How I Use FamilySearch.org to Search Ancestry.com

Hello, family historians! In this blog post, I'm going to share with you how I use FamilySearch.org to search Ancestry.com. You might be wondering why I would do that, since both websites are great resources for finding your ancestors and building your family tree. Well, there are a few reasons why I like to use FamilySearch.org as a tool to enhance my Ancestry.com experience.

FamilySearch.org is free to use

First of all, FamilySearch.org is free to use, while Ancestry.com requires a subscription to access most of its features and records. Don't get me wrong, I think Ancestry.com is worth every penny. FamilySearch.org allows me to do that easily and conveniently.

FamilySearch.org has some unique collections and databases

Secondly, FamilySearch.org has some unique collections and databases that Ancestry.com does not have or has only partially. For example, FamilySearch.org has the largest collection of digitized books related to genealogy and family history, with over 400,000 titles that you can browse online or download for free.

FamilySearch.org, there is only one shared family tree

Thirdly, FamilySearch.org has a different approach to creating and maintaining family trees than Ancestry.com. On FamilySearch.org, there is only one shared family tree for everyone, which means that you can collaborate with other users and see how you are related to them. On Ancestry.com, each user has their own private tree. Both methods have their pros and cons, but I like to use both of them to get a more complete and accurate picture of my ancestry.

How do I use FamilySearch.org to search Ancestry.com?

So how do I use FamilySearch.org to search Ancestry.com? It's very simple. Here are the steps I follow:

1. Go to FamilySearch.org and sign up for a free account if you don't have one already.

2. Find the person you want to search for on the FamilySearch.org family tree. You can use the search function or browse by name, place, or relationship.

3. Once you find the person, click on their name to open their profile page.

4. On the right side of the page, you will see a section called "Search Records." Here you will find links to various websites that have records related to the person you are looking for.

5. Click on the link that says "Ancestry." This will open a new tab or window with the results from Ancestry.com for the person you are looking for.

6. You can then browse the results and see if there are any records or hints that interest you. You can also filter the results by category, collection, or location.

7. You might find something that you want to add to your Ancestry.com tree.

8. If you find something that you want to add to your FamilySearch.org tree, you can do so by clicking on the "ADD SOURCE" under Sources. Make sure you copied the URL/link from the Ancestry.com historical record.

9. Then choose "Add New Source."

10. Fill out the new source.

11. Click Save.

That's it! That's how I use FamilySearch.org to search Ancestry.com. I hope you found this blog post helpful and informative. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below. Happy searching!