FamilySearch Wiki:About Us

In the Wiki, you will find:

• Links to record collections where your ancestor's information could be found.
• Research advice for how to approach research problems.

You won't search for individuals in the Wiki - instead, search for places and topics to discover the records that could contain your ancestors' information. 

To use the Wiki in searching for an ancestor:

1. Think about what you want to know about the ancestor
2. Consider the location where that event may have happened
3. Think about other records that may possibly contain the information you need
4. Work backward, rather than forward (look for a death record before searching for a marriage record)
5. Think about the record trail that we all leave behind

It is helpful to know:

1. A possible location
2. A time period

Valuable Resources

Additional research advice can be found on:

• Get started in the Wiki
• Help:Keys to Success using the Wiki
• Success Stories
• Rookie Mistakes
• Family History for Beginners
• Identify What you Know
• Obtain and Search the Records
• Use the Information
• Researching in the FamilySearch Wiki: A Case Study(video)

One of the following articles can help you decide where to look first for a puzzling:

• Name Variation
• Date
• Place
• Easiest to Research Person and Event
• Record Type to Use

For information about contributing to the wiki:

• The Vision: Why We Built FamilySearch Wiki
• Purpose and Appropriate Topics
• Accuracy and collaboration
• Content Organization, Browsing, and Categories
• Contributor Help

Learn more about ...

Keys to Success Using the Wiki

Help for Basic Searches in the Wiki

Getting Started in the Wiki

Family History for Beginners

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