Unleashing Collaboration: Proposal for Sharing FamilySearch Trees with Ancestry.com

Jeremiah Morgan

Dear FamilySearch Team,

I am writing to propose a bold initiative that could revolutionize collaboration and research in genealogy: sharing a subset of FamilySearch trees with Ancestry.com. The potential benefits are vast:

• Accelerated Research: Publishing FamilySearch trees on Ancestry.com with at least 100 deceased individuals would create a treasure trove of connections for Ancestry users, potentially leading to faster discoveries and breakthroughs.
• Enhanced Accuracy: Combining data from both platforms could surface inconsistencies and errors, paving the way for collaborative correction and improved overall accuracy.
• Global Impact: Expanding access to FamilySearch's vast resources could attract new users and boost genealogy research for everyone.

Addressing Concerns:

I understand concerns about collaboration and data quality. Therefore, I propose a carefully considered approach:

• Pilot Project: Starting with a curated selection of high-quality trees would allow for testing and refinement before wider implementation.
• Collaboration over Full Trees: Sharing hints and connections between trees could be prioritized over full transfers, minimizing privacy risks and data complexities.

Moving Forward:

I believe this collaboration holds immense potential for the genealogy community. I am eager to discuss this further and explore its feasibility with your team.

Julia Szent-Györgyi

OK, major stumbling block right at step zero: FamilySearch's Family Tree is all one, single, open-edit, collaborative endeavor. "Publishing FamilySearch trees ... with at least 100 deceased individuals" makes no sense whatsoever. It's like wanting a selection of the best commercial advertisements from public television.

Alan E. Brown

Of note, My Heritage has integrated FamilySearch Family Tree in its searches. Those search results are individual persons, rather than any subtrees. I don't know why My Heritage has done that, but Ancestry has not. In any case, that approach to integrating Family Tree into a partner site is certainly possible.

Áine Ní Donnghaile

A few years ago - maybe 10 or more - there was a Beta project in Ancestry that allowed a user to conduct a search in FamilySearch from within an Ancestry tree. It was a public Beta project, so I'm not violating any NDA.

If you use Family Tree Maker (FTM) software (formerly owned by Ancestry, now owned by MacKiev), you can conduct a search in FamilySearch from within your Ancestry tree that is sync-ed with FTM. You can also receive FamilySearch hints.