Forgotten Faces, Untold Stories: Dive Into Ancestry’s Yearbook Collection

Yearbooks offer a unique window into the past, allowing you to see familiar faces, uncover relatives’ school stories, and even learn more about yourself. With Ancestry’s recent update to their yearbook collection, there’s no better time to dive in. Let’s explore how to access this feature and use it to enhance your family history research.

Accessing the Ancestry Yearbook Collection

To find yearbooks on Ancestry, follow these steps:

Navigate to the Yearbook Section: Go to the Search tab at the top of the Ancestry homepage. From the drop-down menu, select All Collections.
Locate School Directories: Scroll down to the School Directories and Church Histories section. Click on U.S. School Yearbooks to access the collection.

If you’ve recently viewed the yearbook collection, it might appear in your Recently Viewed Collections for quicker access.

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Start Broad, Then Narrow Your Search

When searching for ancestors in yearbooks, it’s helpful to start with a broad search before refining your results.

For example:

Begin with a Surname: Type a surname, such as “Geisler,” to see all related entries.
Filter by Location: If there are many results, narrow them down by adding a location. For instance, searching for “George Geiszler” in Ohio might help you find the right person.
Explore Context: Once you find an entry, you can browse nearby pages to see classmates, senior photos, or even images of the school itself. These details bring the story to life.

Remember, Ancestry’s yearbook collection is continually growing, so check back periodically if you don’t find what you’re looking for right away.

Searching by Location

If you’re unsure of a specific name but want to explore yearbooks from a particular place, try searching by location. For example:

Enter a City or County: Search for “Houston, Harris County, Texas,” to see all available yearbooks for that area.
Narrow by School or Year: If you know a specific school, like “Elsik High School,” you can refine your search further by entering a year range, such as 1990–1994.

If your chosen school or years aren’t available, try looking at rival schools or nearby locations for more clues.

Saving and Organizing Yearbook Entries

Once you find a relevant entry, here’s how to save it to your family tree:

View and Highlight the Record: Ancestry highlights your person’s name in the yearbook entry, making it easy to confirm.
Save to Your Tree: Click Save, select Save to Someone in Your Tree, and enter the person’s profile details.
Standardize Locations: Clean up locations for consistency, such as ensuring the format reads “Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio, USA.”

Bonus Tip: If the record provides new details (e.g., an updated birth year or school name), be sure to update your family tree with this information.

Donating Yearbooks to Ancestry

Do you have a yearbook at home that’s not currently in Ancestry’s collection? You can donate it! Here’s how:

Prepare the Yearbook: Ensure you no longer need the physical copy, as Ancestry will dismantle the book to scan its pages.
Contact Ancestry: Visit the Contact Us section on Ancestry’s website to find instructions for donating yearbooks.

Your donation helps preserve history and makes these records accessible to future generations.

Unlock the Stories in Yearbooks

Yearbooks aren’t just about photos—they’re snapshots of your ancestors’ lives, complete with friends, activities, and milestones. Whether you’re exploring your family’s past or reminiscing about your own school days, Ancestry’s yearbook collection is a fun and valuable tool for family historians.

Have questions or tips about using yearbooks for genealogy? Share them in the comments below!