An Introduction | Genealogical Proof Standard | Ancestry

[@AncestryUS]

We are delighted to hear that, Tan! Thanks for stopping by!

[@amyk8154]

Hello four years later. Crista, I cannot tell you how much you have helped me... in my journey with what i thought, what dna objected, what i added in my tree.. you have helped me over these past few years with so much. U r a blessing~

[@anellawrites]

I’m not going to lie but working at Ancestry must be the coolest job ever. ❤❤

[@palmcottageguy]

Thank you Crista. I enjoy your videos. They are all very informative and I like your “down to earth” style of delivery.

[@claudettefloyd3976]

Yes you can find a lot of information about your family by name and by death record , deeds, bith records, census records Those records will help you get started.

[@tanelise4673]

Thoroughly enjoyed this!

[@LisaJacksonHomeschool]

Thanks! I am glad I know what taking notes and writing conclusions and why I made them, is imporant.

[@ETWL897]

Crista, part of the Code of ethics for genealogist says we shouldn't repeat work already done for billable hours. What jumped out at me right away was.. If we don't recheck their work how can we be sure that they aren't climbing the wrong tree.. This would make us climb the wrong tree with our work if we just start from their work already done. I certainly would not be happy using my time for a client to find out later that they messed up and all my work and time was for naught. What is your thought about this and any advice?

[@CristaCowan]

Great question, Shawn. The best thing to do is to make sure you set clear expectations with the client up front. If you want to spend X number of client billable hours checking their work, you need to find out if that is how the client wants you to spend their time/money. If you don't want to spend time doing this, your contract with the client needs to make it clear that you are NOT rechecking their work and that you will only be using the information they have provided to build on from there. Hope that is clear.

[@bigbuggie5]

I would like to see all these steps used in an example. Do you have a video that uses all the steps?

[@claudettefloyd3976]

+Yes! I agree show this in steps examples . Thank you

[@teresagover2416]

Thank you Crista

[@paulahackney6700]

With the second edition and new standards, will y'all be updating this series of videos?

[@AncestryUS]

Hi, Paula. Thanks for getting in touch. We're so glad to see that you're interested in our videos. We hope you've found them helpful. We know that we make new videos now and then, but not sure if we're updated older ones. We're happy to forward your suggestion on to the appropriate department. If you'd like to submit additional feedback, please use the link below. support.ancestry.com/s/article/Providing-Feedback-About-Ancestry?language=en_US

[@Cyberlucy]

What about DNA? What if there are no records at all except ones relating to death (which state nothing about her parents) and her childrens' accounts on what she told them. What if the only corroboration if her report is that the only connection you have to some DNA matches is a possible connection to her parents?

[@mgmoore99z]

DNA both a blessing and a curse, it can find or prove or confuse your true family line, not just your legal family line. Many times infants were given to family members to raise as their own or adopted out. DNA in time may untangle the tree. Good or Bad.

[@rudged123]

A claim is repeatedly made that you discovered the boy thought to be your grandfather was not (e.g. at 12' 15 "). What was the basis of this determination? Did you take a DNA test and notice you had no matches with any of the hypothesized relatives? What was it specifically that led you to conclude he could not be your ancestor?

[@cookiesworld9103]

Can you do a show on using excel for genealogy

[@mikeh2291]

When do we add a fact to a person's profile, such as the basic date of birth? 1. When we have found the first record, then modify that date as we proceed through the "Proof Standard" . . . or . . . 2. After we have completed the "Proof Standard" for this fact, having gone through ALL the steps, including the "Reasonably Exhaustive Search"?

[@AncestryUS]

In order to add a birth date, go to the profile of the person in your tree. Then click EDIT | Quick Edit. Use that same profess to modify the date as needed as you discover more evidence and work your way through the GPS.

[@ashmorg5616]

Thank you Crista.

