We’ve picked out the best genealogy tools to help you find more information about your ancestors.
Finding your roots used to be such a taxing process. If were interested in doing so, you had to be prepared to spend your days, months, or even years going through registers archived in temperature-controlled rooms. With the growth of the Internet in the last decade or so, many possibilities have been opened up for the world. This includes the ability to study your ancestry in a more convenient and comfortable way. You can now do it wherever you are whenever you like. Whether using a personal computer or a mobile device, finding out if there is anyone famous related to you has never been easier. Genealogy software lets you do a lot of stuff, too. For one, you can build your family tree and record relevant information about your ancestors. This includes dates, locations, relationships, and others. You can also take note of your research sources and even link them to the family tree that you have created. You can keep multiple databases for numerous family trees. You may also print out your ancestral charts and family tree or share them with other people electronically. Additionally, you can store your photos as well as audio and video records along with scanned documents related to your ancestors. The software also has a backup feature, so you can keep your information protected as it assists you by providing tips on how and where to search. It also allows you to bring your information from one genealogy program to another. There is a wide selection of applications online that exist for the purpose of tracking your family’s roots. Having to deal with all of them to find the best one for your search can be a headache. To help you out, we have reviewed them and came up with the top five for you to choose from. Here are the best genealogy tools you should check out: FTM or Family Tree Maker is currently the most popular and widely used genealogy software. It has been around for a couple of decades and is quite a powerful tool. It is considered to be all-around good at most things, providing everything that you generally need from a genealogy program. Its latest version is equipped with FamilySync, a distinct feature that allows automatic synchronization of a maximum of three family trees. This is very useful for cases when your relatives are updating the same tree as you. All the information added by them is shown on your tree and the other way around. It also lets you assign a color as a code for certain ancestors. With up to eight colors to use, you will have an easier time tracking your research and updates. The application also has a built-in lightweight image editor, so photo enhancement is a piece of cake and can be done within the application itself. The program is also able to connect with the Ancestry website and it recently also connected to FamilySearch.com. You can download records from them directly to your family tree. They are two of the largest genealogy sites online with billions of records available. This is an advantage that definitely makes the FTM application worth every penny. It is also one of the few programs available that lets you add same-sex marriages to your family tree. Whenever you feel blocked or stumped in your research, it also gives you helpful clues on where you can go to access more records. All you need is a stable Internet connection. A number of downsides do exist though. One is the limited amount of charts and reports available. It cannot compete with Legacy 9 when it comes to the charts. Another thing is how Family Tree Maker is now under a different company, which has implemented numerous developments on the new version without due consideration of the older versions. In terms of compatibility, it is such a great thing that the program works for Windows 7.0 and higher and MacOS 10.9 and higher. It does cost a bit more than the other options in the market, but many people think it is worth the price. Since the program has been available for quite a long time, it does have a lot of users. This converts into a huge amount of online support available, which is of great help for newbies. Its own website provides a digital guide for free to assist you in dealing with the features of the program. This is then backed up by the online tips, how-to videos, instructions, and tutorials for using the program.
