Unofficial Guide to Ancestry.com: How to Find Your Family History on the #1 Genealogy Website

by Nancy Hendrickson

Master the world’s #1 Genealogy Website Discover the secrets to Ancestry.com success! This book, newly revised and expanded, will help you get the most out of your Ancestry.com subscription.  Inside, you’ll discover how to take advantage of what the world’s biggest genealogy website has to offer—and how to find answers to your genealogy questions within its billions of records and millions of AncestryDNA profiles.  Each chapter includes step-by-step examples with illustrations to show you exactly how to apply search techniques to your genealogy. A new section on AncestryDNA will also help you understand and analyze your DNA test results. What you'll Timesaving tips for uncovering specific records, time periods and topics using Ancestry.com’s search forms and Card Catalog* Details on Ancestry.com's historical record collections, including what you can expect to find in them* Step-by-step guides for creating and managing your family tree on Ancestry.com, plus how to connect with other users and utilize the site’s powerful Hint system* Plain-language strategies for using your AncestryDNA results, including guides to your ethnicity report and DNA matchesWhether you've just begun dabbling in family history or you're a longtime Ancestry.com subscriber, this book will turn you into an Ancestry.com power user!

Genres: Nonfiction, Reference

456 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 2, 2018

About the author

Nancy Hendrickson is a non-fiction author who writes about diverse industries for books, magazines and the web. Nancy has recently turned her writing talents to fiction, and is currently working on a cozy mystery as well as an historical time-travel novel. Nancy lives in San Diego, California and is available to give talks on all facets of non-fiction writing.

When not writing, you can find Nancy somewhere in the frontier west - delving into the people and events of a bygone era, all while listening to the tales spun by the resident ghosts. Nancy is the one with the Canon DSLR, the little Canon Elph and the digital recorder!

Catch up with Nancy at http://nancyhendrickson.com

Reviews

[Carol]

Given the droves of persons having their DNA tested by Ancestry.com and those becoming hooked by their genetic matches, this update to Unofficial Guide to Ancestry.com: How to Find Your Family History on the #1 Genealogy Website comes none too soon. It's a rapidly changing market and this update is much needed.

This is exactly what happened to me. DNA tested and a new interest in my lost ancestors led me to Nancy Hendrickson's 2014 edition of this book. When I heard there was an updated edition I pleaded (actually I begged) the publisher, Family Tree Books via Edelweiss, to allow me to read the digital ARC before publication.

If you're new to the game or have been using Ancestry for sometime I'm certain there is something in these pages for you. Honestly, unless you could write the book yourself, I doubt you won't learn a thing or two by using this guide. Not knowing exactly what you're looking for or where you need guidance, I'm saying just get on board and read the book. As a matter of fact I'm off to buy my own copy as my preview truly didn't give me enough time to make the best use of Unofficial Guide to Ancestry.com.

[Kirsty ❤️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really thorough book on using the Ancestry website and covers just about everything you can think of when setting up your ancestry account and searching your family history. I was a bit worried at first how relevant it would be being the US website when I use the UK one but the information carries across well no matter what country you are based in.

I've done a fair bit on my tree already and done workshops with my local library so there was quite a bit I already knew however for complete beginners it's excellent. However even for those with experience there are still some little bits of extra knowledge you can pick up. It is a book that you can read cover to cover or simply dip into to find a particular piece of information.

Really interesting and informative for anyone interested in genealogy

Free arc from netgalley

[Biblio Files (takingadayoff) · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's only been 3 and a half years since the first edition came out, but that is time enough for a LOT of changes in the website. Comparing the table of contents from the first and second editions reveals that this is not just an update, but a major overhaul. One major change is the addition of a substantial section on Ancestry.com DNA testing and evaluating. I especially appreciated the step by step instructions on syncing the RootsMagic software with Ancestry.com, very helpful. I managed to learn a lot about using Ancestry.com in the year and a half that I have been using it, but realize that if I had used the Unofficial Guide to begin with, I could have saved so much time. Don't make that mistake!
(Thanks to Family Tree Books and NetGalley for a digital review copy.)

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

Author Nancy Hendrickson describes using the Ancestry.com site. The book, aimed at new researchers more than experienced ones, contains good comment, but often comes up a bit short. For example, although she cautions new users about accepting information from trees if it appears wrong, she really fails to tell them they should never add the tree as a source but instead should verify the information and add it manually after it is verified. While she is correct that uploading information from a GEDcom file is quicker, she fails to mention reasons for not doing so--and many exist. In the chapters on using AncestryDNA, she fails to mention some of the tips leading genetic genealogists suggest. For example, she tells readers to email those who do not have a tree without telling them how they may be able to find an unattached tree by checking the match's profile or how the connection may be determined by looking at "shared matches." In fact, she never mentions "shared matches." She also failed to mention and caution users about some of the weaker databases such as some of the public records collections lacking dates and some of the collections drawn from older user-submitted sources which contain errors. Of course, the author could not anticipate the problems tree sync users currently experience due to some data migration issues. She could not anticipate the problems with the Rootsweb portions of the site which resulted in long outages for some resources and continuing outages for others. Most supplemental resources suggested appear to be mostly sources from the book's publisher rather than using the "best sources" for acquiring additional subject information. Recommended only for true beginners, but with the caution to supplement with additional resources and webinars to gain a better picture of the power of Ancestry and to understand the genealogical proof standard which did not appear to be a consideration of the author. I received an electronic copy for review purposes from the publisher through NetGalley with the expectation of an honest review.

