Discovering your roots is an exciting journey, and often begins with services like Ancestry.com. But what happens when you want to share your findings or collaborate with others on a platform like Familysearch? The question arises: “How Do I Transfer Ancestry To Familysearch?” This article will guide you through the process of moving your hard-earned genealogical data, allowing you to connect with a wider community and preserve your family history for generations to come.
Understanding Ancestry to Familysearch Transfers
The process of transferring your family tree data from Ancestry to Familysearch involves exporting your tree as a GEDCOM file, which is a standardized file format for exchanging genealogical data between different software programs and websites. Think of it as a universal language that allows different genealogy platforms to understand each other. Successfully transferring your information allows you to collaborate with other family members and researchers on a shared platform, expanding the possibilities for new discoveries.
Before you begin, it’s crucial to understand the limitations and nuances of GEDCOM transfers. While the GEDCOM format is designed to transfer essential data, some information may not transfer perfectly. For example, media files (photos, documents) often do not get embedded within the GEDCOM itself, and must be transferred separately. Also, source citations sometimes lose their original formatting.
- Photos and documents need to be manually re-uploaded.
- Source citations may need some adjustments.
- Living individuals are typically marked as “private” during the transfer to protect their information.
Despite these limitations, transferring your Ancestry tree to Familysearch is a worthwhile endeavor. It opens up a world of collaborative research, allowing you to leverage the vast resources and community available on Familysearch. Consider the benefits of connecting with cousins who may have already researched branches of your family tree or discovering new records indexed by the Familysearch community.
Here’s a quick summary of considerations before you transfer:
| Aspect | Consideration |
|---|---|
| Media Files | Will need separate upload to FamilySearch |
| Living People | Privacy restrictions during transfer |
| Source Citations | May require reformatting |
Ready to learn the step-by-step process of transferring your family tree? The next section provides a detailed guide to exporting from Ancestry and importing into Familysearch.