AI in Genealogy: There Are No Shortcuts

As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes more commonplace, it's important to remember—there are no shortcuts in genealogy. Let me repeat this: There are no shortcuts in genealogy! As a family historian, it is your responsibility—your duty—to review records thoroughly and carefully before deeming them accurate. Certainly, AI may be able to assist in locating publicly available records, but it is your job to confirm the validity of them.

This past weekend, I read an article titled "How AI Is Changing Genealogy and Bringing Old Family Records to Life" on Popular Archaeology. In the opening paragraph, it highlighted a site called Vestigee. This is an AI-based website, and I was curious to see the offerings. The features of the site are listed as:

• Family Tree Builder
• Colorization
• Enhance family pictures
• Translate document
• Resolution Enhancement
• Photo Restoration
• AI Animated Portraits
• OCR Text Extraction
• AI Family Portrait
• Facial feature origins
• Family video
• Animate family picture
• Import GEDCOM
• DNA Test Kits

At the bottom of the main page, there are also comparisons between this site and Ancestry, MyHeritage, Geneanet, Filae, FindMyPast, WikiTree, Archion and Heredis. It certainly gives the impression this site has a lot to offer. But not so fast! As I scanned the comparison for Ancestry, where Vestigee claims to be the #1 alternative to Ancestry, I noticed some of the photo tools I currently see available on Ancestry weren't reflected in the comparison. It also claims to be the #1 alternative to MyHeritage...and FindMyPast...and this is where I stopped looking at the comparisons.

It also shouts "Discover your ancestors in 2 minutes" when you reach the main page. Sounds amazing, doesn't it? But what exactly does "discover your ancestors in 2 minutes" mean? Can it return records for you to review in 2 minutes? Absolutely! But can it do all the hard work for you? Not a chance! In fact, the article says "This doesn’t eliminate the need for human verification. Family historians still need to examine original records and determine whether a suggested connection is genuinely relevant." It's a good warning, but how many of the people drawn in by a promise of locating an ancestor in 2 minutes are going to truly heed said warning?

I was going to try the 5-day free trial just to give it a fair shot, but after reading user reviews on Trustpilot, no way am I completing the sign-up process. At the time I checked, more than 25% of the reviews gave it one star, and the overall rating was 3.7 stars. Among the Trustpilot reviews I read, one recurring complaint came from users who said they did not realize their card would be charged automatically after 5 days. Some reviewers also reported being charged after they believed they had cancelled. The individual plan is advertised at $16.99 per month, billed annually. The cost comes to $203.88 per year. It could be worse, but it's a hefty price to pay for wanting to try a site out. And if you want a family subscription to share with up to 10 family members? The family plan is advertised at $83.94 per month, billed annually at $1,007.29. I'm shaking my head here (can you hear my brain rattling around?) 

Since I chose not to complete the free trial, I haven't personally tested Vestigee's family tree, record search, photo or AI tools. My observations are based on the information available on its website and the outside reviews I read.

I've shared previously, I have a lot of subscriptions. I have the All-Access Family plan with Ancestry and the Omni Plan with MyHeritage (among several others...but I won't bore you with the whole list). The cost for BOTH of these top-tier subscriptions—which include Newspapers.com Publishers Extra, Fold3, sharing Ancestry with 4 additional family members, all the wonderful photo editing tools on MyHeritage along with Scribe AI for transcription, access to OldNews, Geni.com Pro and full access to Legacy Family Tree Webinars—is still less than the cost of a family subscription at Vestigee. I can even toss in my American Ancestors digital subscription (with a nice long list of extra research resources included with it), and the total is still less than the cost of a family subscription at Vestigee. And let's be real...are you really going to share with 10 people and try to manage getting part of your money back from each of them? 

Getting back on topic, Vestigee claims to offer 40 billion records from 159 archives in 45 countries, along with 850 million photos. "We search over 40 billion records including birth certificates, marriage records, death certificates, census data, military records, immigration documents, and historical newspapers. Our database includes records from the US, Canada, Europe, and other regions worldwide." Clicking the "see all" button returns this list of data sources, but if you try to "explore" any of these, you need to sign up. I found myself wondering how many of these data sources consist of freely available record sets. Since I didn't sign up, I wasn't able to explore the collections further and can't answer this question. If many of the underlying collections are freely available elsewhere, I'd question how much additional value the service provides compared with searching those collections yourself or using AI to help locate potential online sources.

If it's photo tools you're after, you can use ChatGPT, Canva or the AI tools on the major subscription sites to help with photo cleanup and colorization. Ancestry has decent (but fairly basic) editing and enhancement tools, but if you have a MyHeritage subscription, you can already easily do animations and photo enhancements with their wide range of photo tools. Of the big subscription sites, MyHeritage has been at the front of the pack for several years when it comes to photo tools and use of AI.

Vestigee also offers a DNA kit for $68 (and it includes the first year of individual site access). After this, it renews at the individual subscription price. There's nothing about their DNA offering I personally find compelling. As with many other consumer DNA tests, you get your origins and DNA matches. While Vestigee says it has 2 million users, I couldn't find information indicating how many of those users have taken its DNA test. I also couldn't find information identifying the lab used to analyze the test. On the pages I reviewed, it's simply referred to as their "partner lab." With Ancestry, MyHeritage, FTDNA, LivingDNA and 23andMe, we're dealing with established names in consumer DNA testing. Vestigee was created in early 2025. I don't know about you, but I'd personally like to know just who's getting my DNA. Would you trust your DNA analysis to a 1 year old? Oops! I mean a 1-year-old company? I know I wouldn't!

So after all this rambling, I can only say "I won't do it!" I'd encourage anyone considering the site to carefully review the pricing, renewal terms, available collections and DNA information before signing up. I often add useful websites and tools to my Genealogy Toolbox, but Vestigee doesn't even come close to making the cut. When it comes to genealogy, AI has many wonderful uses. I embrace it and use it virtually every day. I know many others who use it as a part of their research and writing. But no matter how I slice and dice it, based on what I've seen, I just can't find enough value in Vestigee to justify the cost for my research. If you want to use AI for your research, use it carefully, verify its results and never treat it as a substitute for doing the research yourself. And now, I'm jumping down off my little soapbox, tucking it under my arm and scurrying off to jump into a pile of little green leaves on Ancestry.

Note: Prices, ratings and features referenced in this post were current when I reviewed the sites in August 2026.

Image by Lindsay_Jayne from Pixabay

Disclosure: I use ChatGPT to assist with a title and search description. I also used ChatGPT to review this post for clarity and to help distinguish my observations and opinions from claims I could not independently verify without signing up for the service. The content and all opinions are my own.

