Family History and Genealogy Blog by Diane Henriks

4/19/2025

Genealogy and Wellness: How Researching Family History Can Be Therapeutic

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Person reflecting while looking at old family photographs and documents, symbolizing the emotional and therapeutic benefits of genealogy research

Exploring your roots can bring peace, connection, and healing through the power of family history

For many, genealogy is more than just a hobby—it’s a heartfelt journey into the past that can offer surprising benefits in the present. While most people begin researching their family tree out of curiosity or a desire to preserve family stories, what they often discover along the way is a deeper sense of connection, purpose, and even healing.

As Easter approaches—a time often centered around family, renewal, and reflection—it’s a perfect opportunity to consider how genealogy can contribute to our mental and emotional wellness. Here are a few powerful ways that exploring our roots can be good for the soul.

1. A Sense of Identity and Belonging

Researching your family history helps answer that age-old question: “Where do I come from?” Knowing your ancestral origins and uncovering the lives of those who came before you can create a strong sense of identity. Whether it's discovering the town your great-grandmother emigrated from or reading a century-old letter written by an ancestor, these connections help us feel grounded and give us a sense of continuity in an ever-changing world.

Especially for individuals who feel disconnected from family, culture, or community, genealogy can fill in the gaps. It provides a narrative—a personal history—that reminds us that we are part of something larger than ourselves.

2. Emotional Healing Through Storytelling

Every family has its triumphs and its trials. Uncovering those stories—both joyful and painful—can be incredibly therapeutic. Many researchers report emotional breakthroughs when they learn about ancestors who endured hardships, loss, or adversity, yet persevered. These stories often mirror our own struggles and can offer perspective, resilience, and comfort.

Even the process of documenting family stories can be healing. Writing down what you know, organizing photos, or compiling a family history can provide a sense of purpose and fulfillment. It turns memories into legacy—and that act alone can be deeply meaningful.

3. Solving Mysteries Can Bring Closure

For those with unknown parentage, adoption in their family tree, or long-standing “brick walls,” genealogy can feel like detective work. But unlike fictional mysteries, these are personal ones—often rooted in unanswered questions, loss, or missing pieces of identity.

Solving these puzzles, whether through DNA analysis or historical records, can bring profound emotional resolution. Even if the outcome is not what was hoped for, the act of seeking truth can offer a sense of agency, clarity, and peace.

4. Building Intergenerational Connections

One of the beautiful aspects of genealogy is that it brings generations together. Interviewing older relatives, sharing stories with younger family members, or collaborating on research projects strengthens bonds between family members. These shared experiences can reduce feelings of isolation and foster a sense of unity, especially around holidays and family gatherings.

Family history projects can also become acts of remembrance and honoring. They remind us of loved ones who are no longer with us and help keep their memory alive.

5. Mindful Reflection and Joyful Discovery

Genealogy invites us to slow down, reflect, and become immersed in meaningful detail. Whether it's reading an old census record, transcribing a will, or gazing at a faded photograph, these quiet moments offer a form of mindful engagement that can be calming and fulfilling.

And of course, there’s the joy. The little victories—a new ancestor found, a long-lost cousin connected, a mystery solved—spark real delight. In a world full of stress and uncertainty, those moments of genuine excitement and curiosity are wellness boosters in their own right.

Final Thoughts: A Family History of the Heart

This Easter weekend, as many of us spend time with loved ones or reflect on those who came before us, consider how genealogy might support your own well-being. Whether it’s diving into an old photo album, making a family tree with your kids, or finally taking that DNA test, remember that every small step you take into your family’s past can bring unexpected peace, healing, and joy in the present.

Genealogy isn’t just about discovering who our ancestors were—it’s about discovering who we are, too.

Wishing you a peaceful and reflective Easter, filled with connection and discovery.

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4/13/2025

Testing Handwriting OCR for Genealogy: Transcribing Death Records with AI

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AI transcription results from Handwriting OCR platform displayed beside a digitized 1920s Missouri death certificate used in genealogy testing

AI Handwriting OCR for Genealogy: Death Record Transcription Test and Review

As genealogists, we know the value—and the challenge—of working with historical documents written in long-forgotten hands. Whether deciphering ornate script or interpreting fading ink, extracting the data we need from original sources takes time, patience, and a good eye. That’s why I was intrigued when I was invited to test Handwriting OCR, an AI-powered handwriting-to-text converter that promises to transform even the toughest handwriting into editable, searchable text with speed and precision.

In this blog—the first in a new series where I’ll test this platform across different historical document types—I’ll be sharing my results and observations from using Handwriting OCR on two death certificates from my own family history collection. My goal? To evaluate how this tool performs when handling one of the most commonly used—and often difficult to read—records in genealogical research.

Why Death Certificates?

Death certificates are critical genealogical records. They typically include a wealth of information: full name, date and place of death, age at death, cause of death, and often key clues like parents' names and birthplaces. But they also present unique transcription challenges. The handwriting is often hurried, medical terminology is complex, and formatting varies by time and location.

Most existing OCR platforms struggle to process these handwritten documents effectively, so testing death records seemed like a fitting place to begin.

Case Study 1: Samuel Steinman, 2nd Great-Grandfather

AI Handwriting OCR- Death Certificate Example 1

*Note: Click to zoom in

AI Handwriting OCR- Death Certificate Example 1-2

AI Handwriting OCR- Death Certificate Example 1-3

AI Handwriting OCR- Death Certificate Example 1-4

Handwriting OCR did a surprisingly competent job transcribing this document, but several subtle errors did appear—mostly understandable given the script and formatting challenges. Here are the most noteworthy findings:

Date of Birth: Transcribed as 1853 instead of the correct 1855. The final digit on the certificate was disconnected, likely making it difficult for the AI to interpret.
Mother’s Maiden Name: Interpreted as Snell instead of Sherban. This was partially obscured by a descending letter “g” from the line above—something even a human might misread without close inspection.
Mother’s Birthplace: Listed as Bern, Germany, but should have been Pennsylvania. The AI likely misread “Penn.” as a foreign place name due to unclear abbreviation.
Cause of Death: “Pyelonephritis (Duplex)” was misread as “Pyelonephritis (Angina)”—again, a nuanced medical term likely outside the AI’s contextual vocabulary.
Undertaker’s Name: The name was difficult even for me to decipher, and the AI’s guess (Hutson & Son) was close to what I initially read (H— & Son), though not definitively correct.
Form Numbering and Formatting: Some inconsistencies in how form elements were grouped, but overall structure was retained.

