Top Ancestry Search Tips and Tricks | Ancestry

Ancestry currently has more than 16 billion records online and millions more are added every single day. We want to provide you with as many ways into those records as possible. Join Crista Cowan as she shares some of her favorite tips to make you a search pro and (even more important) a true researcher.
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Top Ancestry Search Tips and Tricks | Ancestry
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[@mcvicky524]

After two years of heavy use on Ancestry I learned a few tricks! Thanks!

[@jeaniegarrett7238]

Thank you for your utube postings. I'm just getting started and your postings are a tremendous help.

[@libbykat3958]

Great presentation with many helpful points, as always. Thank you!

[@nancycoy9510]

Another great video Crista!

[@cheryldussault8599]

The tip that you posted about "searching without a name" is a really great tip and an AH HA moment for me. I've been trying to use wildcards in searching by last name, and never even thought about searching by another field and leaving the name fields blank. Thanks Crista!

[@Cindi01ful]

Cheryl Dussault @

[@robynj.garrett2306]

Excellent! I normally just learn the "hard way" but thought id check out the tips an trick and I love it great job!!

[@Taxberg214]

Great info as usual! Thank you!

[@aquilaclark814]

This Is such a good video on how to do genealogy search ..this will help me a lot ☺️..thank you

[@kathydove5638]

You do a beautiful job with this video. I was recently reconnected with my birth Mother and was so excited to find my family history! I have been doing the family tree for us all but hit a brick wall only a few generations back! There are all sorts of rumors and stories about what happened, but I cannot find anything. It's like he fell out of the sky. Hopefully, with your help (and adding more family DNA) I can unravel this big family secret. Thank you for doing these.

[@frankhooper7871]

I love the thought of a census containing details of the deaths of those living!

[@AncestryUS]

We're sorry to hear this! We hope you get feeling better soon! This video will remain up so hopefully you will get the chance to watch once you're feeling up to it. Have a lovely day!

[@pandoraw3664]

Thank you so much for the great video! I am also looking in Arkansas! I am going to apply these tips today!

[@annekennedyphotos]

Thank you so much , great video so helpful 👍

[@myfeliscatus]

Very nice job, you clearly know how to teach, thanks

[@LIGHTOTS]

When will new videos for the new Ancestry site be up. Because alot of stuff I can no longer acess anymore.

[@melesingh1395]

Great job love it

[@gibsonmemoriallibrary7603]

Great information I learned alot Thank you

[@AncestryUS]

Glad it was helpful!

[@dianehartman9252]

Good tips

[@MaxCarroll]

Cool video loved it

[@AncestryUS]

Great to hear! What were some of the discoveries you were able to make?

[@Auroradiluculum]

Thank you for this tutorial

[@AncestryUS]

You're welcome 😊

[@LIGHTOTS]

Imma try it.

[@paulbaxter430]

Hi Crista, Just a quick question, if an ancestor isn't showing a hint (leaf) does that mean that there are no records in the Ancestry database, or is it still worthwhile researching that ancestor through Ancestry. Thanks Paul

[@AncestryUS]

Paul - Ancestry only provides leaf hints for the top 10% of our most popular databases as a means to get people started. If you have no leaf hints for an individual it could be that you have some information entered incorrectly into your tree, it could be that they do not appear in one of our more popular record collections, or it could be that their name and other information has been entered into the original records incorrectly. It is always a good idea to search. If you have a specific example of someone in your tree who has no leaf hints, I would be happy to provide you with more specific direction. (Crista)

[@timetospeakout1]

Trying to learn this and help my mom. Should we put in her maiden name or married name?

[@AncestryUS]

Always enter women into the family tree by their maiden name. In the search forms, when searching for historical records, use the name they were using at the time of the record you are looking for. So, for example, if you are looking for a birth record, using the maiden name. If you are looking for a death record, use the last name she was using at the time of death. You might find this video helpful: kzbin.info/www/bejne/q2GzoHt-p6l_fKM

[@jasonjase8661]

One thing I find odd about the search options is if you search the person name as exact on the filter very often I come up with zero results. I change the filter of the name back to similar and it finds dozens of records exactly as I spelled it.

