Columnists

Genealogy Corner… RootsSearch

Issue 46.12

Search across multiple genealogy sites for matching records.  RootsSearch allows you to search the most popular genealogy websites for records relating to your ancestors.  When viewing an ancestor in an online tree or a record from a genealogy website, RootsSearch allows you to search for matching records on other genealogy record sites.

RootsSearch works on:  Ancestry, Billion Graves, FamilySearch, Find a Grave, WeRelate, RootsSearch allows you to search on:  Ancestry, Archives, BillionGraves, FamilySearch, Find a Grave, Geni, WeRelate.

The program takes the vital information from an Ancestry.com or Family Tree person page and searches FamilySearch.org using those details.  This extension takes the vital information from an Ancestry Family Tree person page and searches FamilySearch.org using those details. (An Ancestry subscription is required to view other people’s Ancestry Family Trees.)

It only works with the Google Chrome browser.  In Chrome go to chrome.google.com/webstore and search for RootsSearch.  It is a free add-in. 

How to use the RootsSearch plugin that goes into Chrome, right into the browser.
1.  Install RootsSearch in Chrome from the Chrome Web Store.
2.  Log into FamilySearch Family Tree.
3.  Choose an ancestor; open up the ancestor’s person page.  When you have done that, the magnifying glass will appear at the far right of the address bar.
4.  Click on the magnifying glass icon.  A box will appear and the ancestor’s information will pre-fill in the boxes, so little typing will be necessary if at all.  If you are looking at an ancestor and some information that you know about the ancestor is thought to be different than what Family Tree shows, you can change, add, or delete items in the fields in the RootsSearch box.
5.  Click on a website you want to search.  You can even search FamilySearch Historical Records this way; that is why FamilySearch is an option. 

6.  A tab will be opened when you click the button for the site you want to search.  So you don’t lose your place on Family Tree.  In fact, it may make it easier to add something on FamilySearch to the source box then attach it right away to the ancestor if desired at that time.  If you run multiple searches, the plugin will run a separate tab for each search you did.  When done with a site you are searching for an ancestor on, simply close the tab.  You do not lose your place with any other site you may also be searching nor do you lose your place in Family Tree.

For more information contact Shanna Jones (435)628-4900 shannasjones@msn.com

Comments are closed.