Record Hints Supercharge the FamilySearch Family Tree

In case you do not know, the blue icons in this descendancy view of the FamilySearch.org Family Tree indicate that there are Record Hints available for each of those people where there is an icon. As I have been working with the Family Tree recently, I note that the frequency and usefulness of these Record Hints has increased dramatically. I certainly realize that not everyone will have the same experience, but for me the time saved and the help from the Record Hints in expanding the information about the people in the Family Tree and adding new people has proved to be extremely helpful. As a result, for the first time in my many years of doing genealogical research, I am regularly adding names to my Temple List.

Even though the Record Hints have an amazing degree of accuracy, it is still very important to examine them closely and make sure that they apply to your ancestral family. In some cases, where the names of the people are very common, there can be some confusion and the Record Hint may not apply. But in most cases, they are appropriate.

What about duplicate records. FamilySearch has indicated that all of the appropriate Record Hints should be attached to the Family Tree. If you are bothered by duplicate sources, my suggestion is to get over it, but if you insist, remember that a source tells where you got the information and unless both the record and the place where that record was obtained are the same, technically they are different sources. I suggest you worry more about making sure you update the information on the family members contained in the added record than having a concern for duplicate sources. I frequently find that the information added with a source has not be transferred to the individual's details. When you update that information, the search engine can find more sources with the updated information.

You may also find, as you update the entries, that the Family Tree program will find additional duplicates. This whole process is what happens as you add Record Hints and correct and update the entries for the individuals in the Family Tree. The benefit of this activity is finding additional people to add to the Family Tree.