Final Thoughts on Samuel’s Record:
Despite a few small inaccuracies, this was an impressive result for a handwritten death certificate. These are the kinds of records that most OCR platforms simply can’t handle at all, and here the AI provided a nearly complete transcription with minimal editing needed. A human still needs to verify every detail (as we always should), but this tool significantly reduces the time spent manually transcribing.

Case Study 2: Mary Harriet (Hulet) Steinman, 2nd Great-Grandmother

AI Handwriting OCR- Death Certificate Example 2

*Note: Click to zoom in

AI Handwriting OCR- Death Certificate Example 2-2

AI Handwriting OCR- Death Certificate Example 2-3

AI Handwriting OCR- Death Certificate Example 2-4

Mary Harriet’s certificate introduced different layout and formatting challenges, including more structured government fields and handwritten entries nestled between printed form labels. Here’s how Handwriting OCR handled it:

Location Details: The City was mistakenly placed in the Township line of the transcript, which could confuse localities in more complex regions.
Section Headers: The Medical Certificate of Death title was moved from its intended place in the transcript, but all content beneath was still included.
Demographics Block: The AI jumbled categories like sex, race, and marital status together (“female White Widow”), though it transcribed the handwritten answers accurately.
Date of Birth: The document showed 1852, but the transcription read 1857—a five-year discrepancy due to misreading a faint final digit.
Age at Death: The handwritten form listed 87 years, 4 months, and 11 days, but the OCR compressed this line and read the months as 11, likely due to formatting inconsistencies.
Father’s Name: Interpreted as Jas. Hulitt instead of Ira Hulett. The script was admittedly difficult here, and the misreading was understandable.
Filing Details: Slight errors in the month and clerk’s name, which were extremely faint and partially disconnected.
Physician Information: Misread initials, address, and timeline of medical attendance—small but notable for researchers validating cause of death.
Document Numbering: A few number sequences were clumped together, but data was not lost—just slightly misstructured.

Final Thoughts on Mary Harriet’s Record:
Again, I was impressed. Despite some layout issues and detail-level inaccuracies, Handwriting OCR extracted nearly all the handwritten content with a high degree of readability. For genealogists, these transcripts are immensely helpful starting points, especially when working with challenging handwriting or in bulk.

Takeaways from Testing Death Records on Handwriting OCR

AI-powered transcription tools like Handwriting OCR are opening exciting new doors in genealogical research. While they are not perfect (nor should we expect them to be), what they offer is a huge leap forward in automating some of the more tedious aspects of our work. Here’s what stood out most in this first test:

✅ Strong transcription accuracy, even on cursive and challenging handwriting
✅ Minimal formatting loss, with most sections retained and recognizable
✅ Easy export features, which I’ll explore in more detail in future tests
❗ Minor transcription errors, typically involving faint or disconnected text
❗ Contextual misunderstandings, particularly with abbreviated place names or medical terminology
❗ Structure inconsistencies, in category grouping or field labeling

Yet, in both of my tests—death certificates from the same location in Gentry County, Missouri, but from different decades—Handwriting OCR provided complete, editable versions of complex historical documents that would normally require slow, manual entry.

For any genealogist who’s ever squinted at an old death certificate under poor lighting or spent hours transcribing by hand, this platform offers a welcome solution. It’s not a replacement for human verification, but it’s a powerful companion that can accelerate our workflows and help us focus more on the analysis, stories, and connections that make genealogy so rewarding.

Coming Soon: Testing Handwriting OCR on Other Genealogy Documents

This is just the beginning. In upcoming posts, I’ll be testing Handwriting OCR’s capabilities on:

Census records
Marriage certificates
Old letters and family Bibles
Naturalization and immigration records
Church registers and more

Stay tuned as I continue exploring how this platform holds up across the variety of handwritten documents we work with every day. If you've tried Handwriting OCR on your own records, I’d love to hear about your experience!

Have you tested AI handwriting tools for genealogy? What worked (or didn’t) for you? Let me know in the comments!

If you find that this would be a valuable addition to you genealogy research toolkit, Handwriting OCR will provide an exclusive offer code to all my blog readers! Just let me know!

More AI and Genealogy Resources

Learn about more AI in Genealogy and other family history and genealogy resources under the AI in Genealogy and Genealogy Resources category and on my dedicated Genealogy Resources page.

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4/6/2025

Exploring Ancestry’s New “Networks” Feature: A Powerful Tool for Connections Beyond the Family Tree

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Screenshot mockup of Ancestry’s Networks feature showing individuals grouped by tags and relationships beyond immediate family

Visualizing connections beyond the family tree with Ancestry’s Networks feature

Ancestry recently unveiled a new tool that has the potential to reshape how we document, visualize, and analyze the relationships surrounding our ancestors. Simply called Networks, this new Pro Tools feature allows researchers to build out dynamic relationship webs that go far beyond traditional family lines. Announced at RootsTech and currently in BETA, Networks is already proving to be a valuable resource for exploring the people who interacted with, lived near, or were otherwise involved in our ancestors’ lives—even if they weren’t blood relatives.

In genealogy, we often say that it takes a village—not only to raise a child but also to build out a meaningful, contextual family history. Networks offers a new way to capture that village.

What Is the Networks Feature?