[@AncestryUS]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts and feedback about this, Jason. We're always keen to review and suggestion or feedback from our members, if you would like to submit any details of issues you've had with the search feature or would like to add suggestions, you can do do here; bit.ly/3z8aNwy. We appreciate it!

[@MrSquareart]

Still just a beginner!

[@MariaLopez-hc2nm]

Can anyone help with European area as this is mainly American

[@patriciajrs46]

When do adoption services agencies release information to the adoptee who's looking for the truth? When does that information get released to an adoptee' s family?

[@patriciajrs46]

I've missed your videos. I want to know how I can find proof that records I have, or have found, are truly for people related to me. There are too many William Rogers's. There are too many people named Sweat, or Swett, that might be related to me. How do I find someone who will not charge hundreds for permorming genealogical dna?

[@AncestryUS]

Thanks very much for watching, Patricia! We know that at times is can be tricky to discern if the records you find are applicable for your family tree. We have a great guide on ensuring the records you're saving are the right ones for your ancestors, if you'd like to check that out! You'll find these tips listed here, which we hope can help you: support.ancestry.com/s/article/Ensuring-Your-Tree-is-Accurate?language=en_US We wish you all the best in your continued research!

[@jimmytx3]

how can eliminate places or names from my search?

[@AncestryUS]

Hi James, To eliminate any piece of data from your search, just click on EDIT SEARCH and remove it.

[@bfigueroa419]

I disagree somewhat with your iterative search example in the 1930 census. It seems more likely you'd find a misspelled name when searching by name than by just searching by birth year & birth place. I find those two are often wrong in census, but Ancestry will still show me results of different name spellings etc.

[@Elsanta666]

WHAT HAPPENDS TO MY SAMPLE AFTER TESTING?

[@clandestine.thoughts1896]

Decent videos for newbies although a couple tips will make you hit brick walls, as you refer to them. when searching German records the OCR for sutterlin German, and other old German writing is highly inaccurate, and have found members of the family i wouldn't have found by "refining" my search, a lot of the time you do have to literally go thru a broad query for hours to find a match to who it actually is.

[@josephpurington]

What do I do if I'm adopted and don't Know any information

[@AncestryUS]

Have you taken an AncestryDNA test?

[@josephpurington]

Ancestry yes I have.

[@anniesue4456]

A DNA test you might get lucky ... I would go to the state agency

[@jpace4revolution]

I’m just trying to do my family tree going back to Adam & Eve. I don’t need all these horizontal views, multiple windows open just tell me what to type in

[@mtpokit]

Rural Pennsylvanians also went by middle name on documentation. Thanks

[@LoisAGrimm]

This is very interesting. I'm a Pennsylvanian and most of my family have been here for at least 150 years. Thanks for this tip!!

[@doloresgailey2429]

How do you put marriages on a family view report and how do you put spouses for everyone relationship report. where can I get help on all reports. The book is useless.

[@AncestryUS]

Are you asking about different views of your family tree on Ancestry or are you using a desktop software program like Family Tree Maker?

[@saratexas5181]

I clicked on this because I’m pretty sure I’m related to James Henry Kerr 🤣.

[@CristaCowan]

He is my 2x great-grandfather. His son, Albert, was my mom's grandpa. How are you related to him?

[@KetsamoneRasphone-hr8eo]

But can you help me out please

[@AncestryUS]

Hi, Ketsamone. Thanks for getting in touch. We're always happy to help answer your questions. Can you tell us what help you need? We look forward to your response.

[@Canopus68]

How do you get to the point of working on a tree? I have my wife on my account as guest. She has an account and is going to send in her second DNA test--they lost the first one. Every time she tries to start a tree, all she gets is Ancestry ads. How can she build her own tree using research and DNA information, if they don't lose it again? I was told that as a guest she works off me tree for free. ???

[@703llh1]

Sorry ..can't do it. Between the coughing..the hacking..the head cold on every video..everyone..I can't listen.