Family History Learning Resources
This page is moving to a new site! Please visit Goldenrod Genealogy and update your bookmarks if needed. This page is no longer being updated and will eventually be retired.
Welcome! This site provides learning resources for FamilySearch Family Tree and other family history topics. Materials have been created to address specific needs, so topics are varied. More will be added as the need arises. Note: the content below is best viewed in Chrome or Firefox.
The materials on this page are licensed under a Creative Commons Attributions license. You are free to share, use, and alter them, but not to charge others for them.
More information about this site
Hello, and thanks for visiting. My name is Kathryn, and I'm a family history enthusiast, researcher, and teacher. Over time as I've developed presentations and tutorials, people have requested copies. This web site puts all these materials in one place for easy access. These materials are not connected with or endorsed by FamilySearch or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I take full responsibility for any errors and would appreciate feedback on any you find.
Upcoming Classes
All times below are mountain time (UTC-7:00). All classes are free and open to the public.
| Date & Time | Title | Location |
| 5 Mar 2022 (3:00 pm) |
Discovery Experience Demo | RootsTech |
| 6 Mar 2022 (2:00 pm) |
Intermediate FamilySearch Class 1 Duplicates in Family Tree (Part 1): Why They're There and How to Find Them |
BYU Family History Library Online Sunday Class |
| 13 Mar 2022 (2:00 pm) |
Intermediate FamilySearch Class 2 Duplicates in Family Tree (Part 2): How to Resolve Them |
BYU Family History Library Online Sunday Class |
| 20 Mar 2022 (2:00 pm) |
Intermediate FamilySearch Class 3 Mysteries of the Change Log Revealed |
BYU Family History Library Online Sunday Class |
| 27 Mar 2022 (2:00 pm) |
Intermediate FamilySearch Class 4 Answers Hiding in Plain Sight: Using What You Know to Discover What You Don't Know |
BYU Family History Library Online Sunday Class |
| 3 April 2022 | General Conference Weekend—No Classes |
Quick Reference Guides
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Add or Invite Someone to the Consultant Planner |
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How to Find Your Helper Number |
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Key Records for English Research: Late 1700s - Mid 1900s |
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Sample Reason Statements |
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Streamline Research with "Logo Searches" Those logos on Family Tree person pages do more than look pretty; they let you easily search for more records for the person whose page you're on. Check it out! |
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Understanding the Data in Family Tree (Short version; full version below in Presentations section.) |
FamilySearch Blog Posts
(listed in alphabetical order)
5 Ideas for Helping Others Find Joy in Temple and Family History Work (16 November 2017)
11 Types of Journals for Capturing Your Life (7 January 2022)
Discovering the Meaning of Your Armenian Family Name (20 August 2020)
Discovering Your English Heritage (7 March 2020)
Discovering Your Norwegian Heritage (10 June 2019)
Emerging Tech at RootsTech (6 March 2020)
Even with Technology, Family History Is "a Spiritual Work" (14 September 2017)
Helping Youth Consultants Succeed (30 October 2017)
How to Find Family Names for Temple Work (16 May 2020)
"How Project Instructions Helped Me Learn to Index" (19 July 2017)
Learning to Hear the Spirit Through Family History (20 December 2016)
Listening to the Spirit to Find a Starting Place (2 March 2017)
Mobile Apps: Great Gathering Tools (30 October 2017)
Power Up Your Scripture Study with Scripture Journaling (26 October 2021)
RootsTech Connect 2021 Welcomes Keynote Speaker Erick Avari (18 January 2021)
Safely Gathered In: The First Four Generations (7 August 2017)
Technology: A Heart-Turning Tool (12 September 2017)
The Power of Family History in Missionary Work (3 August 2017)
Three Ways to Use FamilySearch Family Tree (15 June 2017)
Top Tips to Find an Obituary for a Specific Person (13 April 2020)
Understanding Japanese Names (23 April 2021)
Using the 1940 U.S. Census to Build Your Family Tree (10 May 2019)
Youth Leading the Way (30 October 2017)
Presentations
(listed in alphabetical order)
5 Minutes or 5 Hours? Stopping Mistakes Before They Start (Family Tree)
"Just fix it later." "The important thing is to add names to the tree as quickly as possible." "Someone else will clean it up." This advice may be well-intended, but the truth is that cutting corners now almost always costs more in the long run. This presentation gives two examples of mistakes in Family Tree that were easy to make but hard to clean up. It also gives principles to help stop these kinds of mistakes before they're made. It takes a little more effort to be careful up front, but it saves time in the long run.
