08/07/2026
Finally! Thanks, Mike!
A complimentary post from Mike Maddox on Genealogy Help:
Turn Those Lemons into Lemonade!
I often see frustrated posts about FamilySearch “messing up my tree.” Most of these concerns come from people who don’t first realize that—unlike Ancestry, MyHeritage, and similar sites—the FamilySearch Family Tree is a single, shared, global tree (similar to WikiTree). Anyone can contribute to any branch.
I’ve had incorrect edits made to my ancestors as well, so I certainly understand the frustration. A universal tree can absolutely lead to problems, even when you’ve attached solid documentation. But you do have tools to fix it.
I spent several years as a community volunteer at a FamilySearch Family History Center (I’m not LDS) and have made over 42,000 contributions to the Family Tree, including attaching more than 37,000 sources. Maybe a half dozen people over the years sent me a message questioning my changes. In most cases, I was able to further explain the change. There were a couple of times where after some collaboration, I was wrong, corrected the change I made, apologized and moved on. People make mistakes.
However, what I ultimately learned is that FamilySearch is much more than a shared tree. Maybe the following tips could help.
PROTECT YOUR RESEARCH FIRST
Never rely on any online platform—FamilySearch, Ancestry, or anything else—as the sole home for your family tree. Keep your master tree on your own computer using your preferred software, with multiple backups (including offsite). That way, you always control your core research.
IF YOU FIND INCORRECT DATA ON FAMILYSEARCH, YOU HAVE OPTIONS
• Verify your information — Make sure your data is supported by solid sources. Family stories are valuable, but they are not proof.
• Study the incorrect data — Sometimes wrong information can alert you to potential pitfalls or alternate research paths. Check any sources attached to the incorrect data; historical records often contain errors or contradictions.
• Correct the information — Edit the facts and attach your supporting sources. Documented corrections carry weight. You may also be able to submit corrections on some historical records that have been transcribed incorrectly or contain errors.
• Review the change log — You can see every change ever made to a person’s record and restore earlier versions if needed.
• Add collaboration notes — Explain why your information is accurate or why the incorrect data is wrong.
• Message contributors — Reach out politely. Courtesy goes a long way. Most people appreciate collaboration and are happy to connect with a newly discovered relative.
THE REAL GOLD MINE: FAMILYSEARCH’S FREE RESEARCH RESOURCES
Many users only try the basic search bar—type a name, add dates, hit Enter—and assume that’s all FamilySearch offers. But only about 20% of FamilySearch’s records are indexed. That means the basic search barely scratches the surface.
To uncover the remaining 80%, explore the additional tools under the Search menu:
• Full Text Search — Searches inside unindexed historical documents for names, dates, and details you’d never find otherwise.
• Unindexed Images — Browse courthouse books, ledgers, and other collections that haven’t been indexed yet.
• Genealogies — View pedigrees and lineages shared by other researchers.
• Catalog — Access books, records, microfilm, images, and more.
• Books — Search over 500,000 digitized genealogy books, family histories, maps, and yearbooks.
• Research Wiki — Guides, how‑tos, and links to worldwide records: parish registers, transcripts, census data, vital records, and more.
• FamilySearch Labs — Experimental features like MyHeritage Matches or the improved Change Log.
MAKE LEMONADE
Before dismissing FamilySearch as “incorrect” or “changing my data,” take advantage of the extraordinary free resources it provides. The shared tree can be challenging, but the research tools and historical records are where FamilySearch truly shines.