Summer on the Farm: Remembering How Our Ancestors Lived

As the lazy, hazy, hot days of summer wind toward autumn, I've been thinking about my ancestors and how they spent their summers. By and large, the vast majority of my ancestors were farmers from the mid-1800s to mid-1900s. We still have a few farmers in the family today, but times have changed dramatically. Farming isn't an easy life, and not many of my family follow in the footsteps of those who came before. A child's life on the farm was very different from life today. It wasn't a time for roaming around freely enjoying summer sun. Summer was a time for all the family members to work.

Many of the families of the past were large. Quite frankly, farmers needed bodies to do the work, and kids were a free source of labor. Summer was a time of grueling work, ensuring the farm was both productive financially and the remaining bounty could sustain the family until the next planting season. For the men and boys, fields of crops needed tending, fences needed mending, trees needed chopping, animals needed caring for. For the women and girls, laundry needed washing, mending/sewing needed to be done, eggs needed gathering, gardens needed weeding and food needed picking to put on the dinner table. Canning the harvest for use throughout the year was something most girls learned to do, but it's virtually a lost art form today. 

I fondly remember my mother working late into the night, aided only by the small light over the kitchen sink, preparing fresh produce and fruit to can or freeze. It was a skill she learned as a girl, and it served her well. It was not a skill I learned though. Sometimes, I wish I had. I still have one mason jar of tomatoes my mother canned. She gave them to me when I moved into my first apartment (almost 35 years ago). They moved with me to my house, and have lived in my cabinet ever since. Although long past being edible (I'd be terrified to even open the jar!), they still remind me of my mom. She may not have pursued employment outside of the home, but her efforts as a homemaker kept everything running smoothly. Our home was her "work".

Today, children might go to camp, play video games, chat online, hang out with friends...but only a few play outside. Food on the table comes largely by shopping at the local grocery, rarely by harvesting crops or livestock. Some families do embrace having a garden if they have space (or participating in a community garden). My parents always grew some of our food and I did occasionally help pick a few vegetables or berries, but it was never something I really enjoyed—and I never learned the finer points to carry the tradition on. Compared to generations past, many children now have (probably too much) time to do whatever they feel like doing. Chores are emptying dishwashers, taking out the trash, walking the dog or folding laundry—not chopping down trees, baling hay or milking cows. Far from countless hours of leisure, days on the farm were spent working sunup to sundown, seven days a week. Night wasn't a time for tv or hopping online, but a time to sleep and recharge for the next day.

No doubt, while there might have been a few hours for fun, most farm kids learned early the value and necessity of hard work. They learned early how to entertain themselves. They came from a different generation—indeed a different time. I recall my dad saying when he was in boot camp, you could easily tell the farm boys from the city boys. The farm boys had no trouble with the exercises and obstacle courses (often finishing first) and some even gained weight during the training because they had more food than they did at home. City boys often struggled far more than their "farm-grown" counterparts.

Whether true or not, his observations hit the nail on the head. Farm children grew up with physical activity and hard work. It was the norm for them. The lessons they learned as children, by watching and learning from their parents, helped prepare them for adult life. Whether they remained on the farm, or opted to take different paths in life, they knew the value of hard work. They taught themselves how to find fun and relaxation in the small moments of free time. 

As we head toward the end of another summer, I find myself thinking about the immense efforts my ancestors expended this time of year. I sit in my air-conditioned home with a laptop, internet and cable TV. Technology aside, my ancestors never would have "lounged around" as much as I do. I am definitely thankful for the lessons I learned from my parents. I have a solid work ethic, I'm fairly frugal and I'm loyal to a fault. But sometimes I wish I'd embrace more of the lessons they could have taught me. But I suppose as they watched the world change, they passed on the concepts they thought I'd truly need to know. It's kind of ironic how much I gain from researching my past. I definitely get excited about new discoveries, but I also feel a profound sadness so much of our history was passed down orally and has been lost to time.

Image by The_Northern_Photographer from Pixabay

Disclosure: I used ChatGPT to assist in titling and a search description for this post . All content is my own.

Our Memories Are Family History, Too

Recently, I was watching Hazardous History featuring Henry Winkler. If you're in my age bracket, I'm sure you remember The Fonz. While we swooned over his motorcycle, leather jacket and bad-boy image in the 70's and 80's on Happy Days, he's just as enjoyable now on the History Channel. Though he no longer sports the leather motorcycle jacket, he does rock a brown suede jacket appropriate for his age. (Right now, I bet you're wondering why I have an image of a giraffe instead of Fonzie? Stick with me and read on!)

I was watching S3Ep13, titled "Animal Anarchy" and was reminded so much of my younger years. Virtually everything they touched on in the episode brought back truly fond memories. Memories I don't think I've even shared with my male offspring. Here are some of the highlights...

First, they delved into how, years ago, you could buy baby alligators in Florida, to take home as a pet.  While they actually stopped selling them around 1967 (the year before I was born), I vividly remember asking my dad, while on a trip to visit family in Florida when I was in elementary school, if I could have a baby alligator...he said no. I was too young to understand it was no longer legal, or to comprehend baby alligators turn into great big dangerous alligators. Besides, Baltimore hardly boasts the proper climate to raise a happy gator.

During the 1960's and 70's, baby monkeys were all the rage. There was even a time you could mail-order baby squirrel monkeys (who knew?!) As a teenager in the 80's, I recall being insistent I wanted a capuchin monkey. They're easier to train and have better dexterity and problem-solving skills. I was convinced it would make a great little sidekick. My mother promptly squashed every dream I had of getting one. I remember her telling me I'd be changing little diapers forever, since they can live 40+ years with proper care. Not to mention, capuchins like to throw poop! Being a know-it-all teenager, it never once occurred to me to actually research the drawbacks. I just knew they looked cute. In hindsight, I'm awfully glad she told me—in no uncertain terms—"absolutely not!"

In the show, they also highlighted a new experience of the mid-1970's—the African wildlife preserve—where you drove your own car through the park. In 1974, Kings Dominion (just north of Richmond, Virginia) opened their 100-acre Lion Country Safari. I was 6 years old at the time. I had been on a camping trip with my father and older brother. On the way home, I was napping in the back of our pastel blue VW bug. All of a sudden, my father exclaimed "Wake up! What is that??" When I sat up, I was completely amazed to see lions and giraffes wandering around. I'm told I said with amazement "Where are we??!!" The park included lions, tigers, rhinos, hippos, giraffes, zebras, antelopes, and many types of exotic birds. By 1975, just a year later, the ability to drive your own car was replaced with a much safer (and air-conditioned) monorail. Although it probably wasn't the most prudent way to see the wild (sometimes predatory) animals, it was positively amazing and something most people will never have the chance to experience. I'm so glad my dad saw the signs for the park and decided to give it a go. I only wish we'd had a camera with us. While I remember the "experience" (I actually do have a memory of waking up and being both confused and amazed...along with a vague feeling of the vast expanse of the "savannah"), I don't have any real memories of the actual animals. 