Webinar 
Slide Deck
10 Helpful Things to Know Before Using Family Tree
What's puzzling to new users when they start using Family Tree? What do experienced users wish they'd known sooner? This presentation highlights 10 of those things.
Webinar Slide Deck
Answers Hiding in Plain Sight: Using What You Know to Discover What You Don't Know
Ever feel like you're looking into a genealogical dark tunnel, with no idea where to go next? Turn on the light by using what you already know to discover what you don't know. We'll see examples of how this simple but sometimes overlooked principle can help solve puzzles and extend your family lines.
Webinar Slide Deck
Best Practices for Working in FamilySearch's Shared Family Tree
When FamilySearch started Family Tree in 2012, it was a revolutionary concept: a free shared tree for the world! Almost 10 years later, people still wrestle with the concept of a shared tree. How do you work effectively in a shared tree with other users? How do you avoid problems? Watch this webinar for ideas.
Boost Your Family History Brain Power #1: Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Learn about causes and solutions for common mistakes.
Boost Your Family History Brain Power #2: Avoiding the Same Name Trap
If you think that confusing two different people with the same name is one of the biggest challenges in family history . . . you're right! In this class, you'll learn how to avoid that problem and spot mixups that need to be fixed.
Webinar (Coming Soon) Slide Deck
Case Study: Double Trouble with Elizabeth Hepton
Incorrect merges in Family Tree can be tricky to spot, but there are signs we can watch for. This presentation walks through a real-life example of resolving an incorrect merge for Elizabeth Hepton. It also provides principles to apply when resolving incorrect merges.
Census 101: Basics, Benefits, and Cautions
Census records are widely used in family history research, and they're a great boon to researchers. They're also error-prone and can lead to mistakes and false conclusions. Learn how to take advantage of the benefits while avoiding the problems!
Checking the Person Page for Accuracy in FamilySearch Family Tree
Have you ever opened someone's Person page in FamilySearch Family Tree and wondered how trustworthy the information is? What are some red flags that indicate possible issues? This presentation gives tips and examples for checking accuracy of a person's information in Family Tree.
Choosing the Right Tool: Family Tree Web or Mobile?
Maybe you love the Family Tree app but are intimidated by the website. Or maybe you've used the website for years, but have yet to try the app. What are the differences between the two? What are the strengths and weaknesses of each? This presentation compares key features to help you decide which tool is best for you in a given situation.
Connect and Collaborate in the FamilySearch Community
The FamilySearch Community is a virtual gathering place for family history enthusiasts of all levels. Wondering how to use it and how it can benefit you? This presentation covers the basics.
Discover-Gather-Connect: An Expanded Emphasis for Family History
This presentation provides an overview of Discover-Gather-Connect, the expanded approach to family history which was announced in early 2018. Learn how you can take family history to the next level with Discover-Gather-Connect.
Discover-Gather-Connect and Helper Resources
Learn how to use FamilySearch Helper Resources (formerly consultant planner) with the Discover–Gather–Connect approach.
Note: This webinar was recently updated. The new webinar doesn't include a discovery experience, because there's now a separate webinar with a live discovery experience. Both the old and new links are included below.
Webinar (Updated) Webinar (Original) Slide Deck (Updated)
Deep Dive: FamilySearch.org
This presentation takes a detailed look at the FamilySearch.org web site, including the personalized home page, the five major sections of the website, and other options such as Messaging and Help.
Deep Dive: Tree Views in Family Tree
This presentation takes a comprehensive look at the four tree views in Family Tree: landscape, portrait, fan chart, and descendancy.
