The questions that separate a good genealogist from an expensive disappointment — scope, sourcing, brick walls, and who owns the result.
Genealogy is an unlicensed field. Anyone can call themselves a professional genealogist, and the quality range is enormous. These seven questions will tell you most of what you need to know in a single conversation — ask them of us, and of anyone else you're considering.
1. Is the scope in writing, before any money changes hands?
“I'll research your family” is not a scope. You want it written down: which lines, how far back the effort goes, and what you receive at the end. Vague scope is how a project turns into an open-ended invoice.
2. Hourly or flat rate — and what happens when the hours run out?
Both models are legitimate. Hourly is honest about the fact that research time is unpredictable; the risk is that you buy 25 hours and get a report saying more hours are needed. A flat rate moves that risk onto the genealogist. Whichever you choose, ask the follow-up: what happens if you don't finish?
3. Will every conclusion be sourced?
The answer must be yes, without hedging. A family tree without citations cannot be checked, corrected, or continued — and unsourced trees are how one person's guess becomes four generations of family fact. Ask to see a sample page of someone else's finished work.
4. Do they work to the Genealogical Proof Standard?
The Genealogical Proof Standard is the profession's benchmark: a reasonably exhaustive search, complete citations, analysis and correlation of the evidence, resolution of conflicting evidence, and a soundly reasoned written conclusion. It's the difference between research and collecting.
5. What happens when they hit a brick wall?
Every serious project hits at least one line that available records simply cannot advance. The right answer is that they pause, tell you plainly, and quote any further work separately — not that they quietly fill the gap with a plausible-looking guess, and not that the whole project price goes up.
6. Who owns the result, and can you keep it?
Some services keep your tree inside their platform, where it stops being yours if you stop paying. Ask whether you receive real files — a GEDCOM, a PDF, the documents — that work without a subscription.
7. What about living people?
Your research will inevitably include living relatives. Ask what happens to their information. It should never be published without their permission, and your family's story should not appear in anyone's marketing without your written consent.
Red flags
- A guaranteed result. Genealogy depends on what the records preserve; no honest researcher can promise to find a specific ancestor.
- A famous ancestor promised in the sales pitch, or produced suspiciously fast.
- No citations in the sample work.
- Reluctance to put the scope and price in writing.
Tell us the one ancestor you're stuck on. We'll say plainly whether the records exist — and if they don't, we'll say that too.
Start with a free call →Frequently asked questions
What questions should I ask before hiring a genealogist?
Ask whether the scope is written down before payment, whether pricing is hourly or flat and what happens if the hours run out, whether every conclusion is sourced, whether they work to the Genealogical Proof Standard, how they handle a brick wall, who owns the deliverables, and how living relatives' information is protected.
What is the Genealogical Proof Standard?
It is the profession's benchmark for a credible conclusion: a reasonably exhaustive search, complete source citations, analysis and correlation of the evidence, resolution of any conflicting evidence, and a soundly reasoned written conclusion.
Are genealogists licensed?
No. Genealogy is an unlicensed field, so anyone may use the title. Credentials exist through certification bodies and professional associations, but the practical test is written scope, cited sources, and a clear answer about what happens at a brick wall.
Should I pay a genealogist hourly or a flat rate?
Both are legitimate. Hourly reflects that research time is unpredictable but leaves you carrying the risk of an unfinished project. A flat rate moves that risk to the genealogist. The important part is knowing in advance what happens if the work isn't finished.