Networks is designed to:

Document relationships and connections beyond immediate family
Group people by community, shared experiences, places, or times using tags and categories
Fill in the blanks to help break through brick walls
Evolve with your research, allowing you to edit your network as discoveries unfold

In simpler terms, Networks allows you to create a visual and organized “web” of people who were part of an ancestor’s life but may not be related by blood or marriage. These could include boarders, neighbors, work colleagues, military units, traveling companions, or even mystery individuals who appear in records but don’t yet have a clear place in the family tree.

A Real-World Example: Using Networks for Census Boarders

I first encountered the Networks feature while working on a client case, and I decided to give it a try right then and there. In the 1910 census, I found a family living together—husband, wife, children—and several other individuals listed in the household. Among them were three men marked as the husband’s “brothers,” and two boarders. Oddly, I had found no additional records linking the three supposed brothers to the family.

Ancestry Networks Example 1- Boarders and Possible Brothers

That’s where Networks came in.

Ancestry Networks Example 2- Creating a Network

Using the new tool, I added all of these individuals to a network linked to the head of household. I treated it like a research workspace: I tagged each person, added census data as media, and even began building out mini-profiles for the three “brothers” and the boarders. Whether the census taker made an error or the relationships are genuine but obscured, this feature gave me the freedom to explore those possibilities without needing to force these individuals directly into the family tree structure.

Ancestry Networks Example 3- Adding People, Media, Sources, Tags, and Stickies to Your Network

Ancestry Networks Example 4- Creating Stickies (Notes) for Your Network

Key Features That Make Networks Useful

Floating People: Think of Networks as allowing you to create “floaters”—individuals who aren’t directly in your tree’s family line but are still relevant to your research. This provides a sandbox of sorts to explore potential connections without prematurely attaching someone as a parent, sibling, or spouse.
Tags, Categories, and Stickies: Each person in a network can be labeled using custom tags and categories such as “boarder,” “possible relative,” “military connection,” or “same workplace.” You can also attach Stickies—virtual sticky notes—to organize clues, highlight sources, and document theories.
Media, Notes, and Sources: You can add documents, photos, and sources to any individual in the network, just like with people in your regular family tree. This allows you to maintain your same documentation standards while exploring new hypotheses.
Ongoing Flexibility: The network is not static. You can add or remove people as your research evolves, and Ancestry will even suggest possible additions to help expand your network intelligently.

How to Access the Networks Feature

As of now, Networks is available only to those with an active Pro Tools membership on Ancestry and can only be accessed through the Ancestry website—not the mobile app. There are multiple ways to get to it:

From an ancestor’s profile page: Look to the right of their listed family members, just below “Add Family,” and click “Create Network.”
From the Home page: Locate (it in) the “Pro Tools shortcuts” on the right-hand side.
From the “Find in Tree” feature: At the top right of your tree view, click “List of all people” and explore from there.

Why This Matters

Genealogy is as much about social context as it is about names, dates, and places. Networks fills an important gap in our research process by giving us a structured, visual way to explore the people who encircled our ancestors’ lives—those who may have had deep personal, social, or economic significance but don't appear in a traditional family tree structure.

The tool may especially prove useful for:

Urban research, where many people lived in tenements, boarding houses, or multi-family dwellings
Immigrant research, where traveling groups, chain migration, or cultural communities form rich networks of association
Brick wall cases, where the only clues are found in who lived nearby or who appeared together in hard-to-interpret records

Final Thoughts

While still in BETA, Ancestry’s Networks feature is a useful addition for genealogists at every level. It encourages critical thinking, offers flexibility, and considers the complexity of human relationships—something every family historian grapples with at some point.

Whether you’re piecing together a mystery in the census, mapping out an immigrant cluster, or just trying to figure out who that “mystery boarder” might have been, Networks gives you a new lens to view your research through. And sometimes, that fresh perspective is just what we need to break through a long-standing brick wall.

Have you tried the Networks feature yet? Share your experiences—I’d love to hear how others are using it in their research!

More Ancestry and Genealogy Resources

Learn about more Ancestry updates, tips, tools, and features and other family history and genealogy resources under the Ancestry.com and the Genealogy Resources categories of my blog and on my dedicated Genealogy Resources page.

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3/30/2025

Discover Your Cousins Without a DNA Test: MyHeritage’s New Cousin Finder Tool

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MyHeritage's New Cousin Finder Feature, highlighted in yellow with a screenshot image of the tool.

MyHeritage’s New Cousin Finder Feature Makes Finding Relatives Easier

One of the biggest joys in genealogy is making connections—finding long-lost relatives, collaborating with family members, and discovering shared ancestry. MyHeritage has just made that process even easier with their newest tool, Cousin Finder. This innovative feature helps you identify and connect with relatives who share your ancestors—all without taking a DNA test!

What Is Cousin Finder?

Cousin Finder is a brand-new feature exclusive to MyHeritage that uses the power of family tree matches to identify your blood relatives. It builds upon MyHeritage’s Smart Matches, which compare your family tree with millions of others to find overlapping ancestors. But rather than leaving you to sift through endless matches, Cousin Finder does the work for you, automatically pinpointing the relatives who share a direct ancestral connection with you.

How Does It Work?

To take advantage of Cousin Finder, you’ll need a family tree on MyHeritage that includes Smart Matches with other trees. The more detailed your tree, the better your results will be! Here’s how it works:

MyHeritage scans your tree for Smart Matches with other trees on the platform.
It identifies users who share direct ancestors with you, meaning they are your cousins.
You’ll get a list of these relatives, along with how you are connected.
From there, you can reach out, collaborate, and expand your family history research.

MyHeritage Cousin Finder Results- Example 1

MyHeritage Cousin Finder Results- Example 1-2

Why This Matters for Genealogists

For years, DNA testing has been a key tool in identifying unknown relatives. But not everyone has taken a DNA test, and not every match provides a clear relationship path. Cousin Finder fills this gap by using well-researched family trees to build connections based on documented lineage.