Deep Dive: The Family Tree Person Page
This presentation takes a thorough look at the Person page in Family Tree.
Double Trouble: Avoiding the Same Name Trap
Two records in Family Tree have the exact same name. Are they for the same person or not? This presentation provides tips for making that determination.
Double Trouble: To Merge or Not to Merge?
Most Family Tree users know that duplicates can cause problems and should be merged. But did you know that incorrect merges (i.e., merging two people who aren't really duplicates) can also cause significant problems? View this presentation for tips on determining whether or not two people should be merged.
Duplicates in Family Tree
Part 1: Why They're There and How to Find Them
Part 2: How to Resolve Them
Family Tree contains many duplicate records, but finding and resolving them correctly is not as simple as it may sound. These presentations explain how to find obvious and less obvious duplicates. You'll also learn best practices for merging duplicates so that information and relationships are not lost.
2020 Version
Webinar Part 1 Webinar Part 2 Slide Deck
2017 Version
Webinar Part 1 Webinar Part 2 Slide Deck
Energizing Family History with Find–Take–Teach*
*Find–Take–Teach is being phased out and replaced with Discover–Gather–Connect. This presentation may be helpful for perspective; however, for the most up-to-date information, refer to the presentations on Discover–Gather–Connect.
English Research: Civil Registration Made Easy
Learn the basics of using English civil registration for family history research, including where and how to search for births, marriages, and deaths.
English Research: Finding Ancestors Using FreeReg Parish Registers
This presentation explains how to use the FreeReg site to search English parish registers.
English Research: Finding a Woman's Maiden Name Using the GRO Site
Finding a woman's maiden name can be a challenge! But if your ancestor lived in England in July 1837 or later, the General Register Office (GRO) site makes it easier. This presentation provides tips and examples for finding those elusive maiden names.
English Research: Finding Missing Children Using the GRO Site
You may suspect you don't have all the children in for a family, but finding them is another matter—especially if they were born and died between censuses. This presentation explains how to use the General Register Office (GRO) site to find missing children born after July 1837.
English Research: How Can the 1939 Register Help You?
The 1939 Register is the only available historical record that gives a snapshot of England's population between 1911 and 1951: The 1921 census won't be available until 2022, the 1931 census was burned, and the 1941 census was not taken. Learn the basics of the 1939 Register and see examples for using it.
English Research: Research Walk-Through—Best Practices for Adding a Family from England to Family Tree
This presentation gives a big picture view of researching one family in England—parents and children—so they can be added to FamilySearch Family Tree. It highlights principles and best practices for reasonably thorough research, including checking the most common records and ensuring that all children in the family are accounted for.
Extra! Extra! Read All About It: Finding Your Family History in Newspapers
This presentation provides an examples and practical tips for researching your family in newspapers.
Family Tree Cleanup Case Studies
Case Study 1: Untangling Wesley Jackson's Family
Case Study 2: Connecting and Correcting the Holtby Family
Case Study 2: Connecting and Correcting the Holtby Family, Continued
Webinar (coming soon) Slide Deck
FamilySearch Q & A Webinars
These webinars addresses participant questions about the FamilySearch.org website and other family history topics.
FamilySearch Updates—The Latest and Greatest (November 2021)
This presentation, given at a monthly meeting of the Utah Valley Technology and Genealogy Group, covers four recent enhancements to FamilySearch.org: Family Feed, Family Groups, Ancestor Discovery pages, and the new search interface for historical records.
Webinar Slide Deck
Family Tree Reason Statements Made Easy
This presentation offers guidance for writing reason statements in Family Tree, including examples. Also included is information about a form-filler, SimpleFill, that can make adding reason statements easier.
Finding a Starting Place on a Full Tree
When your tree looks full in Family Tree, how do you find people who are missing? This presentation offers one approach.
Finding and Adding Sources to Records in Family Tree
It's easier than ever to attach sources to people in Family Tree. This presentation explains how.
Fixing Incorrect Merges in Family Tree
Incorrect merges are a significant challenge in FamilySearch Family Tree. How do you recognize them, and how do you fix them? One you've fixed them, how do you reduce the likelihood of future incorrect merges? See this presentation to learn how.
