Family historians and genealogists often find themselves faced with the task of merging multiple family trees. Whether you’ve discovered a distant relative who shares some of your research, or you’ve built several trees over the years, merging trees on Ancestry can streamline your family history research. In this blog, we’ll walk you through the process of merging trees on Ancestry and how Family Tree Maker (FTM) makes this process easier.
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Ancestry Merge trees
Merging trees allows you to consolidate your research, ensuring all your discoveries are in one place. If you’ve found someone who has a wealth of information on your shared ancestors, merging their tree with yours can save time and effort. It also reduces duplication and potential errors in your genealogy research.
Steps to Merging Trees on Ancestry
While Ancestrycom does not have a direct “merge trees” function, you can still achieve this through a step-by-step process by manually combining the information from Ancestry Merge trees:
- Download the GEDCOM file:
- Go to the family tree you want to merge.
- Download a GEDCOM file by clicking on “Tree Settings” and selecting “Export Tree.”
- Create a New Family Tree in Family Tree Maker (FTM):
- Open Family Tree Maker and upload your primary family tree.
- Then, import the downloaded GEDCOM file of the tree you wish to merge. You’ll now have both trees in FTM for easy comparison.
- Compare Individuals and Records:
- Use FTM’s merge features to compare individuals in both trees.
- Check for any duplicates, errors, or conflicting information.
- FTM provides robust tools to identify matches and differences, so you can make informed decisions when merging.
- Merge Data:
- Once you’ve reviewed both trees, FTM allows you to merge the two. The program will alert you to potential conflicts, giving you the opportunity to resolve discrepancies or make notes for further research.
- Sync with Ancestry:
- After completing the merge in FTM, sync the tree with Ancestry to ensure your online tree is updated with the latest changes.
How Family Tree Maker Simplifies Merging
Family Tree Maker is designed with genealogists in mind, providing tools to simplify the merge process. With features like duplicate detection, side-by-side comparisons, and easy integration with Ancestry, FTM makes it easier to consolidate multiple trees into one cohesive family history. Additionally, FTM allows you to make detailed notes and color-code individuals for better organization.
Final Thoughts
Ancestry Merge trees can transform your family history research, bringing together all your findings in one organized tree. While it requires careful attention to detail, the result is a more complete and accurate family history.
At Family Tree Maker Support, we’re here to help you navigate the complexities of merging trees and other genealogy tasks. Whether you’re just starting out or have years of research under your belt, our team is available to provide guidance and technical support.