Ancestry trees: a masterclass
Building a family tree is one of the primary ambitions for anyone setting out on a family history journey and it’s important to select suitable online tree providers as companions. Many sites offer tools for the uploading, building, storing and sharing of online trees and this article will provide an overview of the facilities offered by Ancestry from basic tree set-up to more advanced options. Read on for a plethora of hints and tips on how to get the most out of Ancestry’s tree-building tools.
Getting started
The first requirement is to sign up for a free Ancestry account but be aware that if you wish to use the site to research your family history-as opposed to just host your tree-then a subscription, of which Ancestry offer several different levels, will be required. If your sole aim, however, is to upload or manually build a tree using information already in your possession then a free account is adequate for this purpose.
How to change ‘Tree Settings’
If you have previously constructed a tree elsewhere (e.g. using family history software or good old-fashioned paper versions) you can transfer this information into an Ancestry tree either manually or via GEDCOM (see page 10).
Do-over tip: don’t underestimate the benefits of a do-over! I generally recommend manual input if you have the time as it often highlights mistakes and gaps in your research. If your tree is very large, however, a do-over is a more daunting task.
When you begin…
When you begin the tree creation process on a new Ancestry account by adding yourself and your parents, a tool named the ‘Guided Tree Builder’ provides a series of prompts to help you along the way.
Tree-name tip: the first