Fixing Sticky, Tricky Problems in Family Tree
Ever found a tangled family line in FamilySearch Family Tree and wondered about the best way to fix it? There are no magic wands, but there are principles and processes that make untangling these problems easier and less error-prone.
From Snarky to Civil: Improving the Way We Treat Each Other in the Genealogy Community
We love family history. Why do we sometimes treat other family historians in a less than civil way? This presentation explores from a faith-based perspective why we sometimes have difficulty relating civilly to each other and how we can change things.
Fun, Free Family Tree Charts
Learn about some clever, creative, and free options for viewing your family information.
Fun Tips
This presentation has miscellaneous tips for FamilySearch and Family Tree. It was originally included as part of this webinar.
Getting Better Search Results with Wildcards
This presentation gives a basic introduction to using wildcards when searching historical records.
Getting Relationships Right in Family Tree
How do you create correct relationships in Family Tree? How do you fix them if they're wrong? View this presentation for answers and examples.
Getting Started with English Research
England—the land of Shakespeare, Buckingham Palace, and double-decker busses. Maybe it’s the land of your ancestors too! This presentation touches briefly on English history and culture, but its main focus is on the most useful records and how to search them. It also gives an example of tracing ancestors who emigrated from England.
Getting Started with FamilySearch Web Indexing
Learn about FamilySearch's new web indexing program, the guided tour, and how to index your first batch. Discover the many help resources that are available for indexing in English and other languages.
Getting the Most from FamilySearch Family Tree: Tree Views in Family Tree
What are the four tree views in Family Tree, and what are the advantages of each? Watch this presentation to find out.
Getting the Most from FamilySearch Family Tree: Introduction to the Person Page
Get a helpful introduction to the Person page in Family Tree. Learn about its purpose and how it can help you with your family history.
Getting the Most from FamilySearch Family Tree: The Person Page Time Line
Get tips and tricks for using the Person page Time Line to make family history easier and more fun.
Getting the Most from FamilySearch Family Tree: Sources
This three-part webinar explains the value of sources and how to attach various types of sources in FamilySearch Family Tree.
Part 1: Sources on the Person Page
Part 2: Adding FamilySearch Historical Records as Sources in Family Tree
Part 3: Adding 3rd Party Sources in Family Tree
Getting the Most from FamilySearch Family Tree: Collaborating in Family Tree
Learn about the tools that Family Tree provides for collaboration, and get tips for collaborating effectively.
Getting the Most from FamilySearch Family Tree: The Person Page Memories Tab
Learn about the features of the Memories tab that make it easy to manage photos, documents, stories, and audio recordings about your ancestors.
Getting the Most from FamilySearch Family Tree—Minimum Stress, Maximum Progress
This presentation covers basic concepts of success for using FamilySearch Family Tree. The live class allows students to ask questions and see answers demonstrated. Some of the most common questions have been added to this presentation, and others may be added in the future.
Getting the Most from Record Hints on Family Tree
This presentation covers record hints in Family Tree: where you can see them, how accurate they are, how to evaluate them, and how to attach or dismiss them. You'll also learn how they can help you find people to add to Family Tree.
Getting the Most from the Search Function on FamilySearch
The Search function on FamilySearch puts a vast array of family history resources at your fingertips, including historical records, books, microfilms, wiki articles, and more. Discover what's available and learn tips for effective searches.
Giving the Gift of Family History
Looking for a gift for the family historian in your life? Hoping to inspire someone to get involved with family history? Check out this presentation for ideas.
*Got My Eyes on You: Using the Watch Feature in FamilySearch Family Tree
Learn how to use the Watch feature to keep track of changes to people in Family Tree.
*Note: The Watch feature has been renamed and enhanced. See the updated webinar, "The Fabulous Following Feature in FamilySearch Family Tree."
Hidden Clues on Person Records in Family Tree
Have you ever looked at a person record in Family Tree and wondered where the information came? How reliable it is? Why some vital information and relationships are included, but others aren't? How to see a history of changes to the person record? This presentation answers these questions and more.