My father used to delight in sharing his memories and stories. He was a wonderful storyteller and I wish I'd recorded him, because no one can share the stories quite the way he did. His eyes always sparkled and he'd grin like a guilty little schoolboy when he'd say "Did I ever tell you about the time...."  His stories were always recalled in such vivid detail and with obvious fondness. I rarely document my own memories (I guess I figure they won't be all that interesting to anyone else). Hazardous History prompted me to share these few small little bits with you. Because, if I can be fascinated by a letter about how well the crops in the early 1900's were or weren't doing, perhaps someone will enjoy hearing about my safari adventure (and may even recall similar adventures of their own).

At its core, genealogy is about history—our history. It's the story of our families, their triumphs and tragedies—and everything in between. For most leaves on our tree, we only have a tiny snapshot of their lives, comprised of various (mostly) factual records and (if we're lucky) some photographs. We're often left to imagine how the blanks get filled in. In some cases, we probably just leave the blanks and never think about them. It's wonderful to see genealogists share both family stories and their own experiences, capturing them for future generations. 

Image by Gregor Mima from Pixabay

Disclosure: I used ChatGPT to assist in titling and a description for this post. All content is my own.

Under Certain Conditions, Quick Edit Can Quietly Delete a Death Fact

I was very surprised yesterday when I saw someone in my tree on Ancestry marked as living, despite having a death date fact. I had just found the death location, so I updated the fact, but the profile header didn't update, even with a refresh. 

I went back and marked him as deceased in a "Quick Edit", and the profile then showed correctly. To test if it's a wacky new change, I went back and marked him as living and it totally erased the death fact with no prompt it was going to happen. I'm not sure if this behavior existed before the recent changes. I don't believe I've ever run into this specific scenario before, and I can't say I recall ever testing this previously. Normally, if there's a death fact, it's reflected in the profile header. I typically wouldn't have a reason to flip a confirmed deceased person back to living—at least not intentionally. Living should only display if there's no death fact.

With any other fact, if you choose Edit and Delete, you'll be prompted with a pop-up asking you to confirm you're sure you want to take the action.

This prompt does not appear when you change a person from deceased to living using Quick Edit. The fact is simply unceremoniously erased. While this makes complete logical sense—a living person should not have a death fact—it doesn't account for the possibility of human error. I'd much rather see a prompt so users aren't caught unaware. Perhaps a pop-up saying "A death fact exists for this person. Changing them to living will delete this fact. Are you sure you want to make this change?" I went back to the person's profile and added the death date and location back in again, and the profile did again update correctly. 

To see if this behavior was consistent, I went into a living person's profile and marked them deceased.** I was pleased to see the profile did update properly. I went ahead and added a death fact, and it also saved properly. Then I did a Quick Edit, and marked the person living again, and it again totally deleted the death fact without any prompt. In this test, the deletion was appropriate and it confirmed this appears to be consistent behavior.

**It's more common to see others marking someone deceased temporarily to try and cajole the algorithms into a few new hints. I'd like to point out, this is not recommended since it potentially makes details of a living person visible to others if you don't have a private and unsearchable tree. While it's not best practice, if you choose to do this, please be sure you set the person back to living to protect their privacy. 

The original issue, the improperly displayed header, was more than likely a hiccup. But if you accidentally mark a deceased person living, it certainly appears your death fact will be quietly deleted. It may seem like a small issue, but if you've attached multiple sources or records to the death fact, restoring everything could become a bit of a chore. And let's face it—oopsies can and do happen. It's not outside the realm of possibility someone (especially new users or those who are technologically challenged) might accidentally make a mistake. 

While unlikely to cause any widespread issues, it does highlight there are still some hiccups happening with all the recent changes. It's good to be vigilant. Sometimes we notice things we never noticed before. And sometimes, especially in the absence of a user facing change log, we find unexpected changes in logic. As I said, I can't say this didn't happen before—but it's certainly the first time I've noticed it happen.

Image by Thomas from Pixabay

Disclosure: I used ChatGPT to assist in titling and creating a description for this post. All content is my own.

Searching for Abijah LeCroy: A New Lead Through Nancy Williams

Typically, I don't add people in my tree unless I'm pretty darn sure they're correct. But being stuck on Abijah LeCroy/LeRoy, or any other name he may have gone by, has been frustrating me for over a decade. Yesterday, I decided to see if adding any potential relatives of Nancy Williams (his wife) would magically make anything appear. I currently have no records of Nancy prior to the 1850 census showing her as married, with her children—but her presumed husband Abijah is nowhere in sight.

I recalled seeing a person I believe may have been Nancy's brother in the 1850 census, living next door to her. His name was....wait for it!...Abijah! Abijah Williams. Since the 1850 census doesn't indicate relationships, I made the assumption he's shown with his wife Malissa and their children. I've seen references to Malissa's maiden name being Meeks, and indeed, just a few houses away were several Meeks. Does any of this mean I'm right? Not necessarily! But I'm willing to take the chance for now (and I know who I added so I could easily delete them again should I decide I'm wrong.) I also added Nancy's father as "_____ Williams", using 5 underscores so I don't mess up any hints the algorithms might decide to serve up. I didn't get any immediate new hints for Nancy (disappointing) but I still have hope! It's not a total guess. Unless she was adopted, it's fairly safe to assume her father's surname was Williams.

Recently, Ancestry suggested Nancy's father may have been Edward. I added his name and searched, but didn't find any supporting records. Another person's tree shows his name as Alexander. Again I searched, but I've not found anything to support this either. This doesn't mean either is wrong, I just can't prove either is correct. So for now, the elder Williams will remain with an unknown given name. But as I was searching for Abijah Williams I found a marriage record. It's for Abijah Williams in Habersham, Georgia (correct location) and Malissa Meeks! I'm one record closer to....a discovery?....something?....anything?!

After adding this record, I now have 13 hints for Abijah Williams and 11 for Malissa Meeks. One interesting twist I'll have to figure out is the 1860 census showing them as surname Harper. It appears the enumerator just used a ditto mark for the family prior to them. Was this an oversight? Did they actually claim to be related? Did they intentionally use another surname for some reason? I'm not sure, but I do know there are Meeks family members shown just a few houses away—and Abijah and Malissa aren't exactly common names. So I'm pretty sure the record is correct, but the surname shown may not be.

Also in my new hints is a legal record where Nancy LeCroy filed against Thomas LeCroy for the value of some fabric. Also mentioned is Abijah Williams. This is a good omen. I'm feeling pretty confident this is Nancy's brother! Who was Thomas LeCroy? I'm not sure yet. There's also a Revolutionary War Pension record for Abijah, so I now have even more threads to follow. Perhaps I'll find some military records, or maybe a DAR application with even more information? Don't burst my bubble! I have hope I might actually be on to something.

