How it works
How the directory works
The Genealogy Directory connects family historians working on the same surnames. You can search for free, join free to message other researchers, and share your own tree so they can find you.
I'm looking for a lead
Search, join and contact researchers
I want to share my tree
Add your surnames so others con find you
For searchers
Finding researchers on your surnames
Anyone can search. You only need a free account when you're ready to see full details and contact the person who shared a record.
1 Search a surname
Type a surname and narrow it down by first name, event type, year range, country or region if you like. Spelling variants such as Smith and Smyth are included automatically. Tick "Sounds like" to widen the net, and married surnames are searched too.
2 See who has recorded it
Results show the surname, first name, event, year, region and country. That's usually enough to tell whether a line belongs to your family.
3 Join free
Sign up with your name, email and a password, and add up to 10 surnames you're researching. Confirm your email and you're in. No card details, ever.
4 Send a private message
As a member you'll see full dates, married names, the town or parish, and the first name of the person who shared the record. Press Contact, write your message and we'll pass it on by email.
5 Hear back directly
The researcher replies straight to your email if they'd like to connect. We'll also let you know when new records go live for your saved surnames.
What you see
Visitors and members
Searching is open to everyone. Joining free shows you the details that help you work out whether a record is yours, and lets you get in touch.
Surname and first name
Event type and year
Region and country
Date as recorded
Married first name and surname
Town or parish
Who shared the record (first name)
Contact the researcher privately
Email alerts for your surnames
Yes
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No
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No
Yes
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For contributors
Sharing your family tree
The directory grows because researchers share what they've found. Adding your surnames means the next person researching your family can find you. It's free, and I look after every file myself.
1 Export a GEDCOM file
Most family tree programs, including Ancestry, MyHeritage, Family Tree Maker and Legacy, have an export or "Save as GEDCOM" option. It creates one file containing your tree.
2 Upload it
Send your file through the Add your surnames page. Files can be up to 25 MB.
3 I check it by hand
I check through every file, tidy up dates, places and spelling variants, and apply the privacy rules so living people stay hidden. Nothing goes live until I've reviewed it.
4 Your surnames go live
I'll email you when your surnames are in the directory. Members researching the same names get an alert, so the right people see your records quickly.
5 Manage your records
Join free with the same email address and you'll see your records in My submissions. From there you can see how many enquiries you've had, switch enquiries off, or ask for records to be removed.
Privacy
How we protect you and your family
Living people stay hidden
You can send your whole tree. Recent records are kept private automatically, and the window moves forward every 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 only shows if there's a matching death or burial record.
Your email is never shown
Every message goes through the directory and arrives in your inbox by email. Your address is never displayed on the site, and you decide whether to reply.
Protected from spam
Only the person who shared the records can ask for them to be removed, one at a time or all at once. You can also delete your account from My account.
Your data, your choice
Only the person who shared the records can ask for them to be removed, one at a time or all at once. You can also delete your account from My account.
Questions
Good to know
Do I need an account to search?
No. Anyone can search a surname. Join free when you want to see full dates and places, or contact the person who shared a record.
Is it really free?
Yes. Searching, joining, adding your surnames and messaging are all free. There are no subscriptions and we never ask for card details.
Does the search find other spellings?
Yes. Common spelling variants are included automatically, and you can tick "Sounds like" to widen the search. Married surnames are searched too.
What records are in the directory?
More than 120,000 births, baptisms, banns, marriages, deaths and burials shared by fellow researchers, with lines from England and the wider UK, Australia, North America and parts of Europe.
How many messages can I send?
Up to five a day. Messages can be between 20 and 2,000 characters. The limit keeps contributors' inboxes free of spam.
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?
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.
Still have a question?
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.