FamilySearch

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FamilySearch is a genealogy organization operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Formerly known as the Genealogical Society of Utah (or "GSU") and is the largest genealogy organization in the world. FamilySearch stores a collection of notes, resources, and services designed to help people learn more about their family history. FamilySearch collects, stores and shares genealogical records worldwide. It offers free access to its resources and online services at FamilySearch.org, one of the most used genealogical sites on the Internet. In addition, FamilySearch offers personal assistance in more than 4,500 family history centers in 70 countries, including the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.

In the search section familysearch.org anyone can search for ancestral records. The use of the Family Tree section requires a registered account (free). The Family Tree section allows users to collaborate on single family trees, together, worldwide (currently with about a billion names in it).

Resources are maintained to support the process of obtaining names and other genealogical information so that Latter-day Saints can perform temple ordinances for the dead.

Video FamilySearch

Histori

Founded in 1894, GSU â€‹â€‹began recording the microfilm of genealogical interest in 1938. In 1963, the microfilm collection was moved to a newly completed Mountain Vault Granite for long-term preservation. In 1998 GSU began digital imaging of records and in about August 1998 the decision was made by LDS Church leaders to build a genealogical website. In May 1999 the first website was opened to the public. It almost immediately became off-line, overloaded due to its extreme popularity. In October 1999, it surpassed 1.5 billion visits. Then, in November 1999, 240 million names were added, bringing the number of entries to 640 million.

In 2001, work began on a second website supported by a consolidated database, giving LDS users the ability to edit data. In November 2005, new.FamilySearch.org entered its first Beta test. However, due to the time it takes to resolve all found bugs and to rate and merge feedback results and extensive user suggestions, it takes longer than expected to release a second beta. In February 2007, new.FamilySearch.org entered Beta 2 testing. In June 2007, new.FamilySearch.org was made available to church members in some areas (by the LDS temple district), increasing over the next few years. This limited opening is required to enable FamilySearch support staff to support the user community. In 2008, the Vatican issued a statement calling a practice known as baptism for the dead recorded in 1 Corinthians 15:29, "erroneous" and directs his diocese to keep parish records from Mormons conducting genealogical research. In early 2009, FamilyExpand is only available for church membership worldwide, except Utah/Idaho and five Asian temples. In mid-2009, the new Family Family gradually became available for church membership in Utah and Idaho. Finally, in November 2009, the new.FamilySearch was made available for church membership worldwide, except for members in five districts of Asian temples.

In March 2013 the Family Tree was added to familysearch.org site. It is available to every registered user. When a user sees a family in their tree, they may see hints from historical documents related to the family. Family Tree has replaced new.familysearch.org.

In February 2014, FamilySearch announced a partnership with Ancestry.com, findmypast and MyHeritage, which included sharing of their large database with these companies. They also have a standing relationship with BillionGraves, where images of both photographed and indexed graves can be searched in FamilySearch and must be linked to individuals in the family tree.

Maps FamilySearch

Features

The FamilySearch.org website offers free access to digital images from genealogical records. These images can be searched along with a number of databases. FamilySearch.org also contains a Family History Library catalog in Salt Lake City, Utah. The library maintains genealogical records for more than 110 countries, territories and holdings, including more than 2.4 million rolls of microfilm pedigree records; 742.000 microfiche; 310,000 books, series, and other formats; and 4,500 periodicals. FamilySearch also offers research assistance through Family History Research Wiki, Forums, digital books, and free family history course online through the Learning Center.

In accordance with agreements with Jewish groups and to prevent abuse, search for Holocaust victims or celebrity results in account suspension until the researchers prove a legitimate family relationship with their search subject. FamilySearch plans to allow users to enter same-sex marriages or other unions in the future.

Support for mobile use

The FamilySearch.org website recently added support for mobile platforms with two new apps: the FamilySearch Family Application and the FamilySearch Contacts App. Currently these two apps provide support for iOS and Android and are available in 10 different languages. Both applications are available for free download. This technology allows users to search their own family history and archive stories and photos to their servers for free.

Project digitization and indexing

FamilySearch is in the process of digitizing the entire collection of microfilms and making the images available online. Searchable indexes are created by volunteers using the FamilySearch Indexing software developed by the LDS Church or on the FamilySearch.org website. To ensure higher accuracy, each batch of records is indexed by two separate indexers and each difference is sent to the expert arbitrator. Volunteer FamilySearch Indexing does not need to be a member of the LDS Church. FamilySearch is currently working with genealogical communities around the world to index local projects.

By the end of 2010, 548 million important records were transcribed and made publicly available through the FamilySearch website. In April 2013, FamilySearch Indexing completed their goal of offering 1 billion records that were indexed online.