 

Of course, this all hinges on the name Nancy Williams being correct. She's shown as the mother on the same death certificate indicating Abijah LeRoy was the father. Everything hinges on a single death certificate. And while we'd all like to believe legal documents are correct, during a time of loss and grief, people do make mistakes. Still, I feel somewhat energized from the finds. Maybe I won't find Abijah LeRoy, but maybe I'll push a bit further back on the Williams line.

Image by marcelkessler from Pixabay

Disclosure: I used ChatGPT to assist with a title and search description. All content is my own.

Ancestry Hints Update: My Notes Are Back!

I posted an update on the original post as well, but thanks to a commenter here at A Tree With No Name, I was made aware sometime between yesterday mid-afternoon (the last time I worked with hints) and now, the checkboxes and comments for accepted/rejected/undecided hints are BACK!!! I am so thankful to the Ancestry development team for fixing this (and I know a lot of others are as well).

As for the rest of the Hints changes, I will adapt. I still wish clicking the person hyperlink on the All Hints page took us directly to the profile but it's not the end of the world. I do understand change is sometimes necessary. 

I've also seen a potentially positive change in how hints are updating. Yesterday, I corrected a birth date on a child who died in infancy. Immediately, hints for people who lived into teenage years and adulthood were removed. I haven't seen this happen widely on other people yet, but potentially the algorithms are being tweaked to provide better overall results. I'll give Ancestry a slight win on this while we wait to see if it's a true change or just a coincidence.

Credit where credit is due—thank you to the Ancestry development team for restoring the user-entered notes so quickly. Let me know how you're finding the changes overall. Are you settling in or are you struggling a little?

Disclosure: I used ChatGPT to assist with a title and search description. Post content is my own.

Three Years, 201 Posts and Counting

Three years ago today, I started my blog (and it just so happens I restarted my tree on July 14th, 2023). My blog and my tree are "almost" twins! As an amateur genealogist, my goal is to document and share my journey, and all the things I've learned (and am still learning) along the way. I enjoy writing, and blogging is good for my soul. If I can help motivate other family historians by sharing my progress, it's all worthwhile.

So here I am, 201 blog posts later, with a growing tree comprised of over 3200 people, spanning 10 generations (going back to 1689) and 950+ different surnames. I'm just as excited about doing genealogy today as I was when I first started — though I still try hard to gather every detail from each record so I won't ever feel the need to start my tree all over again. And because a tree is never truly "done", I'll constantly be learning and discovering for....well, forever!

Over the past 3 years, my site has had over 116,000 pageviews. I'd like to offer my heartfelt thanks to each and every visitor to my site (even the bots and crawlers). I very much appreciate all the comments and shares. With your help, I'm able to reach a wider audience. 

It's hard to see, but in the graphic, the notebook says "Passion, Purpose, Community". I am definitely passionate about genealogy. Anyone who's ever listened to me prattle on as their eyes glaze over will attest to it! And both my blog and my tree have a definite purpose. Community is the big one! I've found the genealogy community is filled with wonderful people. Sure, there are some who protect and guard their trees fiercely, but there are many more who freely share their trees, expertise and knowledge. I'm truly blessed to have made many new friends, and virtually "met" some amazing cousins. 

The genealogy community is welcoming and warm. I feel truly blessed to be a member of such an amazing group of people, and to share my journey with you. I look forward to many more years of blogging ahead.

Disclosure: I used ChatGPT to create the graphic, assist in a title and search description. All other content is my own.

Ancestry's New Hints Page: More Than a Layout Change

Update: As of 20 Jul 2026 the checkboxes and notes appear to be back!! (A big thank you to the person who commented on my post!)

I truly have no words (well, no words I can share here) for the abysmal change Ancestry rolled out to me today. The change is to the Hints screen within a person's profile. At first, I thought I was just dealing with another frustrating layout change. Then I discovered something far worse.

First, from the All Hints page, if you click a person's name (a hyperlink) instead of being taken to the person's profile, you're now unceremoniously dumped on their Hints page (and no, it doesn't look anything like it did before!) One would think a name hyperlink would take you to the person, but now, you have to backtrack to get to the profile. So if you like to review your person before working with new hints—you now have the joy of more clicks.

Once you do manage to get to the person profile, Hints is no longer a nice easy separate tab. It's a button underneath the relationship. 

When you click said button, all your hints, accepted, rejected or otherwise, are now on one big long page. If you want to see previously accepted, rejected or undecided hints, you'll need to scroll to the bottom of the page, past all the unreviewed hints and then click to expand the section you want to see. I know, I know, scrolling and extra clicking is obviously a great use of our time...NOT! And undecided only shows as an option if something exists in the category. If not, it doesn't show as an option.

But the thing frustrating me the most is the checkboxes and comments on why a hint was accepted, rejected or left undecided. Maybe not everyone uses them, but I've meticulously documented my reasons for every hint I've ever worked with. Those notes are invaluable as I'm trying to see why I did or didn't accept something. They're critical to evaluating name twins. And now? The checkboxes are blank, as is the comment field (see the image above). Tens of thousands of hints worth of documentation appear to be gone in one fell swoop. Hundreds upon hundreds of hours of work...

I hold out very little hope any of my hard work will be recovered (though I have posted in a Facebook forum where employees of Ancestry are known to pop on from time to time). I've posed the question, and now I wait and hope I'll receive an answer. Hopefully, it's simply a glitch they can resolve. In the meantime, I guess I'll have to decide if I'm going to boycott researching until I get an answer, continue as I have been and write off all my previous work and carry on with a move forward plan, or proceed with researching and never again give Ancestry one iota of information they might be able to use to improve their algorithms. 

If the fields had been eliminated, I'd still be upset, but I'd understand. But it's not the case. All the fields still exist—they're simply all blank. For me, the loss of this information borders on catastrophic. Next time I encounter a name twin I've previously documented, none of my research notes will be available to me. While I don't care for the new hints page, I'm not actually suggesting they roll it back entirely. I'm only suggesting they restore the user-entered information they deleted.

If you're like me, and you document everything, please take time to submit feedback or post in one of the many Facebook forums for Ancestry users. I've done both. If enough users voice their concerns, Ancestry has occasionally rolled back changes.

The new hints page does not appear to be a beta feature. I received a pop up telling me to take a look at the new hints page the first time I landed there. Ancestry needs to know if users are happy or unhappy with new changes. If you're so inclined, you can submit feedback using this link once you've received and had a chance to work with the new layouts. I guess I had more words than I thought...

If I hear any updates or the notes are restored, I'll update this post with the outcome.

Disclosure: I used ChatGPT to assist with a title and search description. Post content is my own.

A Hidden Resource for Historic Genealogy Software

Correction: GenScriber can still be downloaded from various software sites (although the official developer's site was not coming up as available to me as of 17 Aug 2026.

