Did you know that we specialise in family trees Australia and internationally? Did you also know that Phoebe (hello! It’s me) from Born and Bred Historical Research is an accredited professional historian and genealogist? And, did you know that we do all of our research with public primary records? There’s no AI used here, no copying of trees, no guesstimating. Just pure research that has been honed through study, knowledge, and years of experience.
Today, online trees are prevalent on worldwide genealogical research. These can be a great resource, and the information and records on these sites are a magnificent source for records that not so long ago would have required snail mail, microfiche, and a lot of patience to access. However, trees on these sites can represent a challenge for genealogical research with many believing that copying someone else’s tree is the equivalent to research. Spoiler alert: it is not!
There are hundreds of thousands – probably more – trees that have been created on genealogical sites; a majority of them shared from someone’s original tree. It is impossible to say how many of those contain errors, however, it would be safe to say that it is more common than not. There is no malice or ill intent in the propagation of someone’s tree with the information taken from a public tree on these sites, but it is problematic. This week alone, I have found at least 20 trees relating to a particular branch of a family that has been shared multiple times. The errors are glaring, and now that information has been reproduced over and over. A single incorrect connection, or detail can now appear in thousands of trees and appear as “fact”.
Errors are incredibly common in these public trees, but can give the impression that they are thoroughly researched.
Whilst there are many credible trees, there are many more that are not. Professional genealogical research operates differently; facts are verified using primary records and sources, and unsupported “facts” are not included in a tree, but are recorded in reports to give an understanding about why and how they do not align with a particular ancestor or branch.
Our family trees Australia are thoroughly and extensively researched and can be an exciting and insightful discovery about your family history, taking you on a journey to the past.
Do you want to learn more about how to begin? Contact us to see how we can help.