Here’s why it’s a game-changer:

✅ Find cousins who haven’t taken a DNA test – Many genealogists have extensive trees but haven’t tested their DNA. Now, you can connect with them based on shared ancestry alone.
✅ See exactly how you’re related – Unlike DNA matches, which can sometimes be unclear, Cousin Finder provides a definitive relationship path based on family trees.
✅ Collaborate with newfound relatives – Once you find a cousin, you can message them (with a MyHeritage subscription) to share information, exchange records, and fill in missing branches of your tree.
✅ Expand your tree faster – Learning from relatives who have researched different branches of your family can help you uncover new generations, stories, and connections.

How Is It Different from Smart Matches and DNA Matches?

While Smart Matches highlight possible connections between trees, they can be overwhelming because of the large amount. Cousin Finder simplifies the process by extracting only your confirmed relatives, making it easier to focus on meaningful connections.

Unlike DNA matches, which rely on genetic relationships, Cousin Finder works from family trees. While tree-based research requires verification, it offers a clearer picture of exactly how you’re related—something DNA alone can’t always provide.

Getting Started with Cousin Finder

You'll find Cousin Finder under the Discoveries drop-down, and it's free to use for all MyHeritage users, though reaching out to matches requires a subscription. It’s currently available on the MyHeritage website and mobile browsers, with app support coming soon.

If you already have a tree on MyHeritage, now is the perfect time to explore Cousin Finder and see just how many cousins you have waiting to be discovered. And if you don’t have a tree yet—what are you waiting for? This tool makes it easier than ever to build, grow, and connect your family history.

How to Get to Cousin Finder

Have you tried Cousin Finder yet? I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences—drop a comment below!

More MyHeritage and Other Genealogy Resources

Learn about more MyHeritage and other family history and genealogy resources under the MyHeritage and Genealogy Resources category and on my dedicated Genealogy Resources page.

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3/23/2025

Ancestry’s New Image Transcript Tool: AI-Powered Handwriting Transcription

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Screenshot of Ancestry’s New AI-powered Image Transcript feature displaying a transcribed handwritten document

Ancestry’s New AI Image Transcript Feature in Action

Ancestry has rolled out an exciting new feature currently in BETA: the Image Transcript tool! This AI-driven tool can transcribe handwritten journals, diaries, and letters that are uploaded to your family tree, making it easier than ever to preserve and read ancestral documents. While still in development, this tool shows great promise in assisting genealogists with historical handwriting recognition.

How to Use the Image Transcript Tool

Getting started with this feature is simple. Here’s how you can try it out:

Upload a handwritten document – Choose a journal page, diary entry, or letter and upload it to your ancestor’s Gallery on their profile page. You can also go to the Memories tab in the top navigation ribbon and select Gallery to upload from there.
Open the media file – Once uploaded, navigate to the Gallery of your ancestor’s profile or access it via the Memories section.
Locate the Transcribe option – In the top left corner of the image viewer, just below the Zoom In and Zoom Out buttons, you’ll see a Transcribe button.
Click and wait – Select Transcribe, and after a few moments, Ancestry’s AI will generate a transcription of the text, even handwritten text!

🚨 Note: You may occasionally see an error message stating, “Unfortunately, we can't create a transcription. But this feature is constantly being upgraded to handle more document types. Please try again soon.” If this happens, you can try again later, or it may mean the document is currently unsupported.

Putting It to the Test

I’ve taken some time to test out this feature with different types of documents, and the results have been quite promising!

🔍 Mid-1800s Bible Page During RootsTech, when Ancestry first announced this tool, I uploaded an old Bible page from my 3rd great-grandfather’s Bible, filled with mid-19th-century handwriting. To my surprise, the tool performed quite well, successfully transcribing a significant portion of the text! While not perfect, it still captured much of the content, and as this tool improves, I expect even better accuracy over time.

Ancestry AI Image Transcript- Example 1-1

Ancestry AI Image Transcript- Example 1-2

📝 1960s Letter Just a couple of weeks later, I tested a handwritten letter from the 1960s, provided by a client. The results were even more impressive! The tool transcribed nearly everything correctly, with only two minor errors. This could be due to either the handwriting being clearer or the AI having already improved in just a short period.

Ancestry AI Image Transcript- Example 2-1

Ancestry AI Image Transcript- Example 2-2

Final Thoughts

While still in BETA, Ancestry’s Image Transcript tool is showing great potential. As it continues to develop, it could become an essential resource for genealogists looking to extract text from historical handwritten documents with ease. Whether you’re working with centuries-old diaries or more recent family letters, this tool may soon save you time and effort in reading and preserving family history.

If you haven’t tried it yet, give it a go and see how well it works for your documents! Have you tested the Image Transcript tool? Share your experiences in the comments!

📌Note:

Since the Image Transcript feature is still in BETA, not everyone may have access yet. While Ancestry announced this feature during their RootsTech Innovation and Tech Forum 2025 session, they did not mention it was in BETA at the time. However, because it is still being tested and refined, availability may vary by account, subscription level, and possibly even location (U.S. always seems to be first). If you don’t see the feature yet, keep checking back!

More Ancestry and Genealogy Resources

More AI Tips, Tools, and Features

Learn about more AI in Genealogy tips, tools, features, and resources under the AI in Genealogy category.

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3/16/2025

Exploring FamilySearch’s AI Research Assistant: A Game-Changer for Genealogists

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Screenshot of FamilySearch’s AI Research Assistant displaying genealogical information for an ancestor, including sources and family details

FamilySearch’s AI Research Assistant helps genealogists discover new ancestors, records, and insights!

At this year’s RootsTech conference, FamilySearch unveiled an exciting new experiment in their FamilySearch Labs: the AI Research Assistant. This cutting-edge tool harnesses generative AI to help genealogists discover new ancestors, find records, and even pull insights from the web. If you’ve ever wished for a genealogy assistant that could quickly scan your tree, locate records, and suggest new family members, this new feature might be exactly what you need!

