About FamilySearch
FamilySearch is all about family. FamilySearch.org/tree is a nonprofit family history organization dedicated to connecting families across generations. FamilySearch believes families bring joy and meaning to life.
The main goal of FamilySearch Family Tree is to provide a way for families to work together to find, organize, and link their ancestors into families.
Our Vision
When we learn about our ancestors, we better understand who we are—creating a family bond, linking the present to the past, and building a bridge to the future. See What’s Your Story. A dedicated team of employees and volunteers work tirelessly to preserve and share the largest collection of genealogical and historical records in the world to carry out our vision.
We strive to create and link the best and most valuable research resources to help people discover who they are by exploring where they come from. For over 100 years, FamilySearch and its predecessors have been actively gathering, preserving, and sharing genealogical records worldwide.
FamilySearch is the largest genealogy organization in the world. Millions of people use FamilySearch records, resources, and services each year to learn more about their family history. FamilySearch provides:
- A service to all at no cost.
- Over 4 billion names from all over the world.
- More than 5,100 family history centers in 140 countries worldwide.
- 24/7 free expert phone support, live chat, and email support.
The FamilySearch Story
Our Commitment to Connect Ancestors
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the primary benefactor for FamilySearch services. Our commitment to helping people connect with their ancestors is rooted in our beliefs—that families are meant to be central to our lives and that family relationships are intended to continue beyond this life.
100 Years of Record Gathering and Preservation
FamilySearch, historically known as the Genealogical Society of Utah, founded in 1894, is dedicated to preserving the records of the family of mankind. Our purpose is simple—help people connect with their ancestors through easy access to historical records. We hold that all family members—those living, those past, and those future—share an enduring bond that reaches across the generations. To us this means that families are forever, and an important part of acting on this belief is doing family history.
We gladly join and partner with others sharing the vision. We pioneered industry standards for gathering, imaging, indexing, and preserving records. Advances in technology and the emergence of our digital world now provide an opportunity for us to share resources with the world.