Source:FamilySearch Family Tree

Note: FamilySearch Family Tree (FSFT) is NOT an original source of primary information.
Like WeRelate, it is a collaborative genealogy wiki containing user-generated information on individuals and family relationships.

Since its inception in 2012/2013, the quality of information presented continues to improve, but care should be taken to verify the accuracy of any information taken from FSFT by consulting and citing original sources whenever possible.
- see Linda Woodward Geiger, "Guidelines for Evaluating Genealogical Resources," OnBoard 14 (May 2008): 14-15.

Usage Tips

FSFT is free to use once you have created a free account at FamilySearch.org. Pages for deceased individuals can be seen by anyone with an account. Pages for living individuals can only be seen by the originator of their page and may appear as "Unknown" to other viewers.

FSFT is similar to WeRelate in that it's mission is to create one unified family tree with each person having one unique page and identifier.

Example: Daniel Petro (1873-1945).

In WeRelate, his unique identifier is the Title of his Person Page = Person:Daniel Petro (1)

In FS Family Tree, his unique identifier is KHPY-TQJ.

Like WeRelate, duplicate Person Pages at FSFT can and should be merged.

Additional features of FSFT are listed below.

Description from Wikipedia (last retrieved May 2016)

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has released to the public [in Mar 2013] a web application that enables users to interact with very large, unified databases of connected genealogical information. It is in the current FamilySearch.org site and is called the Family Tree. Many of the FamilySearch databases are being combined into one database and all the records for each individual are being combined into folders. These folders are then being linked to pedigrees.

Some prominent features of the new website:

• Support for multiple assertions on facts, allowing people to "agree to disagree."
• Source citations, including links to source images. Documents scanned from the Church's 2.4 million rolls of microfilmed vital records from around the world will eventually be linked to individuals in the system. These films are currently being scanned and indexed.
• Several features specific to the membership of the LDS Church, facilitating temple ordinance work.
• A one-world pedigree of linked families that will operate wiki style, with anyone able to add comments and information.
• A mapping utility that maps locations where an individual has resided -a mashup of the new FamilySearch website and Google Maps showing pushpins for events in a person's life.

- see more about the history of FS Family Tree at Wikipedia:FamilySearch

Description from MyHeritage (last retrieved May 2016)

The FamilySearch Family Tree is composed of lineage-linked trees submitted by approx. 22 million users. These trees, originally submitted as GEDCOM files, have been collected by FamilySearch for several decades and include submissions to Ancestral File, Pedigree Resource File, and more recent user submissions. These have all been merged into one massive common pedigree tree which is represented in this collection. The FamilySearch Family Tree is published by MyHeritage under license from FamilySearch International, the largest genealogy organization in the world. FamilySearch is a nonprofit organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon Church)." MyHeritage.com

User Comments

User:Amelia.Gerlicher (Mar 2014) - This source is a wiki built on the highly unreliable Ancestral File. It should not be cited if at all possible.

User:Amelia.Gerlicher (Mar 2014) - This source refers to the user-editable / wiki Family Tree accessible through the search function when using the "Family Tree" functionality on the FamilySearch website. The source consists of data submitted to the Ancestral File over the years, now available for human editing and improvement. It was made available for editing in 2012, and remains a work in progress. See the Ancestral File page for a description of the types of problems and reasons why the underlying database is extremely unreliable. Given the depth of the issues, significant effort is required to improve the database. The software on FamilySearch does not facilitate discussion or sourcing in the revision of pages, and it does not support alternative hypotheses. Thus resolving or improving complicated and disputed lines is not well reflected in the interface. Accordingly, the information should be treated with considerable suspicion.

User:cos1776 (May 2016) - I have updated this Source Page to reflect some improvements that have been made to FS Family Tree in the last couple of years. It is still a work in progress, but the ability to merge duplicate individuals, clean up lines, and attach individuals and entire families to source records is a huge step in the right direction. Since they also share the goal of one "page" per person and appear to be gaining steam (i.e. making improvements and building partnerships with other organizations), I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss FS Family Tree these days. I think it warrants a second look. --Cos1776 18:35, 13 May 2016 (UTC)