A service that researches, writes, and binds your family history into a book — not a template you fill in yourself.
There are two very different things sold under the name “family history book.” It's worth knowing which one you're buying.
Printing versus writing
Most “family history book” products are printing and layout services. You supply the research, the writing, and the photographs; they supply the template and the binding. If you've already done the work, that's a fine deal — and it's what our $495 package is.
What most people actually want is the other thing: someone to find the ancestors and write the story, then hand back the finished book. That's the Keepsake and Heirloom packages.
What's actually in the book
- Each ancestor written as a readable short biography — where they lived, what they did, what happened to them — rather than a bare list of dates.
- A source citation on every claim. The census, certificate, or register behind each fact, so the next person in your family can pick up where the book stops.
- The line traced back to the documented wall or roughly six generations, whichever comes first.
- Photographs, maps, and a timeline where the records support them.
- An honest account of what isn't known. Where the records are silent or contradict each other, the book says so instead of guessing.
The three ways in
| Package | What it is | Flat price |
|---|---|---|
| Bring Your Own Tree | You already have the research. We format and produce it as a custom family-history book (PDF) plus an organized digital archive. | $495 |
| Keepsake | We do the research. Custom-written family history with full source citations, an interactive family site, the GEDCOM and document archive, and future-research notes — all digital. | $1,295 |
| The Heirloom | Everything in Keepsake, plus one hardcover print edition and the engraved keepsake USB. | $1,995 |
The Heirloom adds one 6×9 casebound hardcover and the engraved keepsake USB. Extra hardcover copies for other branches of the family are $195 each — the usual reason people order several is a reunion or a set of siblings.
No hourly meter, no surprise invoice. You know the number and the deliverable up front.
See the packages →Doing it yourself instead? Our free guide to writing a family history book walks through the structure we use.
Frequently asked questions
What does a family history book service do?
It depends on the service. Some only print and lay out research you supply. Ours also does the research and the writing: we trace the line from public records, write each ancestor as a sourced biography, and deliver the finished book.
How much does it cost to have a family history book written?
Our flat prices are $495 to produce a book from research you provide, $1,295 for full research delivered digitally, and $1,995 for the Heirloom package including a hardcover edition.
Can I get extra copies for other family members?
Yes. Additional hardcover copies are $195 each, which covers printing and shipping. Families ordering for a reunion or for several siblings usually take a handful.
Will the book have sources?
Yes. Every factual claim carries a citation to the record it came from. That is what separates a family history from a family legend, and it lets the next person continue the work.