FamilySearch

FamilySearch is a nonprofit genealogical organization and digital service operated by the Family History Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Its services combine historical-record preservation, genealogical searching, collaborative family-tree construction, volunteer indexing, research education, and in-person assistance. Although the organization is closely associated with Latter-day Saint family-history and temple-ordinance work, its principal online resources are available free of charge to the general public through registration at FamilySearch.org. The organization traces its institutional origins to the Genealogical Society of Utah, founded on 1 November 1894. The society was created to assemble a genealogical library, collect records, teach family-history research, and support religious ordinance work for deceased relatives. It began publishing the Utah Genealogical and Historical Magazine in 1910 and started microfilming genealogically significant records in 1938. In 1963, much of the microfilm collection was moved to the Granite Mountain Records Vault near Salt Lake City, an environmentally controlled facility intended to preserve copies of records for long-term use. The Genealogical Society of Utah became part of the church's organizational structure in 1975, when it was incorporated into the Genealogical Department. That department later became the Family History Department. The church began digitizing records in 1998 and decided that year to develop a public genealogy website. FamilySearch opened to the public in 1999, initially attracting exceptionally heavy traffic. Over time, the service moved from a primarily catalog-and-record-search model toward a broad digital ecosystem that includes user-contributed data, indexed records, educational material, partner resources, and community collaboration. FamilySearch's principal platform is its historical-records collection, which provides searchable indexes and digital images from civil, religious, census, immigration, military, land, probate, and other records. Availability can vary according to copyright, privacy, contractual, and archival restrictions; some material is limited to FamilySearch Centers, affiliate libraries, or eligible church members. The organization also maintains the FamilySearch Library in Salt Lake City, whose catalog covers genealogical resources from many countries and territories. FamilySearch Family Tree is a collaborative, worldwide tree intended to maintain a shared profile for each person represented in genealogical sources. Users can add or revise people, merge duplicate profiles, attach sources and media, and document relationships. The platform is designed as a collaborative database rather than a set of isolated private trees, which makes source documentation and resolution of conflicting information central to its use. Certain features also support Latter-day Saint temple-ordinance workflows, subject to policies intended to reduce misuse and protect sensitive historical subjects. A major component of the service is volunteer participation. Through FamilySearch Indexing, volunteers transcribe information from digitized records so that it can be searched. The program uses review procedures intended to improve accuracy and works with genealogical societies and local organizations on regional projects. FamilySearch also publishes free lessons, research guides, and a multilingual research wiki for users ranging from beginners to experienced genealogists. The organization supports its online services through a global physical network. As of 2023, it reported more than 6,300 FamilySearch Centers in approximately 140 countries, where visitors can receive research assistance and access materials or services that may not be available remotely. Its preservation infrastructure includes the Granite Mountain Records Vault and extensive digitized collections. FamilySearch also organizes RootsTech, an annual family-hi…