A few months ago, while researching ways to improve my process of transcribing US Censuses, I stumbled on a site with a bit of a different twist. I was looking for information on a discontinued program (called GenScriber) and this site had a detailed write-up as well as download links. While I didn't end up pursuing the software, I did take time to poke around the website and I was impressed. GenealogySoftware.net is dedicated to—you guessed it!—genealogy software, with a focus on historical software (although it does reference some newer updates as well). From the website:

GenealogySoftware.net will be at its core, a database of genealogy and genealogy-related software (programs, applications, whatever term you want to use) – a collection of information and news about genealogy software stretching from the very humble beginnings of genealogy programs in the 1970s up through the 2020s.

The premise behind the site appears simple. There are family historians who've been using the same software for many years. Some still utilize programs no longer updated, or even available. Or perhaps they have old files they can no longer access (floppy disks anyone?). Just because software is no longer "current" doesn't make the files created in it any less valuable. Family history is still family history. So if your Great Aunt Edna, who still used her old DOS computer for her research, left you all her research in her will...maybe this site will help you access it! Or perhaps like me, you were looking for a program to assist with a specific task. Just because software is no longer updated or distributed doesn't mean it wasn't very good at doing the task it was designed for. It's up to individual users to choose the software and utilities for their personal needs. New and shiny doesn't always mean better. 

The site creator attempts to acquire copies of all the software he comes across. While the site does not host software downloads or user manuals, unless given approval from the developer to do so, they do provide links or other potential ways of sourcing older software. They do not include links to third-party sites offering unauthorized downloads. From the website, "We want to actively promote the development and distribution of genealogy software, but only through the appropriate (and approved) methods." They also attempt to remain neutral. They aren't going to tell you "this is the best software for....." Their goal is simply to provide information for upwards of 1000 different applications.

It appears this site was created in 2024, so it's not terribly old. But there have been no recent updates I could find since spring of 2025 (though the footer of the site does say 2026). I did try to find the creator on other blogs and social media, but those too have had little or no activity. I'm not sure if there will be future updates (I hope so!) but nonetheless, the historical value is still the same. 

Whether you're looking for information on an old piece of software you used to use, or are looking for software for a specific purpose, when it comes to genealogy software and applications, you can probably find information of use. Despite not being 100% up to date, I've included the link in my Genealogy Toolbox. So if Great Aunt Edna leaves you her genealogy research, maybe this site can be of use to you.

Disclosure: I used ChatGPT to assist with a title and search description. All content is my own.

Image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay

Celebrating Independence Day Through Family History

I wish everyone a very Happy 4th of July and a Happy 250th Birthday to America!

On this, the 250th birthday of our country, I took a moment to review my previous July 4th posts. I realized I've already written from my heart about this holiday. Most of this post was originally published July 4th, 2024 here on A Tree With No Name, but I've added a few extra thoughts on this, the anniversary of our shared independence.

On this day when many are gathering with family and friends to celebrate the holiday, take time to share about your genealogy journey. Yes, yes, I know - some eyes may glaze over as you speak, but don't give up! Talk to the children and regale them with interesting stories you've discovered. Show them pictures from times gone by. Listen, so the older generations might share their stories with you. Record them if possible or take notes so you can write their recollections down for future generations. One day, you'll be very glad you did. Share new discoveries with your elders. They may be thrilled to hear the stories you've uncovered. And, it may spark memories you've never heard from them before.

This is a day to celebrate our country, our independence, and, most of all, our family journeys. Many of us have traced far enough back in our lines to discover ancestors who fought for independence. We owe these ancestors a great debt of gratitude. Other families immigrated to this country later, leaving all they knew behind. It doesn't matter from where your ancestors came, or when they came, today we celebrate together!

Remember all those who've bravely served their country. If possible, thank them for their service. For those no longer with us, say a silent thank you to honor their memory and the sacrifices made to ensure the independence we enjoy today. For 250 years, the men, women, and even children (we can't forget the littlest drummers of the Revolutionary War) who have served have fought for and defended the freedom we enjoy today.

Today is a day to be grateful for all who came before. It's a day to be thankful for all the resources available so we can uncover and discover our ancestors. Today, I'm deeply thankful I embarked on my genealogy journey, and for all the wonderful discoveries I've made (and have yet to make). Happy Independence Day!

Disclosure: I used ChatGPT to assist with a title and search description. All content is my own.
Image by free stock photos from www.picjumbo.com from Pixabay

Getting the Most Value From Genealogy Subscriptions

Note: I do not receive any compensation (affiliate or otherwise) from any of these sites. This post is simply my observations on the value of various genealogy subscriptions and ways to save money accessing subscription resources.

Subscriptions come and subscriptions go. For several years, I maintained a lot of genealogy subscriptions. Truth be told, I still have more than I need. But I get really excited when one of the sites I subscribe to rolls in a new membership benefit providing access to another site I'd otherwise have to pay to access. Each site below offers many on-site features, but this post focuses on the additional website access provided with each subscription. Prices shown are regular price. Many sites have sales throughout the year to help make subscriptions more affordable. (All prices are shown in US dollars).

Let's start with the big sites:

Most everyone knows, Ancestry.com offers several membership levels. Personally, I stick with the All Access Family Plan ($269.00 every 6 months). Not only have I been able to share the subscription with 4 others (encouraging new family historians) but I also get full access to Fold3 military records and Newspapers.com including Publishers Extra. You can find out more about the All Access Family Plan here. The value of having Fold3 and Newspapers works out to about $30 every 6 months (based on the current pricing I've found). The biggest value in this plan is the ability to share it with 4 others (and they don't need to be related to you). You can ask the others to contribute to the cost if you need to bring your price down, but this is something you coordinate yourself. You cannot split the price between members directly on the Ancestry site. 

At MyHeritage, the Omni Plan comes with access to OldNews (newspaper archive). The cost is currently $399 per year. Additionally, you receive access to GeniPro and Legacy Family Tree Webinars. On the MyHeritage site, you'll also have access to some outstanding photo and AI features at your disposal. More information on all the benefits of the Omni Plan can be found here. If you subscribed separately to all the features it would cost over $600 per year!

FindMyPast offers an Everything subscription. This includes not only all their record collections, but all the newspapers you'd have access to with a British Newspaper Archive subscription (a value of $133 per year). They also offer a 15% discount on continued subscriptions (no playing games, cancelling and resubscribing necessary). The current price is $299 per year. The 15% discount works out to about $45 per year off the annual price (so $254 as of this post). For more information on their subscriptions please click here.

And now for a few of the lesser known sites offering a good value:

A few years ago, the National Genealogical Society (NGS) added access to Newspaperarchive.com and Storied. My $85 membership to NGS (already providing many nice benefits and access to their Family Papers Collection) was expanded to save me $95 on a separate NewspaperArchive and Storied membership (based on the current pricing shown on their website). It's worth noting, while Storied does have the option for a standalone membership at $99.99 per year (for Unlimited), all the features are included in a regular NewspaperArchive subscription. The subscription to NGS literally pays for itself! For the complete list of member benefits visit this page.

