Finding records on Ancestry® can help you build your family tree. Fill in your family tree with what you know, then search Ancestry to find what you don't. 
 

How to build your tree using historical records

If you know details like the name and birthdate of one of your ancestors—even if it's a parent or grandparent—you can often find records that include their parents' names.  For example, a census record from when they were a child would likely contain the names of your ancestor and their parents. And once you find their parents' names, you can use the same strategy to find their parents' names. 

To find unknown ancestors, start by searching for records for your oldest known relatives. If this is your grandmother, for example, search for records with your grandmother's name in them. When you find records where she appears, save the record to your tree, and add any new information from the record (like her place of birth or marriage date) to your tree.

When you find records for your grandmother that mention her parents or siblings, add them as new people to your tree. Census records can be especially useful for finding someone's immediate family members. 

Once you've found your grandmother's parents' names and added them to your tree, start searching for records for each of her parents, keeping an eye out for records that include their siblings and parents. By working your way backward in time like this, you can often find older and older ancestors.

If you get stuck moving backward in time, try expanding your tree horizontally until you find information about the next generation back. You can do this by searching for records for the sibling of the oldest ancestor you've found and then looking through the sibling's records to find their parents.  

To view the records you find, you may need an Ancestry family history membership. 
 

Searching from your tree and adding what you find

When you start a search from within your tree, any facts you’ve added about the person you search for will be automatically included in your search.

1. In your tree, click on someone you want to find records for. 
2. In the card that appears, click Search.
3. To narrow your search results to a certain time, place, or record type, select a filter (or multiple filters) on the left side of the page.
4. In your search results, on the right side of the page, click on a record to open it. Examine the details to see whether they match the details of the person you're searching for. 
5. If it's a match, you'll want to save the record (and the information in the record) to your tree. Click Save > Save this record to [Name]. 
6. Information from the record will appear on the left side of the page, with information from your tree appearing on the right. If a fact in the record (like a birthdate) differs from that same fact in your tree, it will say DIFFERENT. If a fact in the record isn't already in your tree, it will say NEW. Check the boxes next to the facts you want added to your tree. 
7. If the record contains the names of other family members, those names should appear further down the page. You may have to scroll to see them. To add someone new to your tree who appeared in the record, check the Add box next to their name. 
8. Click Save to tree. 

Searching from outside your tree and adding what you find

1. From any Ancestry page, click the Search tab and select All Collections from the drop-down menu. To search for a specific type of record, select that record type from the drop-down menu instead.
2. To search using additional facts, click the Show more options link. To limit your search results to an exact name or date, enter information in a field, then select exact under that field. It's usually best to start with a broad search and only select Exact if you get too many results.
3. Enter information and click Search.
4. To narrow your search results to a certain time, place, or record type, select a filter (or multiple filters) on the left side of the page.
5. In your search results, on the right side of the page, click on a record to open it. Examine the details to see whether they match those of the person you're searching for. 
6. If it's a match, you'll want to save the record (and the information in the record) to your tree. Click Save > Save to someone in your tree. 
7. If the person you're searching for is already in your tree, select the tree they're in, start typing their name, then select the name when it appears below where you're typing and click Attach. If the person isn't already in your tree, click Add this to a new person, enter information, and click Save.
8. If you're adding a record to someone already in your tree, you'll see information from the record appear on the left side of the page. Information from your tree will be on the right. If a fact in the record (like a birthdate) differs from that same fact in your tree, it will say DIFFERENT. If a fact in the record isn't already in your tree, it will say NEW. Check the boxes next to the facts you want added to your tree. 
9. If the record contains the names of other family members, those names should appear further down the page. You may have to scroll to see them. To add someone new to your tree who appeared in the record, check the Add box next to their name. 
10. Click Save to tree. 

Search tips

• Change how broad or narrow your search is. If your results don't seem relevant enough (or you're not getting enough results), try moving the sliders in the top-left corner of your search results. For help, see Refining Your Search to Improve Results.  
• Narrow your search by location or date. From your search results list, look for the Filter by menu in the panel on the left side of the page. In the Filter by menu, under Record Location or Record Date, click a location or date to filter your results. 
• Try searching with both more and less information. Add and remove different facts in the search form (since different types of records have different data combinations).
• Search for the right records for the right time of life. If you’re looking for someone’s parents, try narrowing your search to a decade or so after the person’s birth. Don’t include information about that person’s spouse or children, but do include information about their siblings. Search for female ancestors using only their maiden names early in life and only their married names after they married, if they married.
• Get search results that include spelling mistakes and different spellings. Sometimes, names are misspelled on censuses, and sometimes handwriting can be difficult to read. Try searching with wild cards. 
• Read the collection description at the bottom of record collections and record summary pages; it usually includes information specific to the collection.
• Take an AncestryDNA® test. A DNA test can provide some direction about where to search and also provide you with a list of people to whom you’re related (and with whom you can potentially collaborate on your family tree).

Frequently asked questions

Why can't I find myself in historical records?
When people begin looking for records on Ancestry, they often start by searching their name and information. This makes sense—how better to test a family history service than to see whether it contains information about the person you're most familiar with? However, because records on Ancestry are geared toward deceased people (both for privacy reasons and because governments usually wait to release public records until a certain number of years have passed), it's not always easy to find living people. We recommend building your tree backward as far back as possible, and then searching for relatives. For more current family connections, we recommend taking an AncestryDNA® test.