FamilySearch developed from the Genealogical Society of Utah, founded on 1 November 1894 under the direction of leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The society's early objectives were to establish a genealogical library, collect and preserve family-history records, educate researchers, and support the church's religious work relating to deceased ancestors. Franklin D. Richards served as its first president. During the first decades, the organization built a library and published the Utah Genealogical and Historical Magazine from 1910 through 1940. A major technological transition began in 1938, when the society started microfilming records considered important for genealogical research. Microfilm enabled the organization to obtain copies of records held by repositories in different regions and make them available to researchers. In 1963, the collection was transferred to the Granite Mountain Records Vault near Salt Lake City, where environmental controls provided long-term protection. The vault became a central part of the organization's preservation strategy and remains associated with FamilySearch's archival infrastructure. In 1975, the Genealogical Society of Utah was incorporated into the church's Genealogical Department, which subsequently evolved into the Family History Department. The church temporarily combined family-history and church-history functions in 2000 before separating them again. The society's historical institutional identity therefore predates the FamilySearch consumer brand by more than a century. The organization began digitally imaging records in 1998. Around the same time, church leaders authorized the creation of a public genealogy website. FamilySearch first became publicly available in 1999, and demand quickly exceeded the site's initial capacity. The service subsequently expanded its searchable databases and gradually shifted from a static repository toward an interactive platform. In 2009, New FamilySearch attempted to consolidate multiple genealogical submissions into a single tree. Users could see combined information, but the system made it difficult to edit material contributed by others, attach sources, and determine which conflicting details were reliable. These limitations led to plans for a more collaborative architecture. In 2011, the website received a major redesign with broader search capabilities and additional digitized records. FamilySearch Family Tree was announced as the successor platform in 2012 and became available to all users in 2013. Later interface updates added tools such as fan charts, printing functions, photographs, and other forms of media attachment. FamilySearch has also expanded through partnerships and community programs. In 2014, it announced data-sharing or subscription-related arrangements involving Ancestry.com, Findmypast, and MyHeritage, while maintaining a relationship with BillionGraves for cemetery imagery and indexing. Volunteer indexing has remained a core operating model: participants transcribe records, and review processes help make those records searchable. The organization works with genealogical societies and local projects around the world. Education is another long-standing activity. FamilySearch offers online lessons, research guides, and a research wiki that began in 2007 and moved to MediaWiki in 2008. The FamilySearch Library in Salt Lake City provides public access to a substantial international collection, while FamilySearch Centers extend assistance and access to local communities. By 2023, the organization described a network of more than 6,300 centers in approximately 140 countries. The transition from physical to digital access accelerated during the 2010s. FamilySearch stopped distributing physical microfilm to family-history centers in 2017 as digitized images became more widely available. The organization has continued to report rapid growth in digital images, indexed names, books, and user-contributed Family Tree profiles. RootsTech, launched in 2011 and organized by FamilySearch International, has become a prominent family-history and technology conference for researchers, professionals, developers, educators, and the broader public. Today, FamilySearch combines nonprofit archival preservation, free online genealogy tools, volunteer collaboration, education, and a worldwide support network, while retaining a connection to the family-history and temple-ordinance purposes of its sponsoring church.

• 2017

  Physical microfilm distribution ends

  [1]FamilySearchen.wikipedia.org

  FamilySearch shifted family-history-center access toward digital images and away from routine physical microfilm delivery.

• 2013

  FamilySearch Family Tree opens to all users

  [1]FamilySearchen.wikipedia.org

  The collaborative tree became available beyond the earlier restricted user base.

• 2011

  RootsTech begins

  [1]FamilySearchen.wikipedia.org

  FamilySearch International organized the first RootsTech family-history and technology conference.

• 2009

  New FamilySearch is introduced

  [1]FamilySearchen.wikipedia.org

  A consolidated family-tree system was launched as an intermediate step toward the later FamilySearch Family Tree.

• 1999

  FamilySearch website opens to the public

  [1]FamilySearchen.wikipedia.org

  The online service launched publicly and quickly became one of the organization's principal access points.

• 1998

  Digital imaging and website development begin

  [1]FamilySearchen.wikipedia.org

  FamilySearch began digitizing records and moved toward creating a public genealogy website.

• 1975

  Genealogical Society of Utah joins the church's Genealogical Department

  [1]FamilySearchen.wikipedia.org

  The society became part of the church's formal genealogical department, later known as the Family History Department.

• 1963

  Granite Mountain storage facility receives the collection

  [1]FamilySearchen.wikipedia.org

  Microfilm holdings were moved into the Granite Mountain Records Vault for long-term protected storage.

• 1938

  Microfilm preservation begins

  [1]FamilySearchen.wikipedia.org

  The society began microfilming genealogically significant records, creating durable copies for research and preservation.

• 1894

  Genealogical Society of Utah is founded

  [1]FamilySearchen.wikipedia.org

  The predecessor organization was established on 1 November to collect genealogical records, operate a library, provide education, and support family-history work.

A free, nonprofit, globally accessible genealogy platform combining archival preservation, searchable historical records, collaborative family trees, volunteer indexing, education, and in-person research support.

