Frequently asked questions

Why does GeneaGenie find more?

Every search in GeneaGenie is powered by our own machine learning algorithm. That may sound technical, but you'll notice the difference immediately: where other search engines only return exact matches, our algorithm understands how historical data gets distorted over time.

Through intelligent fuzzy matching on names, dates and locations, spelling variants, transcription errors and differing place names are automatically recognised and linked. A Marie Charlotte Corryn recorded elsewhere as Maria Carolina Carryn, a birth year that's off by one, a village listed under a different name — GeneaGenie makes the connection.

Want to know exactly how it works? We wrote an in-depth article about it.

Why is a first name required for a search?

GeneaGenie's advanced machine learning classifier is specifically trained to match genealogical records to one specific individual — not just a surname. The model analyses many different parameters, with the first name being one of the most important differentiators. The first name has therefore become an integral part of the model, and it is unable to work without it.

Moreover, if you cannot specify a first name, you are no longer looking for a specific individual. This means your goal is no longer finding a precise match, but rather pulling a broad list of data that you have to manually filter through — which is exactly what GeneaGenie was built to avoid. (If you are simply unsure of the exact spelling, you can easily use wildcards to cover any variations.)

Instead of forcing you to filter through cluttered, irrelevant matches, GeneaGenie focuses on your specific research goal. Whether you are searching for a specific individual, hunting for missing children, or tracking down missing descendants (currently in development), we deliver tailored solutions rather than just a generic data dump.

What happens to the personal information inside my GEDCOM?

Privacy is super important to us, and storing your GEDCOM is entirely optional. When you upload your GEDCOM in the Family tree section of GeneaGenie, we store it so you can keep working with it. But you can also run a search without storing your GEDCOM: in that case the file is permanently deleted from our servers as soon as the search is completed, and only the matching data is kept in your private account. The matches that are found are only accessible by you. Either way, we don't use your family tree records for any other purpose, and your data is never shared with third parties.

Is my GEDCOM being used by others to find matches?

No, absolutely not. We only search in publicly accessible genealogy websites and historical records. Your family tree is 100% private and is never added to any searchable database or shared with other users. We respect your privacy and will never use your data for purposes other than providing you with search results.

Can I upload an anonymised GEDCOM?

Of course! You're welcome to upload an anonymised GEDCOM file. However, please keep in mind that we will not be able to find matches for anonymous individuals, as our search algorithms rely on names, dates, and locations to identify potential matches in public genealogy records.

What about copyright and privacy?

Respecting copyright and privacy is paramount. Our search engine indexes and displays only basic factual information about deceased persons, which is unprotected by copyright and outside the scope of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). We always provide a clear link to the source website, which is compliant with the right of quotation—an EU copyright exception that permits citing excerpts for reference, provided the source is acknowledged and the extent of use is justified by the purpose.

I have a genealogical collection that I want to add to GeneaGenie

We'd love to hear from you! If you have a genealogical collection, archive, or database that you'd like to make searchable through GeneaGenie, please get in touch and let's work together to expand our search coverage.

What sources does GeneaGenie currently search?

We currently search 94 online sources that mainly contain genealogical records from Belgium, France and the Netherlands. Our collection includes civil registrations, church records, obituary databases, and more. Check the full list of sources here.

Why do I need to pay for credits to find data that is freely accessible?

Manually searching for individuals is completely free — always. Credits are only needed for advanced features: saving searches to get notified when new sources bring new matches, scanning large GEDCOM trees, or searching through your AI assistant. Running and scaling the infrastructure for high-volume automated scans does cost money, which is why we introduced credits for those features. To get you started, you receive 100 free credits when you sign up.

What is a GEDCOM file?

GEDCOM (Genealogical Data Communication) is a standard file format used to exchange genealogical data between different family tree software programs. Most genealogy applications can export your family tree as a GEDCOM file, which you can then upload to GeneaGenie for searching.

How long does a search take?

Search times vary depending on the size of your GEDCOM file. A typical search can take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours for very large family trees. You don't need to keep the page open, the search will continue on the server.