One super value is AmericanAncestors. A regular price Individual Membership is $99.95 per year. In addition to their databases, you also get access to an impressive list of partner databases. For a full price membership, you can also get discounts with partner sites, including a $10 discount on a GEDmatch Tier 1 membership. But let's circle back to the partner databases for a moment. While they don't disclose the full value of all the partner databases, NewspaperArchive is $95.00/year, a New York Times subscription can run in excess of $150 per year, Genealogical Publishing Company (GPC) eBook Collection (a subscription I used to maintain) is worth $135 per year. And there are many more partner databases. Even if you only use one, you've paid for your membership. You can find out more about a membership here. While the full membership is already a great value, I don't use any of the on-site benefits or discounts on services. Last year, I considered letting this membership lapse. I received a couple of discount emails (as most sites tend to offer) but was still on the fence —until I received an email for a truly amazing deal...digital access for just $49.95 per year! This still includes all the partner databases! While they don't seem to advertise this level on their site, here's a link to the digital membership page from the email I received. If it doesn't work for you, I'd suggest reaching out to them to inquire about this membership. 

And finally, there's the Conococheague Institute. This is a "hands on regional learning center" in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania. A membership is only $25 per year for an individual. The added value is in the History Commons (formerly Accessible Archives) access they provide as a membership perk, a $90 value per year. From the website, "History Commons presents a curated universe of landmark primary-source collections presented on Coherent Digital’s award-winning, next-generation platform." This is not a one-size fits all site. I needed it for some specific Pennsylvania newspapers, so it was useful to me. But if you're considering it, I'd suggest checking the site out first. For more information on joining the Conococheague Institute, visit this page.

One other resource worth noting is libraries! If you don't often access the brick and mortar building for your local library, you may be able to register for a digital card. Many libraries offer in-branch access to library editions of the big genealogy sites for free. They may also offer digital access to a wide variety of various databases and newspaper resources. And it's worth noting, if the resources at a given library outside your local area are valuable enough, you may even be able to obtain access even if you aren't a resident of the area. The cost and availability vary considerably, but depending on the materials you need, it could be an option. (If you can't find the information for out of state residents online, I'd suggest emailing or calling for more information.) Many libraries now offer some genealogy resources free on their websites. And several offer amazing on-site research areas with collections, manuscripts and other resources not available elsewhere. You can't go wrong checking out library websites for areas you're researching. Family Tree Magazine has a wonderful list of the best libraries for genealogy research. 

I've added all the links in this post to my Genealogy Toolbox (including a new section for both Books and Libraries, and expanding Articles, Tips/Tricks, Guides, to include Webinars and Videos). The cost of doing genealogy can vary greatly. If you're willing to put in the time, many records can be found for free. But sometimes we need a subscription. Finding the ones with the most bang for your buck is always a great feeling.  If you've discovered any other genealogy subscriptions with great bundled perks and membership benefits please share them!

Image by Foundry Co from Pixabay

Disclosure: I used ChatGPT to assist in titling this post, and for the search description. All content is my own.

A Day Makes A Difference | Ancestry's New Record Viewer Layout

What a difference a day makes! Yesterday, most everything in my Ancestry world was fine. I've been adapting to the many (many) recent layout and display changes. Today, I right-clicked to open a census record and the result was a complete (and somewhat unpleasant) surprise. 

Ancestry is at it again with the new interface. By now, you know I'm not a big fan of change....though I've been trying to keep an open mind as they obviously modernize their interface. After the initial shock wore off...I tried opening and reopening a couple times to see if it would magically revert...then sighed and settled in to take stock of the changes.

The information displayed in the past is all still there, just in a bit of a different layout. One advantage (yes, I actually see a couple of them) is the source information now displays without having to click a link. Just scroll down below the details. Clicking on "learn more" in the source description still opens the additional search features for the database.

There's also a timeline and family drop-down. It's convenient not to have to go back to another tab to see the person profile, but clicking on a family member still doesn't open anything. It would be wonderful if someday it would allow us to open another tab for selected family members (just like can be done on the person profile).

One small gripe - the person's name shows at the top of the screen, but it's not a hyperlink. You have to go down just a bit to the "In Your Tree" section to open the person profile (if you don't already have it open in another tab).

The suggested records are a bit improved! It now indicates if a record is already saved in your tree. This saves having to open each one to find out if you've already reviewed it. 

For those of you using the Genealogy Assistant browser extension, you'll see an additional Search button right above the Yes, No, Maybe buttons. This is the same as the Advanced Search from a person profile and opens new tabs for any of the websites you've selected.

Do I like the change? I suppose. The information hasn't changed, just the way it's presented. It's a pleasant change to have a few new positives. For several days, I'll struggle with feeling like my workflow is disrupted...but I will adapt. 

Have you seen this change yet? If so, how do you feel about it? 

Image by geralt from Pixabay
Disclosure: I used ChatGPT to help with the title and search description. All content is my own.

Honoring the Fathers in Our Family Trees

 

Happy Father's Day to all the fathers, grandfathers, and, for a lucky few, the great-grandfathers! 

Happy Father's Day to all the single parents who play the role of both father and mother. It takes a lot of strength to be both!

Happy Father's Day to all the fathers who came before - shaping our lives in ways we will never fully understand. 

Today, I celebrate the memory of my father. He is always with me in my heart. And I give thanks for all the fathers in my family tree - those I've discovered and learned about, and those still waiting to be found. 

Disclosure: I used ChatGPT to help me title and create the SEO description for this post. All content is my own.

Reaching Out to DNA Matches: Better Than I Expected

I've typically added DNA matches "organically" as I happened to come across them. But lately, I've been on a slow mission to start adding DNA matches shown by ancestor in Ancestry's ThruLines®. I've come to realize, if I'm ever going to break down brick walls, I'm going to need to cast a wider net and build out some of these lines. Reading blog posts by those who do this regularly helps. Their stories and successes inspire me to put in the effort. 

While ThruLines® is only as accurate as the trees the information is derived from (sometimes questionable at best), thus far they've been fairly accurate for me. I'm only up to my 2nd great-grandparents on this project though. I suspect the farther back I go, the less reliable they'll become. But DNA doesn't lie. As long as we're above the 6cM threshold, where it becomes very important to watch out for false positives, we're likely related in one way or another (maybe even more than one!) 

Below the 6cM threshold, matches may still be very distantly related (called identity by descent) or they may not be related at all (called related by state). Identity by state means while there is a match at a specific DNA location, it's simply chance. It can be hard to know the difference when the match is so small. 

• 6cM-15cM generally share a common ancestor 5-8 generations back
• 4cM-6cM take time to look at shared matches if you're really trying to break down brick walls in this range. If you have some, you'll probably need to build out their trees to find the connection 
• at 2cM-4cM there's a 67% chance you're not related
• below 2cM 70-99% will be unrelated

This week, I've linked 14 DNA matches to my tree! I know there are some researchers who can add 100 or more in a month. I'm not so quick and I'm happy at a much slower pace. I don't want to end up with a tree full of names and no records to back them up. I also want to balance my time so I continue to research those already in my tree. 

