An ID number (identification number) is a string of letters and numbers that uniquely identifies a record in Family Tree. ID numbers consist of 4 characters, a hyphen, and 3 more characters. For example: K8LL-TGB. Family Tree ID numbers never contain these letters: A, E, I, O.
An ID number:
- Shows on all tree views, on person cards, and on the Person page
- Usually appears near the person's name
- Is automatically assigned when a new record is created
- Does not provide information about the person or the source of the information
- Does not change for a given record
In Family Tree, you can use the ID number to:
- Find records of deceased people.
- Find records of living people, if you added them. The records of living people are only searchable to the person who added them.
- Find the record of a deleted person and restore it if necessary.
- Link a deceased individual into a family tree.
- Merge records by ID number if you know the ID number of a duplicate. Both records must show as deceased.
Notes
- If you see the message that an ID number is invalid, it is no longer assigned to a record.
- When you search by ID number, you can enter the number in lowercase letters, with or without the hyphen.
- When you add a living person, a unique ID is created. When another patron adds the same living person, a different ID number is created.
- You cannot merge the records of a living person with the same living person created by someone else. You can merge records of a living person only if you created both records.
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