FAQ/Things To Know

Can I find out who my biological family is?

You can, but without DNA testing (which I cannot provide), it is incredibly difficult. The other way to go about this would be requesting a birth certificate, but some states make it difficult for individuals born recently or who aren’t related to the individual. 

How do I know this is 100% accurate?

Dealing with records that can be hundreds of years old is always difficult, and they may not always be accurate. Nevertheless, I try to make sure everything I provide is as accurate as possible.

What is a “Brick Wall,” and what happens if you hit one?

Brick Walls are basically where I can’t go any further up on your family tree. This could be due to a lack of information, or records that are not available. My subscription covers U.S. records only, and foreign records are often sporadic, incomplete, or unavailable (e.g. Greek records). I will let you know if I hit one.

Can you try to go past a Brick Wall?

It’s possible, but unlikely. I have hit several, including one I have been actively researching for three years. No information is accessible on him and I’ve reached out to dozens of people asking for any information. Ancestry does provide professional researchers, but they can cost thousands of dollars. 

Can I request a family tree outside of the available options?
Of course! Email me with what you’d like (within reason, I can’t exactly go all the way to the Roman Empire), and I’ll give you a quote.

Why does it take you several weeks to complete?

I’m an active student, and I usually can only work on the tree on afternoons or over the weekend. 

How will I view this tree once it’s done?

Great question! There are two different ways I offer:

1. Ancestry Account

Contrary to popular belief, Ancestry accounts are completely free. However, it’s the research materials that cost money. I will create the tree and share it with you, so that you can have it and view it anytime.

2. GEDCOM File 

GEDCOM files are the standard for family trees. It exports all information (birth dates, death dates, relationships, etc.), but does not include media, such as photos, records, etc. I would send you this file and you would import it into a genealogical service of your choosing and you could view it anytime. 

Ancestry doesn’t let you view living people – so if you’d like your children, cousins, siblings, grandchildren, etc., in the tree, you have to let me know their names and birth dates, or they have to be mentioned in an obituary. All information on living individuals is private and information on the deceased will only be shared with explicit permission.