Use these tricks to craft custom-fit online searches and stitch together details of your ancestors’ pasts.
Searching genealogy websites is like shopping for a suit or a dress: One size doesn’t always fit all, sometimes even for clothes from the same label. Search functions on major genealogy websites all work differently, too. What’s more, search tricks can vary from collection to collection within one site, particularly when it comes to census and book collections.
But there’s no need to hem and haw about the differences. We’ve explored top genealogy sites to give you the inside line on the key differences (and similarities) among the sites and their search capabilities. Our tips on altering your search terms and taking advantage of wildcards will help you customize your searches for each site. Let’s get started needling in on census records and books to find your ancestors.