How To Get the Most Out of WikiTree

WikiTree is Free and Collaborative

First, let’s talk about the fact WikiTree is a free website. That’s 100% free. It does not have an affiliate program, so any time someone recommends the website to you, they aren’t getting paid for it. Because of the one-world tree concept, where everyone works together on shared ancestor profiles, you can get free help for your research. You may even get random free help without even asking for it. There are projects within WikiTree who work to create or enhance profiles from local records. Someone may come along with a new record for your family and place it on their profile. Brick walls are broken down all the time this way. 

Set Yourself Up For Success

But people can’t add new information to your family profiles if your family profiles aren’t on WikiTree! So the first thing you need to do is build as much of your tree on WikiTree as you can. Don’t just add the ancestor couples in your tree, but add the kids of each couple too. Someone descended from a different child of your ancestors, may see that person’s profile on WikiTree and come along with some new information about your ancestors (this is called “cousin bait” on WikiTree). 

Add as many source citations as you have for each person’s profile. The more sources you have, the more information others can see about that person. In the genealogy space, information leads to more information. 

Add Your DNA Information

Although members don’t upload their raw DNA at WikiTree, the website does have a feature that allows you to list which DNA tests you have taken. This DNA information will filter through eight degrees of your family profiles. When a cousin lands on one of your family profiles, they can see you have taken a DNA test and send you a private message to compare notes. This is also helpful if you want to see if anyone descended from a certain ancestor has taken a DNA test. Check their profile. On the top right is where DNA information will be listed if anyone within eight degrees has taken a DNA test and added that information to WikiTree.

This DNA feature only works for your own DNA if your profile privacy setting is yellow or peach locked (private with public family tree).

From your Wiki-ID tab in the menu, choose “DNA” to add your DNA test information.

Ask For Help

WikiTree has a forum called g2g (genealogist to genealogist) where WikiTree members can ask for help from genealogists around the world. There are two things you should do to get the most help. First, add tags to bring more people to your question. black_heritage is the tag used to bring members from the US Black Heritage Project. You can also use surname and location tags. 

There are different spaces in g2g, so when you need research help, choose “Genealogy help” in the dropdown as the space where your question will land. If you’re having trouble figuring out how to use WikiTree, g2g is also the place to ask for help with that. Choose “The Tree House” in the dropdown for those kinds of questions. 

Remember the Honor Code

Because WikiTree has over 1 million members who need to get along in the shared space, everyone agrees to abide by the nine points of the Honor Code. The website is also PG.This is sometimes a shock for people who are used to saying whatever they want on social media. Cussing isn’t allowed, badmouthing other people isn’t allowed. Everyone is expected to back up what they’re talking about with documented facts.

  1. We collaborate
  2. We care about accuracy
  3. We assume mistakes are unintentional
  4. We are courteous to everyone
  5. We respect privacy
  6. We respect copyrights
  7. We give credit where credit is due
  8. We cite sources
  9. We are united in a mission to increase the world’s common store of knowledge. We always respect copyright and privacy, but we keep information as free and open as possible.

Enhance Your Family Profiles

If you like bling, check out the Descendants Stickers page for a list of some WikiTree stickers to add to your family profiles. These stickers visually declare and honor something special about a person. If you’d like a sticker that doesn’t exist, reach out to the US Black Heritage Project to see if it would be possible to create it.

Keep an Eye on Edits

It is up to you to make sure your family profiles stay in good shape. When you are profile manager (PM) of a profile, you can get notifications any time someone makes changes on that profile. Under your My WikiTree tab in the menu, choose settings. Scroll down to Email and make sure the weekly WT Family News newsletter is chosen. Any edits to your managed profiles will be sent to you weekly in that newsletter. You can also check manually for edits by going to your My WikiTree tab and choosing Contributions. Click on Watchlist for your managed profiles or Connections for any profiles within seven degrees of you. Click on “hide my contributions” to see only what edits others have made. 

Checking edits can also be a great way to meet new cousins!

Ask To Manage Your Family

Because WikiTree is a one world tree, it’s possible some of your family profiles already exist on WikiTree. Unless those profiles are private, you don’t need to be profile manager to connect them to your tree. But in order to get edit notifications as mentioned above, you either need to be Profile Manager or on the trusted list for that profile. It’s expected that you will ask to be added as Profile Manager (PM) or to the trusted list (TL). What’s the difference? Only PMs can change last names on profiles if the find an error. PMs are often messaged about a profile when someone has a question. People do not need to be WikiTree members to send you a private message about your family. 

To ask to be added as Profile Manager or the the trusted list, go to the privacy tab and scroll down to “Join this List.” Then click the link. In the box that appears, explain how you are related and whether you’d like to manage the profile or just be on the trusted list. You might not be added if this ancestor is farther back in the tree with lots of descendants (profiles have a limit to the number of PMs it can have) or if a project manages that profile. 

If you’ve asked to be added to a profile and it hasn’t happened, see the problem shooting section below. 

Collaborate with the US Black Heritage Project

WikiTree’s US Black Heritage Project sets the standards and oversees the work for African American genealogy on WikiTree. You don’t need to be a member of the project to get their help (although they would love it if you want to join and help with their goals!). You can also follow the project on Facebook.

It can be helpful to reach out to them to let them know what you’re working on and where your challenges are. They may have some tips, hints, and resources to offer. 

Learn the WikiTree System for Documenting Slavery

Because you will likely encounter slavery in your tree at some point, it is helpful to learn the unique system the US Black Heritage Project uses to document slavery. This system, which is a part of their Heritage Exchange Program, allows your enslaved ancestors to be more easily discovered by other descendants. Check out the Heritage Exchange Portal for more information.

Seek Help If Problems Happen

Because WikiTree has one million members, problems can’t be avoided. That’s why they have a process for dealing with various issues that commonly arise. If you encounter any difficulties, especially if you feel a member isn’t playing fair, reach out to a Project Leader of the US Black Heritage Project who will guide you to best course of action for your situation. You should always feel safe and heard on WikiTree. If something happens that isn’t allowing to feel safe or heard, please contact a Project Leader immediately. 

A Final Note

WikiTree is a one world tree. That means we share ancestors. Because of this, no one has ownership of any family profiles, not even your own family. It’s a hard concept to wrap your head around, especially when you’re new to WikiTree. People often ask, “Why is someone editing my family?” The answer is because they are members of WikiTree and wish to improve the entire world’s family. The best way to look at it is this: we are all one family with one tree. 

However, because we respect privacy at WikiTree, you can keep your close family members privacy locked so no one but you or anyone on the trusted list can edit them. (check out the seven levels of privacy on the privacy tab on any profile). Any family profiles who aren’t private have a high chance of being edited and improved by other WikiTree members. But that’s the beauty of WikiTree. The hope is that they will add value to your family profiles that you couldn’t have had without their help.