Help
Frequently asked questions
Answers about searching, contacting researchers, sharing your tree and keeping your family's details private. Can't find what you need? Email me at [email protected].
Getting started
What is The Genealogy Directory?
A free surname directory for family historians. Researchers share the surnames, places and dates from their family trees, so others working on the same families can find them and get in touch. It connects living researchers, rather than selling access to records.
Is it free?
Yes. Searching, joining, adding your surnames and messaging other researchers are all free. There are no subscriptions and we never ask for card details to use any of these.
Do I need an account to search?
No. Anyone can search a surname. You'll see the surname, first name, event, year, region and country. Join free when you want to see full details or contact the person who shared a record.
How do I join?
Click Join free. Enter your name, email address and a password, agree to the privacy policy, then click the link in the confirmation email we send you.
I was a member of the old site. Do I need to join again?
Yes, please. The directory moved to a new home in October 2026 and accounts didn't carry across, but all the records did. Joining again is free and only takes a minute. If you shared a tree on the old site, use the same email address so your records are linked to your new account.
Searching
What records are in the directory?
The site hold 120,683 births, baptisms, banns, marriages, deaths and burials, shared by fellow researchers. Each record is one event, with the name, year and place.
Which countries are covered?
Lines come mainly from England and the wider UK, Australia, the United States and Canada, with some from Europe, including Denmark and Germany. The directory grows as researchers add their trees.
Does the search find other spellings?
Yes. Common spelling variants, such as Smith and Smyth, are included automatically. Tick "Sounds like" to widen the search further. Married surnames are searched too.
Can I narrow down my results?
Yes. Filter by first name, event type, year range, country or region, and sort results by surname or year.
Why can't I see full dates and places?
Some details are only shown to members: the date as recorded, married names, the town or parish, and the first name of the person who shared the record. Join free to see them.
Why can't I find a recent record?
To protect living people, recent records are hidden automatically. Births from the last 100 years, marriages from the last 75 years, and deaths and burials from the last 50 years aren't shown. More about privacy.
I searched and found nothing. What now?
Try ticking "Sounds like", removing filters, or searching a married surname. If there's still nothing, nobody has shared that surname yet. Add yours and you could be the person the next researcher finds.
Contacting researchers
How do I contact a researcher?
Log in, find the record and press Contact. Write your message and we'll pass it on by email. The researcher replies straight to your email if they'd like to connect.
How many messages can I send?
Up to five in 24 hours, and each message can be between 20 and 2,000 characters. The limit keeps contributors' inboxes free of spam.
Why is there no Contact button on some records?
The person who shared those records has switched off enquiries. You'll see a short note instead of the button.
What should I put in my message?
Say which ancestor you're researching, with names, dates and places, and how you think they connect. A clear, specific message is much more likely to get a reply.
I haven't had a reply. What can I do?
Contributors are volunteers and some shared their trees many years ago, so not everyone replies, or replies quickly. Their email address may also have changed. We do audit the database from time to time and remove researchers with non-functioning emails.
Adding your surnames
How do I add my family tree?
Export a GEDCOM file from your family tree software and send it through the Add your surnames page. I check every file by hand, add your surnames and email you when they're live.
What is a GEDCOM file?
A standard file, ending in .ged, that almost every family tree program can create. It holds your whole tree in a form other programs can read. The Add your surnames page has steps for Ancestry, MyHeritage, Family Tree Maker, Legacy and RootsMagic.
Is there a file size limit?
Files can be up to 25 MB. Exporting without photos or media usually makes a file much smaller. If yours is still too big, email me at [email protected].
Should I take living people out of my tree first?
There's no need. Recent records are hidden automatically, so you can send your tree exactly as it is.
Is my whole tree published?
No. The directory lists individual events, such as a birth, marriage or burial, with the name, year and place. It isn't an online family tree, and notes, sources and photos aren't shown.
Can I send an updated tree?
Yes. Send it through the form and mention that it's an update, so I can replace your old records rather than add duplicates.
Do I need an account to send a file?
No. If you'd like to manage your records later, join free using the same email address and they'll appear in My submissions.
Privacy and your data
How are living people protected?
Every submitted record is stored, but recent events are hidden from everyone, on a rolling basis that moves forward each year:
Births and baptisms: hidden for 100 years
Marriages and banns: hidden for 75 years
Deaths and burials: hidden for 50 years
A more recent birth or baptism is only shown if there's a matching death or burial record.
Is my email address shown on the site?
No. Your email address is never displayed. Messages from other researchers reach you by email through the directory, and you decide whether to reply.
What can visitors and members see?
Anyone can see the surname, first name, event type, year, region and country. Free members also see the date as recorded, married names, the town or parish, and the first name of the person who shared the record.
Can I stop people contacting me?
Yes. Switch off enquiries in My submissions at any time. Your records stay in the directory, and members see a short note instead of the Contact button.
How do I remove my records?
Log in, go to My submissions and ask for one record or all of them to be removed. Only the person who shared the records can do this.
How do I delete my account?
Go to My account and choose to delete your account. This closes your membership. If you've shared records and want them taken down too, request removal in My submissions first.
Help
I didn't get my confirmation email.
Check your spam or junk folder, and add [email protected] to your contacts. If it still hasn't arrived after an hour, email me at [email protected].
How do I change my details or password?
Log in and go to My account, where you can update your name and email address and change your password.
Who runs the directory?
I'm Sue Cooper, a family historian in Brisbane, Australia. I've been researching my own tree since about 1994, and I run the directory and check every file myself.
How do I get in touch?
Email me at [email protected]. I read every message myself.
Your next lead could be one surname away
Search the directory now. It's free, and no account is needed to look.
© 2026 The Genealogy Directory. Operated in Brisbane, Australia.