What Is the AI Research Assistant?

The AI Research Assistant is designed to:
✅ Search your FamilySearch tree to find missing ancestors.
✅ Find historical records and sources from FamilySearch.
✅ Provide genealogical insights based on available records.
✅ Pull information from the web, offering new research avenues.

How It Works: A Real-Life Test

To see how well this AI-powered feature performs, I tested it on Margaret Brown, a suggested ancestor from my FamilySearch tree. I selected the AI-generated question: “Help me find genealogical information about Margaret Brown.”

FamilySearch’s AI Research Assistant: Example 1

The AI’s Results

Within seconds, the AI Research Assistant returned a detailed genealogical summary, confirming:
📌 Full Name: Margaret Brown
📌 Birth Date: March 28, 1863
📌 Birth Place: Dalziel, Lanarkshire, Scotland
📌 Parents: William Brown & Janet Tennant (also recorded as Janet Jeannatt Brown)
Here’s a screenshot of what the AI generated:

FamilySearch’s AI Research Assistant: Example 1-2

Even more impressively, the AI cited its sources, providing two records directly from FamilySearch’s collection:

FamilySearch’s AI Research Assistant: Example 1-3

These records were quickly retrieved from Scottish birth and civil registration records, verifying Margaret’s birth details and parentage.

Beyond FamilySearch: AI’s Web-Pulling Power

While the Margaret Brown example showcased how fast AI can find and summarize FamilySearch records, I wanted to test its ability to search the web for additional genealogy insights—a feature highlighted during RootsTech.

I decided to run a search on a more recent ancestor—my father. The results were astonishing. In addition to pulling his birth index, death index, and 1950 census record from FamilySearch, the AI also retrieved a memorial post from my family’s Facebook page—where his passing had been announced. It even included comments from family members, friends, and the Facebook page followers under that post.

This demonstrates the real power of AI-assisted genealogy: the ability to bridge historical records with modern digital footprints, uncovering information beyond traditional archives.

How to Access the AI Research Assistant

Want to try it for yourself? Here’s how to activate this experimental feature:
1️⃣ Sign in (or create) a free FamilySearch account.
2️⃣ On the right-hand side of your FamilySearch home page, scroll down to “FamilySearch Labs.”
3️⃣ Click “View Experiments.”
4️⃣ Find “AI Research Assistant” and click “Try It.”
5️⃣ Start exploring new insights into your family tree!

Why This Matters for Genealogy

AI is transforming genealogy research by making it faster, more intuitive, and more comprehensive. With FamilySearch’s AI Research Assistant, genealogists can:
🔍 Quickly identify missing ancestors in their tree.
📜 Find relevant records without manual searching.
🌐 Discover web-based family history clues, even from social media.
📝 Ask AI genealogical questions for deeper insights.

This is just the beginning of AI-assisted genealogy. As FamilySearch continues refining this tool, we can expect even greater breakthroughs in how we uncover and document our family histories.

Have you tested the AI Research Assistant yet? Share your experiences in the comments!

FamilySearch Labs

More FamilySearch Updates, Features, and Tools

Learn about other FamilySearch updates and features to help in your family history and genealogy research under the FamilySearch category and on my dedicated Genealogy Resources page.

More Genealogy Resources

Learn about other family history and genealogy resources under the Genealogy Resources category and on my dedicated Genealogy Resources page.

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3/9/2025

RootsTech 2025: World’s Largest Family History Event Wrap-up

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RootsTech 2025, FamilySearch Tech Forum, Innovation and Tech Forum 2025, World’s Largest Family History Conference

RootsTech 2025: World’s Largest Family History Event Wrap-up

If you don’t know what RootsTech is, it’s the largest family history and genealogy event, around the world, of the year, celebrating family!

RootsTech has certainly done it again! That was a fantastic, fun-filled 3 days! They seem to top themselves each year!

The RootsTech 2025 event, hosted by FamilySearch, has finally come to an end, but the learning has not. Did you know that you can still access RootsTech? Not only can you access almost everything in your playlist for 3 years, the sessions/classes, keynotes, and Expo Hall (just not the deals), but they are keeping your chats available (to copy down your info) for the year, and you can still access RootsTech Relatives for the rest of the month! So, if you want to view any of the more than 1,500+ RootsTech Sessions (most of the 412+ in-person and online sessions for 2025 and most of the other sessions from the past 3 years), Keynote Speakers or the Expo Hall, they are all still available, and will continue to be available!

RootsTech: The Event of the Year, Once Again

RootsTech began in 2011, in-person, in Salt Lake City, and for their 10th anniversary, had to get creative, due to Covid. RootsTech 2021 was such a hit going virtual and FREE three years ago, due to Covid, that they went from about 30,000 attendees the year before to over 1,000,000! It was so amazing that they decided to do it again for 2022, and once again broke their record to 3,000,000! Then, they really outdid themselves by going hybrid two years ago, keeping the virtual platform, they designed just to use with the 2021 pandemic event that reached the entire world, and combining it smoothly with an in-person event for those missing the in-person experience, in which they had over 4,000,000 attendees worldwide from 240 countries and territories! This year, hybrid as well, was no exception and was once again the most fantastic global, family discovery event of the year, genealogy or otherwise!

