Comparing the Big 3 Genealogy Websites and AI Update (Audio podcast)

by | Mar 18, 2025 | 01 What's New, Ancestry, FamilySearch, MyHeritage, Website Tutorials

SHOW NOTES: A comparison of the top three genealogy websites and an update on the latest artificial intelligence news. Lisa interviews genealogy author Sunny Morton about her article “Three’s Company” from the March/April 2025 issue of Family Tree Magazine. They dive into a detailed comparison of the top three genealogy websites—Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.org, and MyHeritage.com—focusing on historical records, DNA tools, family tree features, and more. Sunny shares insights on how these platforms differ, their strengths, and practical tips for genealogists to maximize their research. Whether you’re a U.S.-focused researcher or tracing global roots, this episode has something for everyone.

Listen to Podcast Episode #293

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Comparing the Top 3 Genealogy Websites

What Is a Historical Record and Does Its Definition Differ Between the Three Websites?

Timestamp: 00:31
Key Takeaways and Tips:
• Definition: A historical record is a document created in the past, ideally close to the time of the events it describes, offering a more accurate glimpse into history than later recollections.
• Differences: The definition varies slightly across platforms. Ancestry, FamilySearch, and MyHeritage count records differently—sometimes focusing on the primary person (e.g., the deceased on a death certificate) and sometimes including secondary individuals (e.g., parents or witnesses).
• Tip: Don’t assume every “record” is a unique historical document. A single certificate might be counted multiple times if it names several people. Check how each site labels the “primary person” to understand what you’re working with.

How Do the Number of Records Stack Up Across the Three Websites?

Timestamp: 04:43
Key Takeaways and Tips:
• Numbers Overview: Ancestry boasts ~60 billion records, FamilySearch ~66.24 billion (13 billion searchable names + 5 billion+ unindexed images), and MyHeritage ~32 billion.
• Ancestry: Strong U.S. focus; top 20 collections (e.g., city directories, yearbooks, newspapers) make up a third of its total, boosted by AI indexing of recent centuries. Less helpful for pre-1800 research.
• MyHeritage: More global, Euro-centric, with 40% of its total in its top 5 collections (e.g., family trees, newspapers via OldNews.com). Great for non-U.S. research.
• FamilySearch: Truly global, free, and diverse; top 20 collections are less than 20% of its total, plus 500,000+ digitized books. Hard to pin down exact counts due to unindexed images.
• Tip: Focus on “where and when” your ancestors lived. Use Ancestry for U.S. depth, MyHeritage for European roots, and FamilySearch for global coverage or record-loss areas.

What’s Your Elevator Speech for the Primary Strength of Each Website?

Timestamp: 12:50
Key Takeaways and Tips:
• Ancestry: U.S.-centric with vast records—start here for American research, paired with FamilySearch.
• FamilySearch: Free, global focus, no target customer—ideal for international searches and unique collections.
• MyHeritage: Euro-centric, excels in language translation (e.g., German trees)—perfect for non-English records and global connections.
• Tip: Before subscribing, browse each site’s catalog to see if it matches your research area. Combine platforms based on your needs—don’t skip one just because it’s not your “main” focus.

How Do They Stack Up for DNA Research?

Timestamp: 16:30
Key Takeaways and Tips:
• FamilySearch: No DNA tools—focuses on records, not genetics.
• Ancestry & MyHeritage: Both excel at DNA, making complex data accessible. Offer ethnicity estimates (improving over time) and match tools.

  • Ancestry: Groups matches by common ancestors; recently added shared matches of matches.
  • MyHeritage: “Theory of Family Relativity” maps person-to-person connections; accepts raw DNA uploads ($29 for advanced tools or free with subscription).

• Tip: Revisit DNA results every 3-6 months for updated ethnicity estimates and new matches. Rotate subscriptions if budget’s tight—your data stays, and hints accumulate.

How Do Their Family Tree Features Compare?

Timestamp: 23:26
Key Takeaways and Tips:
• Ancestry & MyHeritage: Private, individual trees you control—shareable if desired. Multiple trees allowed for testing theories. No source requirement, but tree checkers flag unsourced data.
• FamilySearch: One giant, public, collaborative tree—nothing private for deceased individuals. Emphasizes sources and reason statements to improve accuracy.
• Tip: Use online trees as “bait” for hints, keeping your full research offline in software. Politely ask public tree owners for sources if unsourced data intrigues you.

