Free resource

Ancestry Search Cheat Sheet

The search techniques we use to find "missing" ancestors. Bookmark it, or print it for your research desk.

1. Search wide, then narrow

  • Start with just a surname and a place.
  • Add a birth year with a ±5 year range.
  • Only add first names and exact dates once results are manageable.

2. Wildcards

  • Sm*th finds Smith, Smyth, Smeeth.
  • Joh? finds John, Johs.
  • Most sites need at least 3 real letters before a wildcard.

3. Think like a clerk

  • Say the name aloud and spell it how you hear it.
  • Try initials only: J. Brown.
  • Swap letters that look alike in old handwriting: u/n, I/J, S/L.

4. Search the family, not the person

  • Search for a spouse, sibling or child with a rarer name.
  • Use a parent's name in the "relationship" fields.
  • Neighbours on census pages often became in-laws.

5. Free sources first

  • FamilySearch (free account).
  • National archives and state/provincial archives.
  • Digitised newspapers (e.g. Trove, Chronicling America).
  • FreeBMD, FreeCEN and FreeREG (UK).

6. Record every source

  • Note the collection, page, URL and date viewed.
  • Record what you searched for and didn't find too.
  • Treat unsourced online trees as clues, not facts.

Ready to go further? Compare record archives or DNA kits to break through brick walls.