My RootsTech 2025 Faves

Although I joined virtually and missed out on just a few in-person only sessions and aspects like MyHeritage's featured session and joining up with groups that I'm a part of, I had a great time! I absolutely loved everything about RootsTech, from ALL of the keynote speakers, the sessions, the new RootsTech theme song, “Who I Am” and featured video, the Relatives at RootsTech, the Expo Hall, to the chat and more, all of it was fantastic! All the keynote speakers were amazing, but my absolute faves this year were designer and artist, Dana Tanamachi’s inspiring and emotional personal family history story and journey; activist, author, and missionary to youngsters to preserve their family history and stories, Ndaba Mandela’s powerful and meaningful message; and singer, song writer and YouTube content creator Ysabelle Cuevas’ inspiring personal family history story, that hit home, and her version of the theme song! My other absolute faves at RootsTech were the Innovation and Tech Forum and FamilySearch Global and Tech Forum, as always; the Impact Forum, especially photographer Mylo Fowler’s powerful and inspiring story and message; the beautiful rendition of the theme song that was song by both Tanner Towsend (who did the original) and Ysabelle Cuevas! I joined many classes and have to say my faves this year were the very well organized, clear, concise, thorough, and excellent speakers and their topics, Mindy Taylor and her topic “ Analyzing Evidence: A Research Game Changer”; David Allen Lambert and his topic “ Getting Started in Scottish Research” that covered information fill for ALL levels and Alice Childs and her topic “ Extracting Evidence: Strategies for Analyzing Genealogical Sources!

RootsTech 2025 at a Glance

Attendees:

2020: 30, 000 in-person attendees (first online experience)
2021: 1,000,000+ virtual attendees
2022: 3,000,000 virtual attendees
2023: 4,000,000 virtual and in-person attendees
2024: Well over 16,000 people in-person and close to 4,000,000 people online from over 230 countries and territories around the world!
2025: I’m sure a higher expected amount than previous years!

Main Stage:

Opening Address
Keynotes Speakers
Theme Song (video and live)
Sponsor Highlights
RootsTech Innovation and Tech Forum 2025
FamilySearch Global and Tech Forum 2025
The Impact Forum 2025
Family Discovery Day
Featured Sessions
Live Views
Emcees (including 10 global emcees!)
And more!

Expo Hall:

FamilySearch
Ancestry (I locked in a ½ off deal!)
MyHeritage
Storied
Find My Past
FamilyTree DNA
23andMe
Mylio Photos
Family Tree Maker
Goodline
RootsMagic
The Family History Guide
GenealogyBank
GEDmatch
Forever
And many more I still need to check out!

Sessions:

~412 in-person and online

Relatives at RootsTech 2025:

Out of over 460, 000 participants of Relatives at RootsTech...

I had over 30,000 relatives at RootsTech this year!

New 2025 Innovations and Tech I Got to Learn About

Adobe: How Lightroom, Adobe Express, and Photoshop can be used to enhance your family history by organizing, enhancing, restoring your family history photographs, along with using their newest, powerful, AI-generated tool to authentically generate lost features and more!
Ancestry: They just announced their new photo tagging feature, that can recognize faces and can group all your uploaded photos; Image Transcript feature (in BETA), that can take journals, diaries, and letters that are uploaded to your tree (other documents coming soon) and transcribe them automatically with AI; and Networks feature (in BETA for Pro Tools users), that can group people together by community, records, etc. and add them to your ancestor’s network to go beyond your relatives!
MyHeritage: They just announced their new feature/ tool, Cousin Finder, that helps you find your DNA matches without a DNA test so you can collaborate with them! They also announced their recently released Ancient Origins, that traces your origins up to 10,000 years and shows you your ancient populations, and updated ethnicity model that helps pinpoint your geographic regions even more!
FamilySearch: New experiments in the FamilySearch Lab using Generative AI, such as their new AI Research Assistant, where you can discover new insights and possibly new ancestors in a way that has never been possible before. It even scans the web for info! Last year’s announced Full-Text Search has tons of records available from around the world now! Last year’s Together feature, just in the Lab, has now been officially released! Also, they have added new tools for tree integrity experiment in the Lab such as Guided Merge and an updated, clearer change log.
record search and finding help, “Family Group Trees”, the new “Together” app, and family tree “Profile Quality Score”
Storied: I heard about Storied two years ago at RootsTech, a platform dedicated to sharing and preserving your family history, where you can build family trees with historical records and bring them to life with vibrant, collaborative ancestor stories using Generative AI, while also integrating with FamilySearch. This year, they just announced their new Storied Assistant makes it easier to preserve your family history, memories, and recipes into a sharable story, even by just using your voice for to do it all.
Soar.com: This company uses AI in “uplifting ways across all areas of life”. It includes such tools and features as Family Scribe that transforms, transcribes, translates, and more, uploaded videos, interviews, recordings, etc. into a book. It then adds pages of context, like importing genealogical research, insights, etc.
Remento: Preserves your family history with life story books that write themselves using AI-powered speech-to-text that transform recorded reflections into a book of beautifully written stories that include photos, stories, and voice recordings.

I saw as much of the main stage as possible and joined quite a few classes, and I’m so glad that I can save the rest to my playlist for later; of course, there was no way to get in everything in just 3 short days! 😉

It was such a big hit once again that they’ll being going hybrid again next year! See you on March 5th of 2025!

Don't forget to discover your past and those that came before, by including family, friends, strangers, communities, and the world! Discover those that have made the biggest impact on you, your stories, memories, traditions, and more, and preserve those memories for future generations so they can learn from our experiences! Discover how you can share your family history discoveries, knowledge, and resources to help others discover those that came before and who had the greatest impact on their lives! Discover you, discover connection, discover something new about your story and connect with it in a deeper way!

If you missed the RootsTech 2025 event, you can still sign up for FREE online and view all the classes for FREE, at RootsTech!

Don’t have an account? You can create your FREE FamilySearch account at FamilySearch!

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3/2/2025

Top 5 Reasons to DNA Test: Unlocking the Secrets of Your Ancestry

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Top 5 Reasons to DNA Test, Genealogy and DNA, DNA Testing and Genetic Genealogy

Top 5 Reasons to DNA Test for Genealogy

In recent years, DNA testing has revolutionized the field of genealogy. What was once limited to dusty archives and oral histories has now expanded into the realm of genetic analysis, offering a deeper, more scientific understanding of our roots. But why should you consider taking a DNA test? Below are the top five reasons, complete with detailed explanations and examples, to help you decide if DNA testing is right for you.