[Diane Hernandez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Comprehensive and well-organized handbook for ancestry.com.

The Unofficial Guide to Ancestry.com is a wellspring of knowledge about how find your ancestors more efficiently. Beginning with a simple description of ancestry.com’s menu, this book then drills down past the site’s hint system into the databases themselves. Here is a list of some of the items covered:
Family trees
Why genealogy software is worth the money
When to use other genealogy websites
Free forms to use from another website
Why, despite what your grandma keeps insisting, you cannot be related to George Washington
Census and voter lists
Birth, marriage and death records
Military
Immigration and travel
Newspaper and other publications
Pictures
Stories, memories and histories
Maps, atlases and gazetteers
Schools, directories and church histories
Wills, probate, land, tax and criminal
Reference, dictionaries and almanacs
DNA matches and circles
Associated sites Fold3 and newspapers.com

If you have ever used ancestry.com, you know it is just an intimidating mass of information. Using the Unofficial Guide to Ancestry.com makes taming the data beast much easier. After using the book, I have found ancestors who immigrated from England and Ireland. I found a relative who died in a confederate prison and a bunch who came home safely from virtually every war from the Revolutionary to the Korean. I even found a picture of a relative during the depression.

The Unofficial Guide to Ancestry.com is highly recommended. 5 stars!

Thanks to the publisher, Family Tree Books, and NetGalley for an advanced copy.

[Angela (Kentuckybooklover) Brocato-Skaggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great research tool to enhance your navigation to Ancestry.com.

I have been using Ancestry.com for over ten years and thought I knew all the tricks but I learned quite a few form this book. My passion for genealogy has been sparked again.

The screenshots are great especially for newbies. As a newbie you can read the entire book or as an experienced user of the sight flip to the section you need.

You won't be sorry to add this to your genealogy bookshelf.

I received a copy from Family Tree Books through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the review are my own.

[Nicki Markus · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been using Ancestry to research my family tree for over a year now, so I was keen to see what the Unofficial Guide to Ancestry.com had to offer. It is certainly very thorough, covering everything from setting up your tree to searching within the various catalogues. Though aimed at the US site, the bulk of the information will be relevant for users elsewhere in the world too. For the most part, I would say it is of greater benefit to those just starting out with their research, since much of the site navigation etc. I had already worked out for myself after 14 months using it. However, it did offer me a few nuggets of useful advice, such as making use of the card catalogue. Overall, the book is nicely laid out, with helpful illustrations and examples. It is a book that you can read cover to cover or simply dip into to find a particular piece of information. I would certainly recommend it to those new to Ancestry who wish to get their research off to a good start and avoid the pitfalls such as giving too much credence to other peoples' trees or accepting every hint as fact. 4.5 stars.

I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley.

[Linda Hartlaub · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Nancy Hendrickson’s books. Ms. Hendrickson published the original Unofficial Guide in 2014 and it immediately became obsolete. Seriously. Two days after I purchased the book, Ancestry changed its platform, including its DNA pages, rendering about a fourth of the book useless. Props to Family Tree Books and F+W Publishing for contacting all of its customers and providing a link with downloadable pages updating the sections of the book that were modified and updated bringing the book back to an up-to-date status. Now Nancy Hendrickson has rewritten substantial sections of her book to make it current in light of how much things have changed at Ancestry.

So what’s new in the updated version of the Unofficial Guide? First and foremost, the book is bigger with more pages and more chapters, divided into sections rather than straight chapters, Appendices have been deleted but leaving the “Quick Links” and “Shortcuts”, and a major expansion to the DNA section going from one chapter to three. DNA information now includes “Interpreting Your DNA Results”, “Connecting with Others”, and “Applying DNA to Your Research”.

The newly mapped out sections include “Getting Started”, “Digging into Records”, “Uncovering Ancestors with DNA”, and “Delving Deeper into Ancestry”. Ms. Hendrickson is really big on using the card catalogs and she has numerous tricks, tips and examples to use the catalogs for census and voter lists, vital records, military records, immigration and travel, newspapers and other publications, stories and memories, school directories and church records, and wills, probate, land records, taxes and criminal records (a sort of catch-all category).

All in all, this is a book to keep and use as a reference throughout your research. Concise and packed with tons of useful information that you didn’t know you didn’t know! I highly recommend this book to make you a power user of Ancestry.com.

