Explore Your Family Tree

Navigate Family Tree to find your ancestors.

The FamilySearch online tree is shared, which means that anyone with an account can view and update the information. This allows many people to work together on collecting and organizing family history information.

1. Log in to your FamilySearch account. If you don't have one, or if you need help logging in, see The Family History Guide for help.
2. In the top menu, click Family Tree and select Tree.
3. For instructions on navigating your part of the tree, click here.
4. You can also see your ancestors in a "fan chart" view. This view can show you information about stories, birth countries, family lines, etc. For instructions on using the fan chart view, click here.

View person information about your ancestors.

You can see information for your direct-line ancestors as well as their children in FamilySearch. This includes a timeline, vital info, life sketches, and more.

1. Click the name of a person in the tree. In the Summary panel that appears, click "Person" to display the Person page.
2. For instructions on using the Person page, click here.
3. Go back several generations and see how much you can learn about the lives of your ancestors: where they lived, who they married, children and second marriages, etc.

Take care of your part of the family tree.

Just like a garden or orchard, a family tree needs care and attention. You can improve the accuracy and completeness of information in your part of the tree, which benefits others as well.

1. In the FamilySearch screen, click the FamilySearch logo (upper left). This opens your home page.
2. On the right side, you'll see a list of Record Hints, as well as a to-do list you can work on, a bit at a time. For instructions click here.
3. As you work through the list, you may need to correct some of the existing information in the tree. For instructions on making changes to ancestor information, click here.
4. Sources are descriptions for where information was found for an ancestor. You can add or improve sources for ancestors in your part of the tree. For help on working with sources, click here. For help with attaching sources and using record hints, click here.

Add ancestors to your part of the tree.

You can add new ancestors to Family Tree. You should take care not to add people who already exist in the tree. For instructions on adding new ancestors to the tree, click here.

Remember that you need to add full families to the tree wherever possible, not just the male or female ancestors.

• See this list of Five Minute Family History Activities you can do with four generations filled out on your branch of the FamilySearch Family Tree. You never need to be bored!
• Also, consider creating a Family Group Shared Tree with your living family. See this video for more information.

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