How Do They Compare for Searchability in Family Trees?

Timestamp: 29:45
Key Takeaways and Tips:
• All Three: Excellent search portals for minimal or detailed queries.
• FamilySearch Bonus: Search its tree even if you don’t contribute—great for harvesting clues about ancestors.
• Tip: Use tree searches strategically to uncover new leads or verify info, even if you’re not building online. Refine searches as trees grow to stay efficient.

How Do They Compare for Photos, Memories, and Stories?

Timestamp: 31:56
Key Takeaways and Tips:
• General: All are works in progress, with best tools on apps (not always ideal for big-screen users). AI-generated life histories check tree completeness.
• MyHeritage: Leads with photo tools (enhancing, colorizing, animating) and “My Stories” for living-generation narratives.
• Tip: Use MyHeritage’s photo animations to engage family—watermarked as AI-generated, they spark curiosity without claiming historical fact.

How Compatible Are They for Syncing with Desktop Software?

Timestamp: 36:28
Key Takeaways and Tips:
• MyHeritage: Free Family Tree Builder syncs with online trees.
• Ancestry: Syncs well with Family Tree Maker (despite separate ownership).
• FamilySearch: RootsMagic and others pull sections of its global tree.
• Tip: Prioritize sync compatibility when choosing a site—check software options before committing to an online tree platform.

All information was to the best of our guest’s knowledge as of the date of recording.

Latest advancements in AU and their application to genealogy research.

Timestamp: 48:11
1. Gemini Updates by Google. o New Features Announcement (March 2025):
 Google’s Gemini app rolled out significant updates, available to try for free, with enhanced features for all users and premium options for subscribers.

2.0 Flash Thinking Experimental:
 Offers file upload capabilities (crucial for genealogy context), improved reasoning, efficiency, and speed.
 Advanced users (subscribers) get a 1-million-token context window, allowing more extensive project interactions.
 Free users can test it with a one-month trial of Gemini Advanced.

Deep Research Tool:
 Now upgraded with 2.0 Flash Thinking Experimental, it searches and synthesizes web information quickly, producing detailed multi-page reports.
 Available globally in 45 languages; free users get limited tries, while advanced users have expanded access.
 Shows real-time reasoning, similar to Grok, enhancing transparency in research processes.

Personalization (Experimental):
 Integrates with Google apps (starting with search) to tailor responses based on user history, e.g., genealogy-focused search patterns.
 Users control personalization settings and can disconnect if desired.

2. Connected Apps Integration

  • Gemini now connects with Google Calendar, Notes, Tasks, and soon Photos (in English), allowing complex, multi-app requests.
  • Example: Genealogy applications could involve organizing research notes or creating itineraries from ancestral photo locations.

3. Gems Feature

  • A new customizable AI tool, free for all Gemini app users, enabling creation of personal AI experts for specific topics (e.g., genealogy).
  • Users can upload files and set instructions via the Gems Manager on desktop, tailoring it to repetitive research tasks.
  • Lisa plans to explore this deeply in upcoming premium videos and live streams, emphasizing its potential for genealogists.

4. AI Competition and Future

  • Gemini is positioned as a competitor to Grok, with features like file uploads and deep research mirroring Grok’s capabilities.
  • Lisa predicts AI will eventually replace Google search, with ongoing competition determining the leading AI tool.

5. Practical Tips / Getting Started with AI

Closing Note: AI tools like Gemini are like “shovels” for genealogists—essential for digging deeper and enhancing research efficiency. Stay tuned for more in-depth explorations in premium content!

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Genealogy Gems YouTube Channel

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Learn to Leapfrog by Speaking Google’s Language!

by | Oct 15, 2016 | 01 What's New, Google

Speaking Google’s language will have you “genealogy leapfrogging!” It’s a new phrase coined by Gems reader, Steve, after his amazing discovery using the Google search techniques shared by Lisa in a recent lecture. You too can make some giant leaps in your genealogy research by speaking Google’s language.

