If you’ve ever asked yourself, “Should I just build my own family tree?”, you’re not alone. It’s one of the most common questions I get from new clients. And honestly, I get the appeal. With a few clicks, websites like Ancestry or MyHeritage will gladly show you “hints,” public trees, and maybe even a supposed connection to royalty or a Mayflower passenger.

But let me stop you right there:
Just because you can build your own tree doesn’t mean you should.

This isn’t meant to discourage you. It’s meant to save you months or even years of frustration, rework, and misinformation. Genealogy is more than connecting dots or filling out an online template. It’s about doing it right with historical accuracy, solid evidence, and a full understanding of the records you’re using.

What’s the Harm in Building It Myself?

You might think, “I’m just doing this for fun, what’s the harm?” The truth is, the harm comes later when you realize your “tree” is built on weak assumptions, merged identities, or completely wrong family lines.

Most self-built trees fall into the same traps:

• Mixing up people with the same name.
  This is one of the most common mistakes, especially in communities where naming conventions led to dozens of John, Mary, or Josephs living in the same area at the same time.

• Assuming relationships that aren’t proven.
  Just because two people lived near each other, or someone “could be” a parent, doesn’t mean they are. Genealogy isn’t about what’s possible, it’s about what’s provable.

• Copying public trees with no sources.
  This is a big one. Many public trees online are riddled with errors, unsourced guesses, or completely fabricated connections. If you build your tree off someone else’s bad data, all you’ve done is inherit their mistakes.

• Taking record matches at face value.
  Census records, immigration manifests, and vital records are incredibly valuable but they don’t interpret themselves. You need to know how to read them in historical context, assess reliability, and reconcile discrepancies.
  
  

Genealogy Is a Discipline—Not a Click-and-Go Hobby

Real genealogical research involves cross-referencing sources, understanding naming patterns, evaluating timelines, analyzing geography, and following the evidence even when it doesn’t go where you expected. It means being okay with uncertainty until it can be resolved. It means documenting your sources so that your work holds up, not just to your family but to history.

I’ve seen far too many trees collapse under scrutiny especially when people go to apply for things like lineage societies, tribal recognition, dual citizenship, or estate claims. You don’t want to discover at the eleventh hour that your supposed ancestor never actually existed… or belonged to someone else’s family entirely.

The Cost of Mistakes: More Than Just Time

Here’s what no one tells you: fixing a flawed tree takes more time than building it correctly in the first place. If you’ve already gone down the wrong path, it takes careful re-research to identify where things went off-track, and then redo the work from there. That’s not only frustrating it’s expensive if you end up needing professional help to untangle the mess.

And let’s talk about something else: legacy. If you're doing this for your kids, grandkids, or community you want to get it right. Passing down a lineage full of guesswork, half-truths, or wishful thinking isn’t just a waste of time it’s a missed opportunity to preserve your real history.

So, What Should You Do Instead?

Start with a solid foundation. That doesn’t mean you can’t participate, it means you should collaborate with someone who knows how to guide the process. When I work with clients, I don’t just hand over a chart, I walk you through the how and why of each discovery, explain the limitations of the evidence, and make sure everything is sourced properly.

Here’s what a professional genealogist (like me) brings to the table:

• A research strategy tailored to your goals.

• Access to subscription databases and international archives.

• Experience dealing with spelling variations, illegitimacy, adoptions, and migration patterns.

• The ability to analyze DNA results in genealogical context.

• A network of specialists for deep-dive cases when needed.

• Plain language reports that break down even the most complex findings.

Most importantly, you get peace of mind that your tree reflects real history, not fiction or guesswork.

This Is What I Do: Let Me Help

If you’ve been poking around your tree and you’re starting to wonder whether you’re on the right track or if you’ve hit a wall and don’t know what to do next, don't hesitate to reach out. Even if you’re just curious where to begin, I’m happy to take a look and give you honest feedback.

📧 Email me today at generagenealogicalservices@gmail.com and let’s talk about your goals, your questions, and how I can help.