General Family Search Knowledge
What is the primary purpose of FamilySearch?
To help people connect with their family and discover their family history.
What is the main difference between the FamilySearch Family Tree and a personal tree you might create on another site?
It is a single, collaborative tree where everyone works together to build the same family lines, instead of everyone having their own personal tree.
What are the four types of memories you can add to a person's profile?
Stories, photos, documents, and audio recordings
Where do the historical records on FamilySearch come from?
They are collected from archives, libraries, courthouses, and other record holders all over the world.
Can you perform temple ordinances for a non-relative on FamilySearch?
Generally, no. Temple ordinances are meant for direct ancestors or those related to you by blood or marriage.
How is FamilySearch funded?
It is a free service provided by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
What is a "record hint"?
A notification that FamilySearch has found a historical record that might belong to one of your ancestors.
Besides your own ancestors, who can see the memories you upload to a profile?
Anyone who is also related to that ancestor can see the memories you've uploaded.
What is the main purpose of the "Search Records" feature?
To find historical documents and records about your ancestors
How can you tell if an ordinance is ready to be reserved for the temple from a person's page?
A small green temple icon will appear next to the ordinance.
What is the name of the feature that allows you to explore your direct-line ancestors and their spouses in a circular chart format?
Fan Chart.
What does the color blue, when it appears on the portrait of an ancestor in your family tree, indicate?
That the person has temple ordinances ready to be reserved.
What is one benefit of adding a detailed, descriptive title to a photo or document you upload?
It makes the memory easier for others to find and understand.
What is "indexing" in the context of FamilySearch?
Indexing is the process of volunteers transcribing information from historical documents to make them searchable online.
What happens if the temple work for a name you reserved isn't completed within two years?
The reservation expires and the name is released for others to do the work.
FamilySearch has a free feature that helps you find temple-ready names with a single tap. What is it called?
The "Ordinances Ready" feature.
What is a "contributor" on a person's profile, and why is it important to see who they are?
A contributor is a person who has made a change or added information to a profile. Seeing who they are allows you to contact them to discuss or verify the information.
Where can you find a collection of stories, photos, and documents from all the people you follow on FamilySearch?
In the "Following" tab under the "Memories" section.
When searching for an ancestor, what is a "wildcard" symbol you can use to represent a single letter, and what is the one you can use for multiple letters?
The wildcard for a single letter is a question mark (?), and the wildcard for multiple letters is an asterisk (*).
According to the Church's policy, what is the required relationship to an individual who was born within the last 110 years in order to submit their name for temple ordinances?
You must be a close relative (a child, parent, sibling, grandparent, or great-grandparent) of the deceased.
What is the name of the online conference hosted by FamilySearch that is the largest family history event in the world?
RootsTech.
When viewing a person in the Family Tree, what is the purpose of the "Possible Duplicates" tab?
It helps you identify and merge two or more different entries for the same person, to keep the tree accurate and clean.
There is a FamilySearch app specifically for collecting and sharing family stories, photos, and recordings. What is it called?
The FamilySearch Memories app.
What is the name of the feature that allows you to browse and search the unindexed, digitized images of historical records that are available on FamilySearch?
The "Catalog" or "Image Library."
What is the purpose of the third-party website, Puzzilla, in relation to finding names for temple work?
Puzzilla is a visual tool that helps you quickly identify gaps and un-worked lines in your family tree to find names that might need temple ordinances.