As of May 2018, FamilySearch has added and digitized 2 billion of their records. Currently, records are being indexed and arbitrated. All indexing and arbitration is scheduled for late 2020.

Classes and training

FamilySearch offers free lessons at FamilySearch.org to help people learn to find their ancestors. Topics range from basic research to training on special note types and are designed for beginners and experienced researchers. Most of the classes come from research consultants at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, but FamilySearch also collaborates with partners such as the Mid-Continent General Library in Independence, Missouri, to record and post classes.

Wikis and forums

In 2007, it was decided to start the Family History Research Wiki to help FamilySearch users and others research genealogy and family history to find and share information about data sources and research tips. The first version of the wiki was built on the Plone wiki software product, but it soon found that MediaWiki software was much more suitable, so in January 2008 it was moved to the MediaWiki platform. In the following years, the book was launched in another language, and as of July 2014 it is available in 11 languages. Other language wikis are found through links at the bottom of the wiki homepage. The Wiki in English has over 79,500 articles and more than 150,000 registered users as of July 2014.

In 2009, a forum site, which expanded to include various subject categories and topics, began. Some additional features include social groups where people can discuss certain family names or other topics related to genealogy. The help topics are also featured with discussions related to New FamilySearch (new.familysearch.org), FamilySearch Indexing, and some other site products and features. Forums are never linked from the homepage, but are accessible at forums.familysearch.org. Effective December 31, 2012 forums are closed, although they remain available in read-only form.

New FamilySearch and FamilySearch Family Tree

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has released a public web application that allows users to interact with a very large integrated database of connected genealogical information. It's on the FamilySearch.org site today and is called Family Tree. Many FamilySearch databases are merged into one database and all notes for each individual are aggregated into multiple folders. These folders are then linked to the pedigree.

Some key features of the new website:

Support for many statements about facts, allowing people "agree to disagree."
Source citations, including links to source images. Documents scanned from the 2.4 million rolls of microfilm's vital recordings from churches around the world will eventually be attributed to individuals in the system. These movies are being scanned and indexed.
Some special features for LDS Church membership, facilitating temple ordinance work.
The one-world pedigree of related families that will operate the wiki style, with anyone who can add comments and information.
A mapping utility that maps locations where an individual lives - a mashup of the new FamilySearch website and Google Maps displays pushpins for events in a person's life.

Initially, a system called 'New FamilySearch' was released to LDS Church members. According to emails sent via email sent to the LDS Family History Consultant on September 11, 2012, it is expected to be discontinued in early 2013. At that time, the system was replaced by a newer system called FamilySearch Family Tree.

On November 1, 2012, the more active Family Tree launch begins with a note placed on the New FamilySearch landing page, which suggests 'Try Family Tree.' This note is inside a button that will take the user to the login page. Initial reports sent to the mailing list within hours of this change also indicate that some of the functions in the new FamilySearch, especially those that allow users to combine matching entries from their ancestors ('duplicates'), have been turned off. This event suggests that a wider user base will start using the Family Tree.

On March 5, 2013, FamilySearch announces that Family Tree is now available to everyone, regardless of whether they are members of the LDS Church. This was announced through a blog post on the FamilySearch website; the 'Family Tree' tab indicates whether the user is logged in or not. Clicking on the tab takes the user to the login screen/create an account; once logged in, the user can create a tree and find an ancestor that is already in the tree. The new FamilySearch is still available for LDS Church members, although members are strongly urged to start using the Family Tree in its place and features have been progressively disabled at FamilySearch (the longer) because the evolved system is no longer compatible with it..

On April 16th 2013 FamilySearch completely changed the design of the site in general, including new features in the Family Tree. Some of the new features include interactive fan charts and some printing capabilities. Enhanced color schemes for the Family Tree and other sites are also adopted, as some people complain that the color of the previous site appears 'washed.'

By the end of 2015 FamilyTree has 1.1 billion people plus 2.47 million contributors.

Integration with Family History Archive BYU

Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, digitized family history without copyright and placed it online; they are available through FamilySearch. By the end of 2009, this archive has nearly 50,000 digital books, with around 5,000 new titles posted online every two months on average.

As of early September 2012, it was reported that about 1,200 to 1,500 books per month were being scanned, the scan had slowed slightly. Digital books are removed from the BYU websites they visit and are now found under the 'Books' tab on the main FamilySearch search page. A blogger at FamilySearch now posts the latest digitization list that begins with a June 2012 report.

According to the user group presentation by FamilySearch personnel, a similar effort is to digitize the book-shaped family history originally collected at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City itself, and (Google-Book-style) even includes one-user-at-a-access time per one scanned (and physically released) volume that is protected by copyright.