful for building a family tree and what each document type can—and cannot—tell you.

By Genealogy Search Editorial Team · 9 min · Sep 5, 2025
Organizing Your Research So Each Branch of Your Family Tree Stays Clear
Family Tree

Organizing Your Research So Each Branch of Your Family Tree Stays Clear

Practical methods for structuring notes, sources, and documents so your genealogy research remains navigable as it grows.

By Genealogy Search Editorial Team · 6 min · Apr 4, 2024
Starting Your Family Tree When You Know Almost Nothing
Family Tree

Starting Your Family Tree When You Know Almost Nothing

A practical starting point for anyone building a family tree from scratch, including how to gather what you already have before searching records.

By Genealogy Search Editorial Team · 8 min · Aug 2, 2024
The Honest Trade-Offs of Building a Family Tree Through Public Records Alone
Family Tree

The Honest Trade-Offs of Building a Family Tree Through Public Records Alone

Public records are powerful but have real limits. A balanced look at what this approach does well and where it falls short.

By Genealogy Search Editorial Team · 6 min · Feb 4, 2026
The Public Records Every Family Tree Researcher Should Know About
Family Tree

The Public Records Every Family Tree Researcher Should Know About

From birth certificates to census rolls, here are the core public record types used in genealogy and what each one reveals.

By Genealogy Search Editorial Team · 6 min · May 13, 2023
Things People Believe About Genealogy That Public Records Routinely Disprove
Family Tree

Things People Believe About Genealogy That Public Records Routinely Disprove

Oral history, family legend, and online trees are often wrong. Here's what the records actually show—and why the gaps exist.

By Genealogy Search Editorial Team · 7 min · May 5, 2023
Tracing a Family Line From Living Relatives Back Through Generations
Family Tree

Tracing a Family Line From Living Relatives Back Through Generations

Learn the step-by-step process of working backwards from known relatives to uncover earlier generations using public documents.

By Genealogy Search Editorial Team · 7 min · Dec 3, 2023
Verifying Family Tree Entries Before Accepting Them as Fact
Family Tree

Verifying Family Tree Entries Before Accepting Them as Fact

A step-by-step approach to cross-checking names, dates, and relationships so errors don't quietly spread through your research.

By Genealogy Search Editorial Team · 7 min · Aug 18, 2026
Why Your Family Tree Keeps Hitting Dead Ends—and How to Push Past Them
Family Tree

Why Your Family Tree Keeps Hitting Dead Ends—and How to Push Past Them

Common research roadblocks—missing records, name changes, border shifts—explained with practical strategies for moving forward.

By Genealogy Search Editorial Team · 6 min · Sep 3, 2025