Ancestry and sites like it have transformed family research, making it easy and accessible for thousands of people to get into genealogy. However, the ease of creating an account on Ancestry and quickly importing information from other family trees has had the unintended effect of multiplying error-filled trees across the platform. Ancestry encourages rapid, automated, and often unverified information sharing, which can turn family history research into a “mistake in, mistake out” system. While many trees are accurate and well researched, a significant number of errors are perpetuated by adding records without fact-checking, failing to correct inaccurate location fields, or allowing auto-suggestions to fill in an American location instead of the correct UK town. There are dozens of ways that mistakes can creep into people’s trees, so in this blog we will look at some handy tips for keeping your family tree accurate and reliable.
One of the most important habits to develop when using Ancestry is to treat every hint and suggestion as a clue, not a fact. The green leaf hints are incredibly helpful, but they are generated by algorithms that match names, dates, and locations based on probability, not certainty. Just because a record appears as a hint does not mean it belongs to your ancestor. Always open the record, review the details carefully, and ask yourself whether everything truly fits. Pay attention to occupations, family members, addresses, and other small details. These can help you confirm whether the record is correct or prevent you from attaching the wrong person to your tree.
Another key principle is to prioritise original records over other people’s trees. Family trees created by other users can provide useful leads, but they should never be used as your main source of evidence. Trees often copy from one another, and a single mistake can quickly spread to hundreds of trees. Instead, focus on census records, birth, marriage and death certificates, parish registers, military records, and other primary sources. These were created at the time of the event and are far more reliable. Other genealogy websites, such as FamilySearch, also provide free access to many original records and can be used to verify what you find elsewhere.
Locations are another common source of error. Always double check that the place suggested is the correct one. Many towns share the same name, and Ancestry often defaults to American locations even when your family lived in the UK. For example, if your ancestor was born in Birmingham, make sure the record says Birmingham, Warwickshire, England, rather than Birmingham, Alabama. Taking the time to correct locations will make your tree more accurate and will also improve future search results, as the system will suggest more relevant records.
It is also essential to build your tree slowly and carefully. It can be tempting to add many generations in one sitting, especially when hints are readily available, but working too quickly increases the risk of mistakes. Focus on one person at a time and fully research their life before moving on. Confirm their birth, marriage, and death, and track them through census records where possible. This approach creates a solid foundation and reduces the chance of attaching the wrong parents or merging different people with similar names.
Keeping notes is another excellent habit. Ancestry allows you to add comments and notes to individuals and sources. Use this feature to record your reasoning, uncertainties, and questions. For example, if you are unsure whether a record belongs to your ancestor, make a note explaining why. This will help you later and will also help others who may view your tree. Good notes turn your tree from a collection of names into a well-researched piece of family history.
You should also be cautious with other people’s corrections and suggestions. While collaboration can be valuable, not all suggestions are accurate. Review any proposed changes carefully and only accept them if they are supported by reliable evidence. Remember that you are responsible for the accuracy of your own tree.
Another useful tip is to review your tree regularly. As you gain more experience, you may notice mistakes you made earlier. This is a normal part of genealogy. Go back and check your earlier work, verify your sources, and correct any errors. Genealogy is an ongoing process, and your tree will improve over time.
Finally, remember that genealogy is about quality, not quantity. A smaller, accurate tree is far more valuable than a large, inaccurate one. Taking the time to verify your information, check sources, and question assumptions will ensure that your research is reliable. Not only will this benefit you, but it will also help future researchers and family members who may rely on your work.
By developing careful research habits and thinking critically about the information you find, you can avoid many of the common pitfalls. Ancestry is a powerful tool, but like any tool, it is only as good as the way it is used. With patience and attention to detail, you can build a family tree that truly reflects your family’s history and preserves it accurately for generations to come.
If you need help with your Ancestry please get in touch using jon@welshfamilyhistory.com, we offer a range of services including fact-checking, growing out your work and even building from scratch.
One Response
Useful blog. There are so many badly researched trees on ancestry I usually ignore the hints.