How to Find People Who Are Missing from Family Tree!
Family Tree contains about 1.3 billion names—about 1% of the earth's total estimated population. What about the other 99%? This presentation gives tips for finding names that are missing from Family Tree.
Slide Deck (short version) Slide Deck (long version)
How to Start Using the Timeline Grid
This presentation is a sequel to "The Timeline Grid: An Easy Way to Track, Organize, and Use Your Research." It provides step-by-step instructions for saving a timeline grid template, along with examples of entering census, birth, and other information.
Ideas for Stepping Up Your Family History Game
Want to take your family history game to the next level? Regardless of where you are, this presentation offers ideas for becoming more effective in doing your family history.
Learning to Love Family History . . . Research!
Have you noticed that family history research has (unfairly) gotten a bad name? Some claim that research is boring and that most people won't do it. Others mistakenly call research "old school" and say it's no longer necessary. But understanding how to do basic research is a major factor in family history success. How can we learn—or help others learn—to love family history research?
"My Tree" and "The Magic Well": How Mental Models Influence Use of FamilySearch Family Tree
Mental models—the ideas in our mind about how things work—never quite match reality. Still, we want them to be as close as possible. Originally given at an employee conference, this presentation explores two common but inaccurate mental models of FamilySearch Family Tree. It compares them with how Family Tree actually works, and suggests ways to correct inaccurate mental models.
Mysteries of the Change Log Revealed: What's Behind Show All Changes on the Person Page in Family Tree
What is the change log and what benefits does it provide? Learn how to make sense of change log entries, use change log filters, restore deleted persons, and more.
Navigating in Family Tree
Learn how to get around in Family Tree. You'll see how to navigate in Tree views and on the Person page. You'll also discover how the Recents list works, and even how to navigate to a new page without closing the one you're one.
Preparing and Providing a Successful Discovery Experience
This presentation explains a simple way to help people find names to add to Family Tree. It includes an unscripted live demo.
Ready for Temple Work? Top Tips for Checking Names in FamilySearch Family Tree
Learn why it's important to verify names in Family Tree before doing temple work, get tips for verification, and see examples.
Simple Tips for Writing Life Sketches in Family Tree
Learn why it's important to verify names in Family Tree before doing temple work, get tips for verification, and see examples.
Sources Made Simple: Adding Sources to People in Family Tree
Adding sources to people in Family Tree has never been easier. This presentation shows how to find FamilySearch historical records and attach them to people in Family Tree. It also explains how to attach other types of sources, both digital and non-digital.
Success Tips for Getting Started with Family History
Are you at the beginning of your family history adventure? This presentation covers some basic concepts to help you find success. It's geared toward members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who want to do temple ordinances.
Webinar Slide Deck (webinar version) Slide Deck (Discovery Day version)
The Fabulous Following Feature in FamilySearch Family Tree
Learn how you can use the Family Tree Following feature to keep track of people you're researching. Besides regular notifications, you can sort, filter, and add labels. As of March 2021, you can even see other people who are following the same person. Watch this presentation to learn how.
The FamilySearch Consultant Planner: For Find–Take–Teach and Beyond*
Note: Find–Take–Teach has been phased out and replaced with Discover–Gather–Connect. This presentation may be helpful for perspective; however, for the most up-to-date information, refer to the presentations on Discover–Gather–Connect.
The Holy Ghost: The Best Family History Helper
Family history is a spiritual work, so it's not surprising that the Spirit plays a key role. This presentation talks about how the Holy Ghost helps us in family history and provides examples. It also discusses the Spirit and technology, and how we can grow in our ability to hear the Spirit's voice.
The Power of Stories in Family History: Finding and Telling Your Family Stories
Family stories play a surprisingly powerful role in our lives. Get ideas for preserving and sharing your family stories.
The Teach Part of Find–Take–Teach: Teaching Others Effectively About Family History*
Wondering how you can be more effective when you're the helper in a Find–Take–Teach
experience? This presentation provides ideas and examples.
