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Family Search gives you lots of record hints. Do you ever wonder how do you use them? Should you save the clues to your family tree? Learn how to use FamilySearch record hints to climb your family tree quickly.
In this video, discover the basics of researching your ancestors by evaluating the suggested hints on FamilySearch. Let FamilySearch do the hard work of finding records for your ancestors.
How Accurate are FamilySearch Record Hints?
I love any website that tries to do some of my genealogy research for me. However, we must be careful when deciding whether to accept the hints from an online genealogy website.
FamilySearch records hints are reasonably accurate, but they still need human evaluation.
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How to Access FamilySearch Record Hints
From the FamilySearch home page in the browse section, you’ll see a box with “Recommended Tasks” in the right column.
If you have a full family tree and are unsure where to research, this is the best place to find a branch where you can contribute to your family tree.
You may find research hints on the page containing all of your ancestor's research discoveries. I call this the Personal Profile Page. In the right column, you’ll see blue icons representing record hints. The hints are listed by record names.
Watch this FamilySearch tutorial to learn to use record hints.
Steps to Evaluating a FamilySearch Record Hints
1. Select one ancestor’s hint,
2. Review your relationship with that relative.
3. Review the Personal Profile page for this ancestor.
Make a note of their vital events.
Familiarize yourself with their parents’ and siblings’ names.
Notice the spouse(s) and children for the relative.
Also, explore what sources other researchers have already found for your ancestor.
4. Look at the Record Hints and Select the First One To Investigate
Is the record for the correct period your ancestor lived?
Is the record for the correct location where your ancestors lived? (Be careful; sometimes our ancestors appear where we least expect.)
Are the relationships right on the record to what you previously discovered?
Are there any additional identifying details that confirm the record applies to your ancestor?
5. If the record hint applies to your ancestor, attach the record to your family tree
Accept the hint
Transfer new details from the record to the family tree
Explain why you are attaching the document to the family tree.
6. If the record hint does not apply to your ancestor, reject the hint.
Click on the “Not a Match” link.
Explain why the record hint does not apply to your ancestor.
I demonstrate step-by-step how I evaluate a record hint from the front page and my ancestor’s profile page.
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