Build Your Family Tree with Ancestry Research Apps

Unless your family has kept a detailed record of its family tree (I know mine hasn’t), learning about our ancestry is mostly limited to knowledge passed down from our grandparents, old photos and letters. Now, with the latest advancements in technology and DNA testing, we have new ways to discover more about our ancestry.

I have been wanting to put together my family tree for a while, so I thought the best way to start is to find great tools I can use to learn more about my origins. So, I decided to do some investigating and find the best apps I could use on my phone to research my family history. After some time on Google, I found a great site called AppGrooves that has a top 10 list of supposedly the best apps for researching family history. You can see the full list here:

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Best 10 Family History & Research Apps by AppGrooves

I checked out some of the apps and reviewed my top 3 favorites.

Ancestry – Discover your family history

One of my favorites is Ancestry. You can do everything from investigating your ancestry, to building your family tree and sharing it with your family. Supposedly the database has over 14 billion historical records, photos and more. If this isn’t a good place to start your research, then I don’t know what is. I found the interface very intuitive and smartly organized, making it easy to do a family search and compare your data to historical records.

Keep in mind that you do need a subscription to enjoy unlimited access to Ancestry’s vast database. However, the time and effort you save in discovering your family history more than justifies the price. Although I didn’t pay for a subscription, I signed up for a free Ancestry trial to get a taste of all the features. I would recommend you try it first, but I am almost certain you will be thrilled with all the information you’ll learn.
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AncestryDNA – Discover the history stored in your DNA

My second choice is AncestryDNA. Unlike my previous pick, AncestryDNA uses genetic testing to find out your origins. For the full experience, I ordered an ancestry DNA test kit for myself and sent it back for analysis. Although I haven’t received my results yet (just sent my test last week), I like how you can check the status of your DNA test with live updates right from your mobile device. Your results show you a personalized breakdown of your ethnic mix and you might even discover long-lost family members too!

Although you can use Ancestry DNA for free, the test kit is not available for free. You will have to drop some cash on the test kit, but ultimately you will discover information you never knew about yourself. You only need one test in a lifetime, and the valuable insight you get is more than worth it.
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FamilySearch Tree – Immortalize your family tree

My third choice is FamilySearch Tree. I found it to be a great choice if you want to easily put together your family tree. Not only can you create your family tree, but you can also attach photos, audio recordings and more to immortalize key moments in your family history. Want to delve deeper into your ancestry? Like Ancestry, you can access billions of historical records to discover new details on your family history too. Another handy tool I liked is the ability to track your heritage on a map and see where your ancestors lived!

The information you enter for your family tree is automatically backed up and synced with the Family Search website. This feature is great for getting the whole family to share in the fun and build the family tree from the comfort of their own home. However, beware that any changes made to the tree are saved and backed up automatically. So, make sure everyone knows how to use FamilySearch Tree, so they don’t delete any information by mistake!
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These are my top 3 choices for discovering family history. I have been using all of them to help build my family tree. So far, I’ve been able to go back a couple of generations and I haven’t reached a dead end yet. I hope you find them as useful as I did. Have a great time discovering your ancestry!