01 / RECORDS
Historical records
Search records such as census, birth, marriage, death, immigration, and other historical collections, with access depending on your membership.
Family history · USA
Your family story is bigger than a single name.
Explore how Ancestry can bring together historical records, family trees, hints, and DNA features to help you research the people and stories that came before you.
Membership features, records, pricing, trials, and DNA availability can vary by plan and may change over time.
Family record
Birth · Residence · Marriage · Census
A research trail can turn scattered clues into a connected family story.
Research toolkit
Start with what you know. Follow the clues.
Ancestry combines a family-tree workspace with historical records and research tools. The goal is to help you organize discoveries as you work backward through generations.
02 / FAMILY TREE
Build a family tree
Add people and relationships as you research. Your tree gives you a place to organize the names, dates, places, and sources you uncover.
03 / HINTS
Research hints
Ancestry Hints can point you toward potentially relevant records and information connected to people in your tree.
04 / DNA
DNA connections
AncestryDNA can provide ancestry insights and DNA matches. Some DNA features require a DNA test and/or an eligible membership.
05 / ORGANIZE
Keep discoveries together
Use your tree as the central place to connect people, research findings, and family-history discoveries over time.
06 / EXPLORE
Keep going deeper
Once one record answers a question, it can reveal another name, location, or date that becomes the next research lead.
The family tree
One discovery can connect several generations.
A family tree is more than a list of names. It gives your research a structure: relationships connect people, while records can provide evidence about where they lived, when they were born, and what happened during their lives.
Compare Membership Areas →Great-grandparent
Grandparent
Grandparent
Parent
You
Relative
U.S. membership guide
Match the membership to your research.
Current U.S. membership options include U.S. Discovery, World Explorer, and All Access. Exact benefits and terms should be checked before purchase.
U.S. Discovery
Designed around U.S. family-history research and access to U.S. records.
- U.S. records
- U.S. Ancestry Hints
- Public member trees
- Message other members
- Some additional DNA features
International
World Explorer
For research that crosses U.S. borders and includes international family history.
- U.S. & international records
- U.S. & international Hints
- Public member trees
- Message other members
- Some additional DNA features
All Access
Combines Ancestry access with additional resources from Fold3 and Newspapers.com.
- U.S. & international records
- Ancestry Hints
- Public member trees
- Fold3 membership
- Newspapers.com membership
Membership descriptions are summarized from current Ancestry help information. Availability, pricing, eligibility, and included features may change.
A practical starting point
Build your research one clue at a time.
Start with a known relative
Begin with names, dates, places, photos, documents, and stories you can already verify.
Build the tree
Add the relationships you know, then use records and hints to investigate the next generation.
Check the evidence
Compare names, dates, locations, and source details rather than assuming every matching record belongs to your family.
Questions
Ancestry FAQ
What is Ancestry?
Ancestry is a family-history platform where people can build family trees, explore historical records, and use DNA-related features to research family connections and origins.
Is this the official Ancestry website?
No. This is an independently operated information and promotional website. It is not operated by or affiliated with Ancestry.
What does U.S. Discovery include?
Ancestry's current U.S. Discovery membership includes access to U.S. records, U.S. Ancestry Hints, public member trees, member messaging, and some additional DNA features. International records require a different membership.
Do I need DNA testing to build a family tree?
No. Family-history research and DNA are separate parts of the Ancestry experience. You can build a tree and research historical records without taking a DNA test.
Are all records free?
No. Ancestry provides a free registered account with limited access, while different paid memberships provide access to different record collections and features.
Can membership features change?
Yes. Plans, pricing, record access, trials, and features can change. Review the current information presented by Ancestry for your location before subscribing.
Why does this page contain a promotional link?
Some links are affiliate links. If you visit Ancestry through an affiliate link and complete an eligible action, this site may receive compensation at no additional cost to you.
Transparency
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Information Disclaimer
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