1. Discovering Your Ethnic Origins

One of the most popular reasons people turn to DNA testing is to discover their ethnic origins. Companies like AncestryDNA, 23andMe, FamilyTreeDNA, MyHeritage, and Living DNA analyze your DNA to provide estimates of your ethnic makeup. This can reveal surprising details about your heritage, connecting you to regions and cultures you might not have known were part of your family history.

Example: Imagine growing up with the understanding that your family was predominantly of Irish descent, only to find through DNA testing that you have significant Scandinavian roots. This newfound knowledge could inspire you to explore Scandinavian customs, learn the language, or even travel to the region to connect with your ancestral homeland.

2. Connecting with Genetic Relatives

DNA testing can connect you with relatives you never knew existed. Whether you're looking to expand your family tree, find distant cousins, or even discover biological family members, DNA matches can lead to meaningful connections and enrich your understanding of your family's history.

Example: A woman adopted at birth used DNA testing to find her biological parents and siblings. Through the DNA matches provided by the testing service, she was able to connect with a half-sister who had been searching for her as well. This discovery not only filled in missing pieces of her personal history but also introduced her to a whole new family.

3. Breaking Down Brick Walls in Genealogical Research

Genealogists often encounter "brick walls"—points in their research where records become scarce or nonexistent. DNA testing can help break down these barriers by providing clues that guide researchers toward new records or previously unknown family connections.

Example: A genealogist struggling to find records for an ancestor who immigrated to the United States in the 1800s discovered a distant cousin through DNA testing. This cousin had access to family letters that mentioned the ancestor's original name and birthplace in Europe, providing the breakthrough needed to continue the research.

4. Understanding Genetic Health Risks

While genealogy-focused DNA tests primarily provide information about ancestry and relatives, some services also offer insights into genetic health risks, such as 23andMe. By understanding your genetic predispositions, you can make informed decisions about your health and lifestyle, potentially catching issues before they become serious.

Example: A man with a family history of heart disease took a DNA test that included health risk analysis. The test revealed that he carried a genetic variant associated with an increased risk of heart conditions. Armed with this knowledge, he consulted his doctor and adopted a healthier lifestyle to mitigate his risks, possibly preventing future health problems.

5. Preserving Your Family's Legacy for Future Generations

DNA testing is not just about uncovering the past; it's also about preserving your family’s legacy for future generations. By testing your DNA, you contribute to a genetic record that your descendants can use to understand their heritage, make connections, and continue building the family tree long after you're gone.

Example: A grandfather decided to take a DNA test to leave a genetic record for his grandchildren. Along with the results, he wrote a letter explaining what he knew about the family's history and how DNA testing might reveal even more. His grandchildren now have a valuable resource for exploring their heritage and adding to the family's legacy.

Conclusion

DNA testing offers a fascinating window into our past, present, and future. Whether you're curious about your ethnic roots, looking to connect with relatives, or aiming to break down brick walls in your genealogical research, DNA testing can provide the answers you seek. Additionally, understanding your genetic health risks and preserving your family's legacy for future generations makes DNA testing a powerful tool that extends beyond simple curiosity. With each test, you’re not just uncovering your story—you’re also adding to the ever-growing tapestry of human history.

More Genetic Genealogy/DNA Resources

Find more DNA genealogy resources, tips, and other info under the Genetic Genealogy and DNA category.

More Genealogy Resources

Learn about more family history and genealogy resources under the Genealogy Resources category and on my dedicated Genealogy Resources page.

More Top Genealogy

Find more of the best of family history and genealogy under the The Best of Genealogy category.

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2/23/2025

New from MyHeritage: Discover Your Ancient Origins with DNA

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MyHeritage Updates, MyHeritage New Features and Tools, MyHeritage New Ancient Origins DNA Feature

New from MyHeritage: Discover Your Ancient Origins with DNA

Have you ever wondered where your deep ancestral roots lie beyond the last few centuries? MyHeritage has just introduced an exciting new DNA feature: Ancient Origins. This tool provides a fascinating look at your genetic connections to ancient civilizations, giving you a glimpse into where your ancestors may have lived thousands of years ago.

What Is Ancient Origins?

The Ancient Origins feature analyzes your MyHeritage DNA results and compares them to DNA found in archaeological remains from different historical populations. By doing this, MyHeritage can estimate which ancient groups your ancestors were connected to—helping you see how your lineage may have traveled and evolved over time.

How Does It Work?

Compares Your DNA to Ancient Samples – MyHeritage uses genetic data from ancient human remains discovered at archaeological sites around the world.
Identifies Your Ancient Populations – You’ll receive an estimate of which ancient groups are most closely related to your DNA, such as Vikings, Neolithic farmers, or indigenous groups from various regions.
Maps Your Deep Ancestry – Your results will be displayed on a map, showing where your ancient ancestors may have lived and migrated.

What You’ll Get in Your Ancient Origins Report

This feature goes beyond just showing you ancient populations—it offers multiple reports to help you better understand your deep ancestry:

Ancient Origins Breakdown – Provides a percentage-based breakdown of your DNA origins across different historical eras, from the Bronze Age to the Middle Ages. You’ll also receive AI-generated videos of avatars representing the populations in your results, adding an interactive and engaging element to your discoveries.

My MyHeritage Ancient Origins Breakdown Results (+more)

My Ancient Origins Breakdown: Middle Ages-Germanic Avatar Video

My Ancient Origins Breakdown: Middle Ages-Celt Avatar Video

My Ancient Origins Breakdown: Middle Ages-France Avatar Video

Hunter-Gatherer and Farmer Breakdown – Gives insight into how much of your DNA comes from ancient hunter-gatherers versus early farming populations.

My MyHeritage Ancient Origins Hunter-Gatherer and Farmer Breakdown Results (+more)

Genetic Similarities – Shows which ancient populations or combinations of populations are genetically most similar to you.

My MyHeritage Ancient Origins Genetic Similarities Results (+more)

Genetic Distance Maps – Displays your genetic proximity to various ancient groups, helping you visualize how your DNA connects to the past.

