Why Copying Family Trees Is Bad Genealogy (and When to Hire a Genealogist)

Family photo albums offer tons of clues! Scan and document before they fade away!

When I talk to people about genealogy, I often hear:“I built a tree on Ancestry.com in 20 minutes!”

Hate to break it to you, but that tree was probably someone else’s work—copied, unverified, and riddled with errors. It’s like claiming you “wrote a book” when all you did was photocopy it.

In my own family, I’ve seen at least three different women falsely named as my 3rd great-grandmother. The only way I uncovered the truth was by digging into actual records and combining them with DNA evidence. Even then, I still get pushback from people who don’t want to believe their quick-click tree might be wrong. (Pro tip: nothing ends an argument faster than showing a 20-page DNA report.)

Why Copying Trees Doesn’t Work

The beauty of genealogy is that anyone can start. You can jump in as a hobbyist, get hooked, and make real discoveries. But here’s the catch: once a mistake gets uploaded online, it spreads. A wrong name or wrong connection will echo across thousands of family trees, and cleaning that up is like trying to delete a bad meme from the internet—it’s not going to happen.

If your tree is well documented and solid, congratulations—you may not need help. But if you’ve hit a brick wall (like I did with my 3rd great-grandmother), if you’re dealing with adoption or unknown parentage, or if your DNA results raise more questions than answers—that’s when it’s time to hire a genealogist.

Why Hire a Genealogist?

A professional genealogist does more than click hints on Ancestry. They:

• Correlate records from multiple sources—even when names are common or records are missing.

• Use DNA analysis alongside traditional research to prove relationships.

• Bring specialized expertise in areas such as African American genealogy, German or French records, or early American research.

If you’re considering whether to hire a genealogist, remember that anyone calling themselves a Certified Genealogist (CG) has passed credential testing by the Board for Certification of Genealogists. I’m not a CG, but I’ve completed the Boston University genealogy program (not for the faint of heart—ask me before you sign up!) and continue professional development through classes, publications, and conferences.

Resources to Help You Hire a Genealogist

If you’re wondering where to start, here are some trustworthy places:

• Association of Professional Genealogists – Why Hire a Professional

• APG – How to Hire a Professional Genealogist

• Board for Certification of Genealogists Directory

• BCG – Why Hire an Associate

• FamilySearch – Hiring a Professional Researcher

Thinking About Hiring Help?

If you’re in that stage where you’re considering whether to hire a genealogist, I offer a free 30-minute consultation. We can talk about your project, see if my skills are a good fit, and if not, I’ll point you toward the next best step.

Because your ancestors deserve better than a copy-and-paste family tree.