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Learn how to build your family tree document using genealogical documents using MyHeritage Record Matches.
Have you wished you could hire a professional genealogist to build your family tree? While that rate for a professional averages about $50-100 per hour, you can do a lot on your own with the help of a computer genealogy research assistant known as MyHeritage Record Matching.
Overview of MyHeritage Record Matching
With billions of historical records to explore, MyHeritage's algorithms compare your search queries to documents and return the most relevant source possibilities. This One Big Family genealogy website will return results even if your ancestor appears with a spelling variation or in a different language.
You can allow MyHeritage to send you Record Match notifications to your email inbox or on platform prompts.
Since the website constantly adds new record collections, you will receive new Record Match notifications regularly.
How to Access Record Matches
There are three ways you can access Record Matches through the website.
Top Menu Icon
The first way involves an icon in the top menu bar on the MyHeritage Website.
Click on the icon that looks like a notepaper.
Record matches are grouped by record collection on the Match Discovery Hub.
You'll now have access to a list of potential sources that may document individuals in your family tree. Use this access method when you're causally working on your family tree.
Family Tree Views
The second way to access MyHeritage record hints is through any family tree views.
Open your family tree in either the Family or Pedigree View.
Click on the brown icon that appears on a profile box.
A page will open where you can review the discoveries algorithm found for a specific individual.
If you're using the Fan Chart View, you need to click on a wedge to open a left panel for your ancestor. If MyHeritage has found record hints for your ancestor, a brown icon appears in this window. Click on that icon to access the same page as you would from the other family tree views.
Navigation Menu
The main website navigation menu is the final way to access the source hints.
Click the Discoveries option.
Select "Matches by source" or "Matches by people."
How to Evaluate MyHeritage Hints
MyHeritage lists record matches according to the value it adds to building your family tree. This might explain why online family trees such as Geni, FamilySearch, and WikiTree frequently appear at the top of my results.
When you find a record such as a census, city directory, land record, or other documents of interest, click on the Review Match button. You'll then see the Review Match page.
On this page, you'll see:
Extracted data from the digital document
An image of the original record, where applicable
Record Detective Results, which are essentially additional record match hints
You can only view the original documents if they are part of the MyHeritage free record collections or if you have a Data or Complete subscription.
Always review the digitized document because the extracted data does not always include every pertinent detail the record offers.
To ensure the record proves your ancestor's identity and relationship to their family, look for details beyond just their name in a specific place.
Study their relationships, occupations, property addresses, places of origin, or other details that can distinguish one person with a common name from another.
If you believe the record provides evidence for your ancestor, click the "Confirm" button.
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Add New Information to Your Family Tree
fter confirming a record match, MyHeritage will guide you through adding new information about your ancestor and any additional relatives mentioned in the source.
Manually review each piece of information from the document before adding it to your family tree.
Sometimes, the document may have new information, such as:
complete date
partial or complete places when you previously had nothing
relatives
source citation
Always mark the source citation as something you want to add to your family tree.
If you want to accept new information by either adding or overwriting what's in the tree, click on the arrows beside the fact that appear down the middle of the screen.
If you want to add a fact but do not want to overwrite what is already in the tree, you can click "Add as an alternative."
If you want to keep the fact as it already appears in your family tree, you should do nothing with the data except ensure the source citation is added.
Adding New Information About Relatives to Build A MyHeritage Family Tree
If a resource has information on an individual's family member, MyHeritage will attempt to find a matching person in your current family tree. They will ask you to confirm the match between the person in your tree or the records.
You can also use the option to add a new relative to your tree.
This can be a handy way to build your family tree record by record.
After manually reviewing the Record Match details, click the "Save to tree" button to update your family tree.
Note: If you have a Data or Complete subscription, you can extract data into your family tree. Otherwise, you must update your family tree with the sources manually.
Record by record, you can build your family tree using MyHeritage. As you make discoveries, make plans to turn these findings into written family stories. If you need help, check out the Write Your Family History YouTube Channel.
More Tips on Using MyHeritage
Review the following blog posts and videos to continue learning how to use MyHeritage.