My MyHeritage Ancient Origins Genetic Distance Maps Results (+more)

Why This Feature Is Exciting

Goes Beyond Ethnicity Estimates – While ethnicity estimates provide insight into recent ancestry, Ancient Origins dives deeper into thousands of years of migration and history.
Connects You to History – You can see how your ancestors may have been linked to major civilizations, from early European settlers to indigenous groups of the Americas and beyond.
Engaging and Interactive – With downloadable videos of AI avatars representing your ancestral populations, you can see history come to life in a whole new way.
Adds Another Layer to Your Genealogy Research – While this isn’t a replacement for traditional family history research, it’s a fun and informative tool to complement what you already know.

Things to Keep in Mind

This Is an Estimate, Not a Definitive Answer – Ancient DNA comparisons are based on available archaeological samples, meaning results may evolve as new discoveries are made.
It Won’t Trace Specific Named Ancestors – This feature provides insight into deep ancestry, not individual people in your family tree.
Results May Be Surprising – You may uncover unexpected genetic connections to regions or civilizations you hadn’t considered before!
No Printable Report (Yet!) – Unlike MyHeritage’s ethnicity estimates, Ancient Origins results currently can’t be printed—something to keep in mind if you like to save hard copies of your findings.

Final Thoughts

The Ancient Origins feature is a fascinating way to explore the distant past of your lineage. If you’ve already taken a MyHeritage DNA test, check out your results and see where your ancient ancestors may have lived, and if you haven't yet, now is the perfect time. It’s just one more way to bring history and family heritage together!

Have you explored your Ancient Origins results yet? What did you discover? Let me know in the comments!

More MyHeritage, DNA, and Other Genealogy Resources

Learn about more MyHeritage, AI in Genealogy, and other family history and genealogy resources under the MyHeritage, Genetic Genealogy and DNA, Genealogy Resources category and on my dedicated Genealogy Resources page.

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2/16/2025

Starting Your Journey in African American Genealogy

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African American Genealogy Research, African American Family History, African American Ancestry, Black History

Starting Your Journey in African American Genealogy

Exploring your family’s history is a journey of discovery, connection, and understanding. For African American genealogy, the process is uniquely shaped by historical challenges, rich traditions, and the resilience of ancestors. If you’re ready to dive into your family’s past, this guide will help you take the first steps with confidence.

Understanding the Basics of African American Genealogy

Genealogy is the study of family history, tracing ancestors to learn more about who they were and how their lives shaped yours. African American genealogy often involves unique challenges, including gaps in records due to slavery and segregation.

Begin your research by:

Starting with Oral Histories: Talk to family members, jot down names, places, and family stories, and record any traditions or anecdotes. These personal insights often hold vital clues.
Using the 1950 Census: This census is a foundational resource, offering detailed information such as names, ages, occupations, and addresses. Work backward from there through earlier census records to build your family tree.

Key Records for African American Research

Several types of records are essential for tracing African American ancestry:

Census Records: The 1870 Census is a key starting point for finding ancestors who were formerly enslaved, as it’s the first census to list African Americans by name.
Freedmen’s Bureau Records: These records document assistance provided to freed slaves after the Civil War, including marriage records, labor contracts, and education records.
Slave Schedules (1850 and 1860): While enslaved individuals were listed as property, these records can provide clues when cross-referenced with other sources like probate records.
Vital Records: Birth, marriage, and death records often contain key family connections and details about previous generations.

Overcoming Challenges

Researching African American ancestry can be complex, but with patience and creativity, challenges can be addressed:

Lack of Documentation: Use alternate sources like oral histories, property records, and church records to fill gaps.
Name Changes: Understand that enslaved individuals often adopted new surnames after emancipation, sometimes choosing their former slaveholder’s name or a meaningful surname.
Migration Patterns: The Great Migration saw millions of African Americans move from the South to urban areas in the North and West. Use resources like city directories and draft registrations to track movement.

Specialized Tools and Resources

Several online tools and databases specialize in African American genealogy:

Ancestry.com African American Collection: Access resources like the Freedmen’s Bureau records and slave schedules.
FamilySearch: Free access to census records, Freedmen’s Bureau records, and more.
AfriGeneas: A community-driven site with forums, burial records, and other resources.
Fold3: Military records of African American soldiers, including U.S. Colored Troops.

Advanced Tips for Your Journey

Once you’ve explored the basics, you can dig deeper:

African American Newspapers: Obituaries and other articles in African American newspapers can provide additional details about individuals and family lineages.
DNA Testing: Use DNA to connect with living relatives and gain insights into African heritage. While DNA testing won’t pinpoint exact origins in Africa, it can provide valuable regional insights and connect you with family members.
Community Collaboration: Genealogy is a shared journey. Join local historical societies, engage with forums like AfriGeneas, and work with others researching similar topics.

Case Study: Solving a Genealogical Puzzle

Imagine tracing an ancestor named Sarah, listed in the 1870 Census in Mississippi but missing from earlier records. By:

Starting with census data,
Cross-referencing nearby slaveholder records,
Using probate documents to uncover family details,
...you could piece together Sarah’s life and family connections before emancipation.

This step-by-step approach highlights how multiple sources work together to solve genealogical puzzles.

Resources for Further Research

Begin with these essential tools:

Books: Black Roots by Tony Burroughs and Finding a Place Called Home by Dee Parmer Woodtor.
Websites: Ancestry.com African American Collection, FamilySearch, and AfriGeneas.
Archives: Explore university and state historical societies for plantation records, manumission papers, and rare collections

Start Your Journey Today

African American genealogy is a journey that connects you to your ancestors, their struggles, and their triumphs. Every record, story, and discovery helps bring their lives into focus and ensures their legacy is preserved.

Ready to begin? Start with oral histories, explore the 1950 Census, and let the records guide your way. For more resources and support, visit the African American Genealogy category of my blog.

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