• Genealogy records database · 1999

  FamilySearch.org Historical Records

  The website provides searchable indexes and digital images from a wide range of genealogical sources, including civil, religious, census, immigration, military, land, probate, and cemetery records. Access is generally free, although particular images or collections may be restricted by rights, privacy, contractual, or institutional rules.

• Collaborative family tree · 2012

  FamilySearch Family Tree

  Family Tree is a shared genealogical database intended to represent people and relationships in one collaborative tree. Users can add or revise profiles, merge duplicates, document relationships, and attach sources, photographs, audio, and other records. Some functions also support Latter-day Saint temple-ordinance workflows.

• Volunteer indexing program

  FamilySearch Indexing

  The indexing program recruits volunteers to transcribe information from digitized historical records. Batches are reviewed through a quality-control process, and projects are developed with genealogical societies and local organizations in many countries.

• Genealogy education · 2007

  FamilySearch Research Wiki

  The research wiki offers articles, source guidance, locality information, and research methods intended to help users identify and use genealogical records. It was created as a collaborative educational resource and has been made available in multiple languages.

• Genealogical library · 1985

  FamilySearch Library

  Located in Salt Lake City, the FamilySearch Library is open to the public and holds international genealogical materials, including books, periodicals, microform, catalogs, and digital resources. Its catalog and many associated materials are connected to the FamilySearch online service.

• Family-history and technology conference · 2011

  RootsTech

  RootsTech is an annual event focused on genealogy, family history, archives, software, DNA, and related technology. It serves professional and amateur researchers, educators, developers, and the general public, and has been presented as a major global event in the field.

• 2013FamilySearch Indexing one-billion-record objective

  Worldwide

  The volunteer indexing community worked toward making one billion indexed genealogical records available through the FamilySearch website.

  Outcome. The stated objective was completed in April 2013.

  Source
• 2011RootsTech

  United States · International

  FamilySearch International created RootsTech as a recurring conference linking family-history research with digital technology, software development, archives, and education.

  Outcome. It became an established annual family-history and technology event with international reach.

  Source

• 2017

  Discontinue routine physical microfilm distributionStrategy

  Background

  Digitized images had become increasingly available, reducing the need to ship physical microfilm to family-history centers.

  Action taken

  FamilySearch ended routine distribution of physical microfilm and continued digitizing remaining holdings.

  Aftermath

  Family-history-center services shifted toward digital access, online search, and research assistance.

  Source

• 2014

  Expand partnerships with genealogy platformsStrategy

  Background

  Partnerships could extend the reach of FamilySearch records and provide users with access to complementary genealogy services.

  Action taken

  FamilySearch announced arrangements involving Ancestry.com, Findmypast, and MyHeritage, including data sharing and subscription benefits for eligible church members.

  Aftermath

  The organization broadened its role within the genealogy-services ecosystem while retaining its own free platform.

  Source

• 2013

  Open FamilySearch Family Tree to all usersProduct launch

  Background

  FamilySearch was developing a successor to New FamilySearch and sought to broaden participation in its shared tree.

  Action taken

  Family Tree was made available to users regardless of membership in the sponsoring church.

  Aftermath

  The change reinforced FamilySearch's public-facing and globally collaborative positioning.

  Source

• 2009

  Introduce New FamilySearchProduct launch

  Background

  The organization sought to consolidate multiple genealogical submissions into a more unified family-tree experience.

  Action taken

  New FamilySearch combined submissions into a shared database, initially with restrictions on editing and availability.

  Aftermath

  Difficulties with source attachment, editing, and conflicting information contributed to plans for the more collaborative FamilySearch Family Tree.

  Source

• 1998

  Move from microfilm preservation toward digital accessStrategy

  Background

  Digitization offered a way to preserve, index, and distribute historical records at much broader scale than physical microfilm circulation.

  Action taken

  FamilySearch began digital imaging and authorized development of a public genealogy website.

  Aftermath

  The decision led to the public FamilySearch website and the organization's later digital-first operating model.

  Source

1. 1FamilySearchen.wikipedia.org
2. 2FamilySearch official websitefamilysearch.org
3. 3FamilySearch Libraryfamilysearch.org
4. 4RootsTechfamilysearch.org