Do you use Facebook for genealogy and family history? It might seem strange, but if you think about it, using a Facebook group to ask your most challenging questions is like asking thousands of people all at once. Surely, someone knows something...right?
10 Genealogy Facebook Groups You Need to Join
There are literally dozens of great Facebook groups dedicated to genealogy. Many of them have different purposes. There are Facebook groups for genealogy related technology, genealogy software, genealogy scrapbooking, geographical areas, and groups for genealogy sharing.
Here is a list of nine top Facebook groups for genealogy and family history and why I love them. [Note: This list is not in any order]
1. FamilySearch Research Communities: These groups are categorized by geographical area and reach all over the world. I like them because there are people trolling the site all hours of the day and night just waiting to answer your questions. They have a particular focus on using FamilySearch.org for records. This is great because FamilySearch.org is free and learning to really utilize their extensive record collections is an amazing tool.
2. Technology for Genealogy: This is a must-join when you are trying to keep up-to-date on all the tech gadgets, apps, and so forth for genealogy. No need to call a help line for that new genealogy software you bought, just ask your question and get an answer in 3 seconds flat! (Okay, maybe not quite that quick.) Or, you can poll nearly 20,000 people in this group and get their opinion before purchasing your next scanner for digitizing family photos - that's a big help.
3. Genealogy! Help Me!: A new Facebook group dedicated to all things genealogy. You can ask your questions and get your answers from lots of really knowledgeable genealogists. Whether it is a brick wall question or a "where can I learn more about...", you will find it here. In particular, this is an education based group with links to how-to articles, YouTube videos, and webinars. They share all sorts of great content to help genealogist's of all skill levels. If there is some great free or new resource for genealogy, you'll hear about it here. [I am the creator of this group.]
4. Genealogy Bloggers: Hosted by Janice Webster Brown, this group is especially for sharing blog content. I like to go here to share my own blog posts, but to also read others blogs for inspiration. When I am feeling overwhelmed in my own work or just need some "down time," I shoot over there and read to my hearts content.
5. GeneaBloggers: This group is hosted by Thomas MacEntee. When it comes to learning the ins and outs of how to keep a family history blog, Thomas is the go-to guy. At this group, you can ask your questions regarding the specific topic of how to create and maintain a family history blog.
6. Genealogy! Just Ask!: Actually, this is a series of Facebook groups. They are set up by location. You can find just about any place you need. There's Kentucky Genealogy! Just Ask!, Germany Genealogy! Just Ask!, and everything in between. It's super helpful for asking specific questions regarding the types of records available for any given state or country. It was particularly helpful when learning about resources in State archives. Also, very beneficial when beginning your research overseas.
8. County Facebook Groups: Typically, there are more than a couple Facebook groups dedicated to your targeted county or parish. These might be called something as straight forward as Harlan County, Kentucky Genealogy Group or it might be more wordy like Lee County Virginia Genealogy, History, and Pictures. To find these groups, try putting in a county and state name with the word "genealogy" in the Facebook search group. Then, you will see some options. Always be sure to click "See all results" so you don't miss anything.
County Facebook groups have been vital for creating my family history narrative. What I mean by that is, they often include members that turn out to be cousins. Further, I have found many pictures of ancestors while participating in a county Facebook group.
9. Genealogy Chit-Chat: This is a Facebook group for chatting and venting about genealogy. Did you find an awesome picture of great-grandma today? If so, you can share it here and like minded people will share in your success. Or, if you just need to vent to someone who understands the ups and downs of family history, these are your peeps! Another fun Facebook group that is very similar is Genealogy Addicts Anonymous.
10. Groups for DNA: Though I don't have a favorite DNA Facebook group, there are many! You can type in "DNA" or "DNA Genealogy" and get a whole bunch of options. I would also suggest joining a group that will assist you best in your DNA test results. For example, if you tested with Ancestry, join Ancestry DNA Matching.
Again, there are too many wonderful groups to mention in this post. Do some digging and join the genealogy Facebook frenzy! Happy posting!
Learn More About Using Facebook for Genealogy:
"How'd She Do That?! Using Facebook to Break Through Brick Walls"
