FamilySearch.org is bursting at the seams with great records—some of which almost certainly have new information about your family. Learn from this beginner's guide how to search these records and find your ancestors.
Start by going to FamilySearch’s main search screen, which you can find by selecting Search in the bar at the top of the screen and then, in the drop-down menu, Records. From here, you can see multiple ways to search.
The Basic Search: Search by Individual
There are a few ways you can search records and find your ancestors on FamilySearch, but one of the most basic ways is to search by individual.
To search this way, focus on the Search Historical Records section on the top of the main search screen, and follow these simple steps:
- Click More Options. In the expanded search box, fill in information about your ancestor. It’s easy to assume that the more detailed information you put in about your ancestor, the better. Actually, the opposite is generally true. Put in as little information as possible that brings up a reasonable amount of results.
2. Click Search to get a list of results. In the example here, we entered information for Charles Mulford. Results look like this (only the top two matches are shown here):
If you think one of the items on the list is a match, select anywhere in the row to see the record details. A transcription of the document opens on the right, with a link to the document image at the top. Click View Record to see more details. From here, clicking View original document below the thumbnail of the document image in this example brings up the 1910 census with Charles and his family.
Another Quick Way to Search
There’s also another way to search for individuals. If you are using Family Tree, go to the person’s page. On the right side of the page, in the Search Records box, select FamilySearch. The details of this person will automatically be used to fill in the search fields.
How Will I Know If a Record I Find Is About My Ancestor?
You might receive many results when you search for an ancestor in historical records. If you think one of those results is your ancestor, make sure to review the record's information carefully. Look at the listed names, dates, locations, and relationships. Compare that information to the information already in your family tree for that ancestor.
Names: Are the names the same, similar, or a logical variation? For example, maybe James is the name listed on a historical record but Jim is the name of the ancestor you're looking for that is listed in your family tree.
Dates: Sometimes the year for a birth, marriage, death, etc. isn’t a perfect match between the historical record and information you already have in your family tree. Dates that are relatively close may be considered a match if the other information on the record seems accurate.
Locations: Between the historical record and information you already have, do the place names match? Are they in the general vicinity of known family locations?
Relationships: Between the historical record and information you already have, do the parent, spouse, child, or other relationships seem accurate?
If you believe that the historical record you have found is about your ancestor, you can attach that record to your family tree. Doing so can help you add more information about your ancestor or further support details already there. It may also help you expand your family tree!
What to Do If a Search Is Unsuccessful
Keep in mind that only indexed collections are searchable using the basic methods described above. FamilySearch has many online records that aren’t yet accessible from this kind of search.
Not every search will yield the results you are looking for—but have no fear! A record with information about your family might still be out there. Learn how to refine your searches, or try different search methods, so that you can find your ancestors.
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At FamilySearch, we care about connecting you with your family, and we provide fun discovery experiences and family history services for free. Why? Because we cherish families and believe that connecting generations can improve our lives now and forever. We are a nonprofit organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. To learn more about our beliefs, click here.