Despite the age of technology we live in, some of the younger generations (those in their 20's or 30's) have a surprisingly small digital footprint when it comes to online records. Not only can it be hard to identify them specifically, it can be challenging to find the missing generations between them and my known ancestors to build the lines of descent. I do try to figure out connections on my own before reaching out. Public records and social media have provided some decent results, however, after several days of trying, I just wasn't finding a few of the connections I wanted to this week - so I reached out to four DNA matches (or those who manage their DNA) to see if they could help me fill in my blanks. 

Messaging DNA matches is something I haven't done terribly often. This is probably because I see so many posts with frustrated users who reach out over and over and never get responses. I'm well aware people take DNA tests for various reasons, and they may or may not have an active interest in building a tree or connecting with relatives. Even those who do share an interest may be busy with life and simply don't log in often. It could simply be users are wary of chatting with someone they don't know.

I personally feel it's important to include enough information for the contact to discern the validity of the message and to verify I've identified actual people from their tree. In essence, I want to reassure them I'm genuinely researching and am asking for their help. I was careful to do the following in each message:

• introduce myself 
• explain the common ancestors from whom we descend
• state the connections I have found
• indicate the missing generations I'm looking for
• politely ask if they'd be willing to share the names of those missing links with me if they're comfortable doing so
• include a polite closing or thank them for taking the time to read

I don't use a template when I message. Each message is carefully and thoughtfully crafted. I am fully prepared some messages may never receive a response. Some people simply don't have a desire to connect. Some people are hesitant to take a DNA test in the first place, and they may or may not be comfortable sharing. They may also manage someone else's DNA and are hesitant to divulge someone else's data. And when I'm missing those "in between generations," perhaps they only have a placeholder in their tree and truly have nothing definite to add. There are a myriad of reasons someone might not respond. When I reach out, I'm doing so with the hopes I'll receive an answer, but I'm well aware no one owes me a response.

I've been quite pleasantly surprised with the results this week! Two of the four people I reached out to have already responded, and have been willing to share with me. I feel it's important to:

• acknowledge and thank them for their response (regardless of whether they provided information or simply responded they have none to share)
• let them know I've added the match to my tree (if applicable)
• offer my assistance if they ever want to collaborate 

In short, I try to make my interaction as pleasant as I can. And if they don't reply (or they have a negative response)? I do not send multiple messages demanding or begging for information. I simply sit back and hope when the time is right I may hear from them. Based on other people's experiences, I think a 50% response rate for one week is pretty darn good! 

One of the responders was able to provide the specific connection I needed. The other, not only provided the name I was looking for, but we struck up a conversation, shared information and have now connected on multiple sites and by email. I am beyond thrilled to have a new enthusiastic family researcher to correspond with! This contact has already provided me with new information I'll be checking out in the hopes it helps me expand several more generations back in another of my lines. I try to make an effort to stay in touch with those passionate about family research. Sometimes, I just reach out to wish them a happy holiday, share a new discovery, or bounce ideas around when I'm stumped. These connections mean a lot to me and collaborating is always beneficial.

If you're not already reaching out to DNA matches, it is well worth the time to do so when you've put in the effort and determined you're at an impasse. It should not be done as a way to avoid doing your own research. Especially for adoptees, who start in a much different place than those of us who have some of our family history, I'm sure the situation feels very different. But even in those cases, you can use both matches and shared matches to try to begin finding patterns. When you reach out, you may have some small but key details to smooth the way to a conversation. 

I truly believe the more information you can include in your DNA match messages, the more likely you are to get a positive response. Use messaging wisely and you just may be rewarded with the information you need. And you never know, the next message you send may be the one to break open a family mystery!

Disclosure: I used ChatGPT to help title this post and create the SEO description. All other content is my own.

New Ancestry Features: One Disappeared and One Made Me Smile

As I was working on my tree this weekend, I noticed 2 new features on Ancestry. At least one appears to be a potential future feature, because it disappeared when I refreshed my screen and I was not able to get it to reappear. Thankfully, I grabbed a screenshot to share with you. The other feature has been present for two days. I can't say if it's a beta feature or a forever feature - but I sure hope it stays right where it is!

To the left is the "disappearing" potential beta feature. On the All Hints page, I noticed a section for "Free Hints". Since I have a paid subscription, this wouldn't be meaningful for me. But there are lots of users who don't have paid subscriptions. This would be a great way for them to focus on the records Ancestry can offer them, without the frustration of clicking hints and not being able to see anything. Interestingly, there were no free hint counts showing for me, just the verbiage. I wouldn't expect the results to be tied to subscription level. This, in conjunction with the new option disappearing as soon as I refreshed the screen, leads me to believe it may be a future feature they're considering and they haven't yet finished the implementation. It very well may show up as a beta feature in the coming weeks or months.

I'm not a big fan of "live testing" changes. I personally think all potential new features should be extensively beta tested to avoid issues with general rollout - preferably with a group of users who agreed to beta test knowing there could be unexpected problems. But, for a site the size, and immense complexity, of Ancestry, traditional beta testing may not be realistic. Live testing may be the only viable option. 

The second new item has been present all weekend for me - and I've been doing a happy dance since I noticed it! There's now an option to collapse Stickies. You can simply select the up or down arrow to expand or collapse the section. While the concept behind Stickies is great, I was originally very annoyed by the implementation. It ate up significant screen space on small screens, rendering Notes almost unusable. The ability to collapse Stickies is a workable compromise. Though Notes are still slightly impacted, it is significantly better than the original display. I can't say if this is a permanent feature or not. I suspect, given how many users were frustrated with the original roll out, this option may remain. If you don't have it yet, and you don't like Stickies taking up so much space, keep an eye out to see if it magically appears for you.

Ancestry used to have a direct way for users to indicate their preference to be included in beta testing. There used to be an option for "Ancestry Lab" accessed from the Extras option in the main menu. However, the Extras option appears to be gone and Ancestry Lab does not appear on the Site Map. Likewise, searching for "beta" in the support articles does not return any results. You can still find the Ancestry Lab link from a Google Search, but it loads saying there was an error and to refresh the page. On refresh, it simply returns "We’re sorry, this page is temporarily unavailable." Perhaps they're working on a new way for users to participate in betas, or maybe they're simply removing it as a whole. 

One existing feature I've noticed is not working as it used to is the checkboxes for why you accepted, ignored or marked a hint undecided. The option to select no longer appear directly after submit your choice on the person profile. In order to check the boxes and add notes now, you have to take the extra step of going to the accepted, undecided or ignored hints page, scroll to find the hint in question, and expand the option to show the checkboxes and reason. If you're like me, and you use this for every hint, it's a considerable amount of extra clicks and scrolling. Presumably, Ancestry uses this information to improve the algorithms, so I'd think they'd encourage users to use this feature. I hope this change is temporary and they return the former function soon. Note: This feature does still work on the All Hints page. Only the person profile seems to have changed.