[@lbfaith]

Would you add in the direct lines siblings family with children and their children amd so on. Or would you just add in direct lines along with their siblings without their families?

[@AncestryUS]

Hi, there are several way to build your family tree. We have some videos on our Ancestry Academy page that my be of some help. Best of luck with your research. www.ancestryacademy.com/search?q=tree

[@lrvogt1257]

Ancestry "hints" can be very useful but a large portion of entries I'm directed to either have no documentation or are completely wrong. Use caution. Many users are very sloppy in their work.

[@angeladavison9323]

Can I ask is this standard an American standard or a worldwide standard.

[@AncestryUS]

This is the genealogical standard as put forth by the Board for Certification of Genealogists. Doesn't matter where in the world your research may take you.

[@PODGYPOOS]

Angela Davison It is a standard put forward by Board for Certification of Genealogists P.O. Box 14291 Washington, DC 20044 www.bcgcertification.org/ Who are American which is the standard they have set and say it doesn't matter where you are. You could of course do the same - make your own standard and say it "Doesn't matter where in the world your research may take you"

[@HistoricalPixie-ft9yy]

@@PODGYPOOS The British Society Of Genealogists has a page on their website explaining their 'Standards and Good Practice' which seems to be longer and more detailed than the US one. They don't say if people from other countries are expected to conform to their standards though :-)

[@Canopus68]

I was working on my tree this morning. It seems Ancestry is having problems. I clicked on a woman whose last name is Long. Ancestry's hint gave me a woman with the last name Lang. This Lang woman had facts that were a mix. Same birth date, different death. Different parents, but same siblings. In short it can be hard to find Genealogical Proof when you are chasing mixed up information. Add DNA into that mix and it gets really confusing in a hurry. According to Ancestry DNA I have a whole branch of my tree that I know nothing about. I've never seen these names before and I can't find a way to connect them to my existing tree. Considering I've been working on my tree for at least five years and it seems to go back to Norway in about 995. Genealogical Proof seems out of reach.

[@emeraldvalleyquilting]

What program are you using now? Family Tree Maker is no longer available. This is the problem with digital paperwork.

[@AncestryUS]

Family Tree Maker is still available and I still use it (and love it) every single day. www.mackiev.com/ftm/ (~Crista)

[@pearlmcdow-Mccormick3711]

Thank you for this video but not all of my ancestry trees true,my ask a inlaw to look up his mother's side of her family. instead she makes him a tree on there,and FamilySearch anywhere she can make when my husband did a DNA test after 65 years they said the person on his birth certificate Wasn't not his father but she said we had it wrong to come to find out she's had this tree on there for a long time we asked her to take it down we even asked them to take it down because we prove to them that it wasn't a match she went ahead and kept it up even after my ancestry told me they took it down they just lied to us tried to order a kit from them to prove it was that because his name's smeared all over these DNA websites could not warder it in his name so what are you do to make him take it down

[@AncestryUS]

Hi, Pearl. We can understand that you don't want a tree that isn't correct. If you want a tree deleted, you'd have to have the tree owner delete the tree. Ancestry doesn't delete trees that our members build. We wish you the best of luck in your efforts.

[@tammyporter7760]

how can I be sure of the family member when I have no family to ask ? My dad died when I was only 10 years old and now I have found a lot of my first cousins however their parents have passed away and they do not claim to know any thing bout their family tree which I find very sad.

[@AncestryUS]

+Tammy Porter Start with what you know about your father. Get a copy of his death certificate. It should list his parents' names. Use that information to find them in census records, death records, etc. Those records, traced back through time, will identify their parents - and so on.

[@themormonperson5366]

Tammy Porter I am a 10 year old boy doing genealogy find faith it will help you pray

[@copisetic1104]

This could be a 7 or 8 min video

[@robpagan1]

The proof standard doesn’t seem scientific

[@polytheneprentiss1534]

It's scientific in the sense that it is based on facts, careful analysis, and a paper trail