How to Avoid the Pitfalls of Accepting Hints from Online Trees and Databases
If you’ve dipped your toes into family history research, you’ve likely felt the thrill of a “hint” popping up on your favourite genealogy website. It’s like finding a shiny breadcrumb on the trail to your ancestors! But here’s the thing: not every breadcrumb leads you to the right Ancestor! Online family trees and databases are amazing tools, but they’re only as reliable as the information people (and algorithms) put into them.
In the blog post below, we’ll explore how to avoid the common pitfalls of accepting hints at face value. Whether you’re brand new to genealogy or simply looking to sharpen your skills, I am sure that this blog will help you approach those promising leads with a healthy dose of curiosity mixed with mindful caution. Because in family history, facts matter—and verifying them is half the fun!
The Joy of Doing It Right
Verifying hints takes extra time and effort, but it’s worth it. When you can confidently say, “This is my ancestor, and here’s the proof,” the sense of accomplishment is unmatched. You’re not just building a family tree; you’re uncovering and preserving your family’s story for generations to come.
So, the next time you see that shiny hint, don’t just click and add—pause, research, and verify. Remember, in genealogy, the journey is just as important as the destination. If you want to take a deep dive into this subject and a whole lot more be sure to click on the link to my blog below.
How Strong Are Your Trees Roots?
I learned early on to bring a very sceptical mind to "hints" on any of the commercial sites. 🤔
My (as it turns out by the magic of dna, NOT) great grandmother married a man and then somehow ended up living with my (not) g.grandfather and giving birth to my (not) grandfather (my dad was a war baby and it turns out that my grandfather was stationed away when he was conceived and indeed, born). The amount of trees who find her marriage, don’t check it and then record her as marrying my g.grandfather is more than those who register it correctly. And most of those don’t correct. It’s not hard to check out. But apparently it is…