How to Build Your Family Tree on Ancestry.com

Trace your ancestors back generations using census records, birth certificates, and your DNA.

At a Glance

Start a free tree

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Go to ancestry.com and click "Start your free tree." Enter your name, parents, and anything you know about your grandparents. You do not need to pay to start the tree.

Add what you know

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Fill in names, birth years, marriage years, and locations for every family member you can remember. The more details you give, the better Ancestry can match historical records.

Watch for the green leaves

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Ancestry marks each person in your tree with a small green leaf when it finds matching records — a census, birth certificate, or someone else's tree. Click the leaf to review and add the record if it is truly the same person.

Start a subscription if you want more

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A paid subscription unlocks the historical records themselves. Use the 14-day free trial to do a burst of research, then cancel if you are done. US Discovery plans cover American records only. World Explorer covers everywhere.

Take a DNA test (optional)

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For about $99, Ancestry will mail you a saliva kit. You spit in the tube, mail it back, and 4 to 6 weeks later see your ethnicity estimate and any DNA cousin matches who are also on Ancestry.

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Ancestry.com is the largest family history site, with billions of historical records like census forms, ship passenger lists, and old newspapers. You can build a family tree going back hundreds of years.

Basic searching is free, but the detailed records and DNA matching require a subscription of about $25 to $50 per month. Ancestry often offers free 14-day trials.

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