*Note: Find–Take–Teach is being phased out and replaced with Discover–Gather–Connect. The teaching tips in this presentation may still be helpful, but for the most up-to-date information, refer to the presentations on Discover–Gather–Connect.
The Timeline Grid: An Easy Way to Track, Organize, and Use Your Research
The timeline grid is a simple, unique research log that helps you track and use the information you find. You create it using a word processor or spreadsheet program. It's simple enough for beginners, but powerful enough for advanced users. More information is available here.
Thanks for the Memories: Basics of the FamilySearch Gallery
Learn about the FamilySearch Gallery and how it can help you preserve and manage your family history memories: photos, stories, documents, and audio recordings.
Thanks for the Memories 2: FamilySearch Gallery Features for Power Users
Learn about advanced features of the FamilySearch Gallery: multiple methods of adding, using the Actions menu, adding details to multiple memories, and more.
Thoughts on Hastening the Work of Family History
This presentation offers spiritual and practical ideas for being more productive in doing family history.
Turning Hearts with Discovery Experiences (Consultant Training)
The presentation provides tips for preparing a successful discovery experience. The live class includes a demonstration.
Understanding Extracted Records in FamilySearch Family Tree
Ever wondered about that little extraction notice that sometimes shows up in the Sources section on the Person page? This presentation explains what extracted records are, how to recognize the Family Tree people created from them, and how you can use them in your family history research.
Understanding the Data in FamilySearch Family Tree (Short Version from RootsTech 2019)
FamilySearch Family Tree contains information for over a billion people. But where did the information come from? The answer may surprise you. An accurate understanding of the information in Family Tree helps prevent errors and duplicate ordinances.
Understanding the Data in FamilySearch Family Tree (Full Version)
FamilySearch Family Tree contains information for over a billion people. But where did the information come from? The answer may surprise you. An accurate understanding of the information in Family Tree helps prevent errors and duplicate ordinances.
Understanding the Family Tree Source Linker
The Family Tree Source Linker lets you attach Family Search Historical Records to Person pages in Family Tree. Learn the basics as well as some more advanced features.
What Every Family Tree User Should Know About Name-Finding Apps
It sounds so good: run an app and find dozens or even hundreds of temple names. But as with most things that sound too good to be true, name-finding apps come with significant downsides for you and others. This presentation illustrates how to find names without a name-finding app and provides cautions if you choose to use one.
Special thanks to my sister, Suzanne, for providing subtitles for the webinar!
What I Wish I'd Known When I Started Doing Family History
When you start doing anything worthwhile there’s usually a learning curve, and that’s true of family history. This presentation suggests ways to shorten the curve and prevent errors as you start working on your family history.
What to Do When You See 
: Resolving "Data Problem" Errors in FamilySearch Family Tree
When unlikely or impossible information appears in Family Tree—such as a person dying before birth or living to be 150 years old—the system will often warn you with a red "data problem" icon. This presentation covers the types of data problems that generate errors in Family Tree and gives you suggestions for resolving them.
When One Record Isn't Enough: Building a More Complete Picture with Multiple Records
When doing family history, we often rely on historical records (census, birth, marriage, etc.) for facts about our ancestors. Sometimes we're tempted to rely on just one record--for example, the 1880 census. But when is one record not enough and how do you find more?
When Your Family History is "All Done": Temple Work Through Descendancy Research
At a loss for finding names for temple work because your family history is "all done"? Learn how to reap a rich harvest through descendancy research. You will learn a reliable process, along with tips and tricks to help you proceed effectively and avoid common pitfalls.
Where to Start When You Don't Know Where to Start
Figure out where to start can be one of the trickiest parts of family history, whether you're a beginner or have some experience. This webinar covers tips for getting started as well as things to avoid.
Other
| Nauvoo Times Articles on Family History (see March 4, 2015 – Jan 31, 2016; also Decemeber 10, 2014 and July 25, 2012) |
| "Truth From Elijah" (Primary Song) with additional verses |
| Children's Pedigree Chart (with circles in which children can draw pictures of their family members) |
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