[Lynndell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Family Tree Books (F+W Media) for the opportunity to read and review the Unofficial Guide to Ancestry.com by Nancy Hendrickson. Informative guide showing the basics plus so much more on how to use the ancestry.com website. Instructions and information of layout, memberships, searching tips and all the different ways to find information on ancestry.com-military records, census records, primary sources, wills, tax information, school directories and church histories are included. Getting DNA results and interpreting them and other websites to connect to for even more information and research, each discussed within their own chapters and are also a large part of this book. Insets, photos and helpful images show what can be found on this website, full of historical and genealogical information, to bring fruition to your family history work. 5 stars for a book that will guide you every step of the way during your family history research and more!

[John Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book to help focus your efforts to explore and discover your family history using Ancestry.com. The technology is so incredible that it is very easy to wildly add members to your family tree. This book helps you do it the correct way, finding more sources, forming and attempting to answer questions, adding, not only people but stories photos and documents. Going beyond the useful, ubiquitous, green leaf hints and searching the collections is a daunting process requiring trial and error and developing effective search strategies. The book does a good job explaining the many and various collections available, offering examples and alternatives for exploration. I'm not sure that I will ever be adept at it but I am improving. There is also a companion workbook available which is itself a stand-alone guide. While the basics of Ancestry.com are fairly straightforward, to get a much better and productive experience, these two guides are invaluable.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and found it most informative and helpful. While I have been actively using Ancestry.com for quite some time, I still picked up useful tips and insights. I have found new information using the search techniques discussed in the book. Especially useless was learning to make better use of the card catalog and Ancestry DNA. The one disappointing thing was that even though I thought I had the latest edition, Ancestry has added DNA Tru Lines since this book was published. Some of the DNA features discussed in the book are no longer available and have been replaced by Tru Lines. So although I would highly recommend this book, I would suggest being sure that you have the latest edition. This would only apply if you use or plan to use Ancestry DNA as that is the only thing changed. There was even a chapter on companion websites Newspapers.com and Fold3.

[Rachel Pieters · Rating 5 out of 5]

This relatively recent guide to 'all things Ancestry' was a fantastic "How To" and "Why" to fill in any gaps in my knowledge after navigating this site through trial and error over the past 5 years or so myself.

After coming upon several 'brick walls' and overcoming so many, I still had several left, and was also interested in fleshing out the lives of my ancestors (and my friends' ancestors) but was still fumbling for some things. Not now. I took copious notes and discovered so much more lay at my fingertips than I had realized.

I also have an eye on becoming a "Search Angel", and I so I wanted to become really, really good at this. And this book will definitely point me in several of the right directions. So many possibilities!

Hallelujah!

[Deborah Hall-hertle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although I have been using Ancestry for years I had no idea of all of the amazing tools it provided. This book is a gift for those that want to go beyond the basics in researching their genealogy. I highly recommend it!

[Bonnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh. Good if you have a lot of relatives in the US. Doesn’t give much info on Europe or how to search search there.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very useful book with lots of good tips for using the site and growing your family tree. I feel like I will be able to increase my tree more accurately now.

[Wanda Shuster · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good information. Now that I’m more familiar with ancestry, I’ve dogeared pages in the book that I want to dig deeper to discover more about my family tree.

[Rose Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent resource when using Ancestry.com. It is easy to understand and full of information. It makes working on genealogy online much easier!

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book covers from A to Z: creating a new tree, how to use the website and how perform searches in practical resources.

[Vonn Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve been using Ancestry.com for a years and thought this book might have some hidden gems as to how to use the online family tree. Sadly for me there wasn’t anything new, but for newcomers to Ancestry.com, this book has great information on how to start, what information to gather and to use the website.

[Susan Underbrink · Rating 4 out of 5]

A big thank you to NetGalley and VS Media and Family Tree Books for the ARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. I am a geneaologist, I have been doing genealogy for over 35 years. I have seen a lot of changes. Today Ancestry is such a great starting point. Thanks book is geared toward the beginner but has great tips and reminders for us all. I would recommend this book to new people or people who are stuck to get a new perspective.

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very detailed and comprehensive guide to the world of Ancestry.com. It gives a lot of valuable information.

[Leith Devine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have just started on my ancestry journey, and this book is going to be a huge help. I haven't been in a position to use all of the information yet, but what has bee applicable so far has been very helpful. I recommend this book to anyone working on their genealogy.

Thanks to Family Tree Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

This updated version of the Unofficial Guide to Ancestry.com is a worthwhile reference book to own. I am an Ancestry user, and I consider myself more than a beginner. I picked up some new tips and tricks. While the book is aimed at the new or novice site user, it is a great refresher course as well. The book is easy to use, contains a great deal of information, and is written conversationally.

[Cas H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is filled with valuable information for the Genealogy Beginner. You are not going to find everything in this book. If someone were to write a tell all about Ancestry then we would need 15 volumes at least.
This book allows a beginner a place to start, a reason to search. As the beginner gets more advanced, and learns how to use the web-site, there are more resources available.
I love that she has updated this book because many changes have happened on Ancestry since the first edition was published.