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This question probably seems incredibly basic, but I have finally worked out a family tree on my mother's side going back a number of generations. My question is where is the best place on the internet to convert what I have on paper to a properly set out tree and how would I then add it to my details in the familytree.com? Does the tree have to be done on ancestry.com or could I use something like familyecho.com?
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Hi.
You need a GEDCOM compatible family tree program.
See Wikipedia for more on Gedcoms at..
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As a long term family history project, inevitably people turn to automated support as paper rapidly becomes awkward.
There are many tools available (for both Windows and Mac) to help; search a site like cNet for software reviews and free downloads.
Many of us end up with Family Tree Maker as a sort of default, but I supplement it with other programs on my Mac. Look for a program that will produce GEDCOM files, as that is the format used at FTDNA to upload a family tree.
Online family tree places run from free to expensive, with various bells and whistles.
If your family is from the Anglo-sphere or Western Europe there are usually enough paper records to trace families back through the 19th century, with enough research. Adoptions can be tough brick walls.
Immigrants from other parts of the world have varying degrees of success in researching their families. Some regions have long records but the 20th century wars destroyed much.Comment
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I like Ancestry.com (I do synch with my Family Tree Maker) because I can still enter data even if I am not currently subscribed AND I can share with my family without additionally effort.Comment
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I like Ancestry.com because you can do extensive research there. With other online sites you pretty much have to get your own information. If you go back to pre-colonial times in the UK, etc., Ancestry is the only choice for online family tree research, it looks like.Comment
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I also like Family Tree Maker. I find the sync feature indispensable. I am afraid of losing data/work and it is a nice fail safe.
I am also a user of Geneanet for online family trees and my recent European lines. I have living European cousins on that site and they are often able to get/have records for me that would be otherwise very difficult to track down.Comment
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Just to give my programms to work with:
Formerly I worked with Brothers Keepers, but then switched to MyHeritage, because of the easy layout and handling of the programm. Both are available without fee and the advertisings of Myheritage are quite rare.Comment
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I have MyHeritage on the back burner. Yeah, it is a friendly site. But I'm at the limit, and hesitate to start paying money to expand my tree there.Originally posted by Petra View PostComment
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Thanks for the help. I have now built a family tree re: my mother's side, on ancestry.com. I cannot figure out how to transfer that to the familytreedna site. Other people's trees on there seem a different format, in that they show everything in one big tree. On ancestry.com everything seems to be in sections for different people.
Is it relatively easy to put a tree on to the Family Finder site?Comment
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You can make more than one tree at Ancestry.com, if you are subscribed. I've made several small research trees. In the case of transferring a tree to FTDNA, I just made a skeletal tree for GEDCOM, and then transferred it. With me it's just a case of fumbling along, ha ha.Comment
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I have my tree on Ancestry.com online. I did a simple pedigree tree there as well for DNA research with just the basic dates and places. Then I downloaded that tree to FTDNA.
On Ancestry, go to the Family Tree that you want to make a GEDCOM for. Go then to Tree Pages, click on Tree Settings where you will find on the right hand side under Manage Tree, the Export Tree button which will make the GEDCOM and export it to your computer. Then you bring it from your computer here through your FTDNA Account Page. Go to your Account and hit the Tab for Genealogy and that's where you can upload your GEDCOMComment
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