Leapfrog by Speaking Google's Language

After a recent lecture presentation, we received this email from Steve:

Hi Lisa,

Steve here. I just attended your Google Tools seminar in Kelowna. I have created a new term as a result of your workshop and it is called the “Genealogy Leapfrog.” That is when you leapfrog way ahead in your genealogy research because of something you have learned from Lisa! Here is the context. I am completely green at genealogy, this was my first conference and I have just recently commenced my family tree research. I have had a very, very hard time finding anything out about my mother’s maiden name Rochon and their family. Well, as a result of the tips I learned from you, I used my grandfather’s name “Joseph Rochon” OR “Joseph A. Rochon” Liliane (Grandmother’s name) and up pops the most incredible website I have ever seen. By clicking on the Rochon with Liliane, the complete family tree back to the 1600s is revealed. Wow…I am in complete shock. While I know that I need to research and verify this information, I am humbled at how you have enabled me to “Leapfrog” in my genealogy research. I now know more about the Rochon family than my cousin who has been researching our family tree for 20 years!

So, here is the real reason for my email – to simply say thank you. Thank you for coming to Kelowna to share your knowledge with us and thank you for your passion for genealogy research. I am a huge beneficiary of your knowledge which has enabled me to do the “Genealogy Leapfrog.”

Yours in genealogy,

Steve

Learning to Leapfrog by Speaking Google’s Language

We were tickled to hear this new phrase based on the exciting techniques that Lisa and we here at The Genealogy Gems Podcast are sharing. Learning to speak Google’s language is a truly amazing tool for successful searching.

It is all based on using Google search operators correctly and Lisa shares that knowledge with you in this video below.

Happy hunting, friends! We know there is a wealth of information to comb through on the internet, but you can do it. Will you share your successes with us here in the comment section? We love to hear from you!

Learn even more about using Google for genealogy in Lisa’s book The Genealogist’s Google Toolbox. You can find this book in the printed edition or a handy e-book edition in our online Gems store.

leapfrog

Attend One of Lisa’s Upcoming Seminars in Texas

by | Sep 5, 2016 | 01 What's New, Conferences

Attend Lisa’s upcoming seminars and Google your way to genius! Both the North Texas Genealogical Association and the Genealogy Friends of Plano host Lisa this month. She is presenting some fantastic, genealogy-packed lectures you won’t want to miss.

Lisa's Upcoming Lectures in Texas

Lisa’s Upcoming Seminar in Wichita Falls

The North Texas Genealogical Association is going big with their upcoming seminar on Saturday, September 10, 2016. Our own Google Guru, Lisa, is presenting the lectures for their fall workshop being held at the First United Methodist Church at 909 10th St. in Wichita Falls, Texas.

Lecture titles include:

  • “Google Tools and Procedures”
  • “Get the Scoop: Newspapers”
  • “Inner Private Eye: 9 Strategies”
  • “Google Earth for Genealogy”

The doors open at 9 am and the seminar will conclude at 3:30 pm. A light lunch will be included with the price of registration. Early registration has been extended through TODAY September 5th and the cost is $45.00. Registration after September 5th, and at the door, will be $55.00. You can download the registration form here.

Lisa’s Upcoming Seminar in Plano

The Genealogy Friends of Plano Libraries, Inc. are also hosting a seminar this month with Lisa! Join attendees at the First Presbyterian Church Plano on 1500 Jupiter Rd. in Plano, Texas. This genealogy smorgasbord of lectures will be held on Saturday, September 17th.

Lecture titles include:

  • “Ultimate Google Search Strategies”
  • “How to Find Your Family History in Newspapers”
  • “Time Travel with Google Earth”
  • “How to Reopen and Work a Genealogical Cold Case”

Early registration before September 12th is $45 for members or $50 for non-members. If you miss the early registration deadline, you can still attend! Price of admission after September 12th and at the door will be $50.00 for both members and non-members.

For a schedule of the day and a registration form, click here. The Genealogy Friends of Plano Libraries ask that you bring your own lunch, but they will provide lemonade, coffee, and tea.

Keep Up with All of Lisa’s Upcoming Lectures

BYU Family History conference 2015

Photo Credit: Ancestry Insider

She’s a jet setter folks! If you are like me, you want to stay up-to-date on where Lisa will be speaking and when you are lucky enough to have her in your area. See her entire seminar schedule here. Why not share the schedule with your genealogy buddies and meet for a fun weekend trip. Nothing beats a little genealogy with friends!

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