Many people complain about the cost of Ancestry subscriptions. I personally feel the cost of making records available and maintaining a functioning site are considerable. For-profit companies have to make money - otherwise they'll cease to exist. Certainly, a part of subscription costs go towards the expansion of record sets, but some is earmarked for continual updating and maintenance of the site. While both of the potential features I've mentioned are relatively small, they are solid changes and may benefit many. It's nice to see Ancestry considering new beneficial features. And, as with the change to Stickies, they're clearly listening to some of the feedback from users. 

Have you noticed any new features while you're working on Ancestry? Not all users see the same features at the same time, so please share in the comments if you've noticed anything new lately!

Disclosure: I used ChatGPT to assist in titling this post, and creating the SEO description. All content is my own and was not edited using AI.

Drastically Improved Newspapers.com Clipping Tool

Have you tried the new and improved clipping tool at Newspapers.com? It was rolled out about a month ago but I just finally got around to trying it this afternoon - and I absolutely love it! You no longer need to clip and save multiple images when the article isn't a perfect square or rectangle. 

As an example, I'm going to use the wedding announcement for my brother and his first wife. Neither is still living and this is from 50 years ago, published in the Baltimore Sun on February 15, 1976, page 113. As you can see, the article spans over 3 columns (including the photo), but the 2nd column also includes information for a completely different wedding. I don't want the other wedding to be in the area of focus.

Previously, I'd either have to save three separate images or clip the entire area, including the information I don't really want. Now, I can outline the three different areas and create one, much cleaner, image. Here are the steps:

Outline the first area you want to include. Then, you'll see a little blue box with a plus in it:

Click on the "+" and you'll be presented with another box you can adjust the size on. 

In my case, I want to add a third area, so I click the plus again to bring up yet another box I can resize. 

Now, I'm done adding areas and I can save the clip. (But you could keep adding additional areas if you needed to). When I open the clip, I see this:

It's a perfectly highlighted area, clearly indicating the article I want to save. I've long wanted a way to do this, and Newspapers.com finally delivers! This improvement is both intuitive and easy to use. You can even go back and edit previously clipped items. The one thing I don't see any way to do is to combine if the article is on totally different pages. I did try, but it doesn't appear to be an option. 

If you've not yet tried the new and improved clipping tool, I highly recommend giving it a spin. You won't be disappointed!

My Complicated Relationship With AI Creations in Genealogy

Linda Stufflebean, (Empty Branches on the Family Tree) recently posted MyHeritage Introduces Family Infographics and Tribute Reels. Family Infographics uses your family tree and photos to create an AI generated piece of artwork. Tribute reels use photos to create a visual story of the subject. It was really interesting to see these new features in action! Her post got me thinking...

MyHeritage has been at the forefront when it comes to engaging users with AI features. They provide many AI-assisted tools including:

• Colorizing and enhancing photos
• Estimating dates of old photos (PhotoDater™)
• Animating photos (Deep Nostalgia™)
• Creating animated video clips from a photo (LiveMemory™)
• Transcribing and analyzing an uploaded document (Scribe AI)
• Turning a series of photos into a visual story (Tribute Reels)
• Using tree information and photos to create shareable artwork (Family Infographics)

I readily embrace using AI for many tasks:

• Formatting data just the way I like
• Newspaper or document transcriptions
• Helping me come up with a catchy title or SEO description for my posts. 
• Searching for public information on an ancestor, and providing me with research suggestions
• Double checking my blog post for grammar and punctuation

Just to be clear, I do not ask AI to create my blog content for me. While it's certainly capable of generating a post in just seconds, I prefer to do my own writing. And I never use AI as a source for facts in my tree. It's just not reliable enough yet. When it comes to genealogy, AI is no substitute for actual research. As I sit here looking over this list, I realize, most of my uses for AI are data-driven.

When it comes to photos, artwork and animations (the creative side of AI), I've steered clear of using it. I truly prefer photos as close to the originals as possible. For me, even the hue of a photo tells a story. The faded colors, speckles, spots and creases all add character. I don't really care for colorized photos (though I do understand the appeal). I've dabbled with minimal photo enhancement, but I generally stay as true to the original as I can.

When it comes to animated photos (or worse, talking animations)...well...truth be told, they creep me out more than a little. I enjoy studying the subject(s) of old photos, dissecting the minute details and shadows like a fine piece of art. But I don't enjoy those same subjects turning their heads, moving or talking to me. I'd rather let my imagination bring photos to life, much as the subjects and recipients of the originals would have done. 

For ages, family historians have shared GEDCOMs, hand typed remembrances, or even summaries created by the software and websites we choose to use. Family histories may be passed out at reunions, or even published in a tidy little book and distributed to family members. But in most cases, information provided in this manner is merely a distillation of facts (perhaps with a few photos thrown in for good measure). It does little to bring our ancestors to life. While genealogists certainly appreciate any and all details we can get our hands on, the vast majority of our family probably finds these same details boring. Younger generations, with far more exposure to AI-assisted creations, might well find these new AI creations far more captivating than traditional presentations of family facts. I could easily see how they might even inspire a new generation of family historians! 

Another very real benefit may be for the older generations (meaning those who do not readily use computers or smartphones for much more than email). I realize this population is rapidly shrinking, and with them so do the memories they have tucked away. Animations or colorful artwork may very well spark something within them. Perhaps they'll say "Aunt Edna's nose isn't quite right" or "My grandpa's eyes were a more brilliant blue," and segue into stories we've never heard before. While they may be very interested in the facts, they may not have the computer skills, eyesight or knowledge to do research on their own. AI-generated content may be very intriguing to them (even if they don't understand how it's done). Grandparents often proudly point out pictures of their children and grandchildren, or drawings created by little ones and they might very well do the same with colorful artwork about an ancestor. 

While MyHeritage isn't the only site to integrate AI tools for users, it certainly is the leader of the pack in genealogy. FamilySearch.org is also ahead of the curve with their Full Text Search. Their AI integration was done with thought and purpose and has been beyond helpful for many family historians. In this arena, Ancestry and FindMyPast both offer photo colorization and restoration and a few other AI features, but they don't compare to MyHeritage in scope, or FamilySearch in usability. I'll probably continue to focus on data-driven uses for AI. But I'll watch quietly from the wings as others share their photo, artwork and video creations. It will be interesting to see how each of the big four companies move forward, maximizing and expanding the capabilities of AI functions for family historians.

Disclosure: I used ChatGPT to check grammar and punctuation, provide minor titling assistance, and creation of the brief description of this post. All content is entirely my own.

Image by Artapixel from Pixabay