Why hire a professional genealogist?

Maybe you’ve hit a wall in your research. Or maybe you’re not sure where to begin.

Your time is valuable. If you’re not sure where to look for traces of the past, why spend hours and hours spinning your wheels?

Work with a professional genealogist who has navigated these challenges, who knows the nooks and crannies of the historical record as well as modern tools such as genetic genealogy to solve complex family mysteries.

Let’s talk — fill out my quick inquiry form and get a FREE quote!

Learn More
Stack of family albums

What kinds of research services are available?

Family Trees

A professional genealogist can trace your ancestors back through the generations, along the way uncovering geographical origins, family circumstances, and even unexpected relationships.

Family Biographies

Most of our ancestors didn’t leave behind autobiographies or diaries to give insight into what their lives were like. But the historical record is full of small clues—if you know where to look. By piecing together strands from various sources, a professional genealogist can provide composite pictures of the lives that your ancestors led.

Record Retrieval

A professional genealogist can go directly to archival sources, obtaining copies of original records to give you proof of family connections and history. These documents also give you and your family a living record to pass down to future generations.

DNA Ancestry Analysis

Often, records don’t survive or weren’t kept in the first place. A professional genealogist can offer advanced analysis of your DNA test results and break through research walls.

Working with Scott on my family tree back into the 1600s’ first immigrant into America has indeed been a pleasure. I am continually amazed at his thoroughness and skill at digging into previously unknown sources. And beyond that, his genuine enthusiasm has enhanced my genealogical journey.

– Bob, California, USA

As a gift for our father, we three children enlisted Scott to research our family ten generations ago prior to leaving Scotland for America. Scott provided in-depth detailed information based on historical records and genetic testing. Genetic tests can be confusing to interpret but Scott easily translated the data. We will continue to periodically engage Scott because he has been a wonderful resource for our family.

– The Gordons, Ohio, USA

After hitting a brick wall in attempts to determine my Irish great-grandfather’s family, I asked Scott for help. I needed someone who had access to documents in the 1800s in the U.S. and Ireland. Scott set a scope of work that fit the next steps for research and my budget. His reports described in detail his work completed. I look forward to continuing with him in the near future.

– Barbara, Missouri, USA

Choosing a genealogist to ‘unravel the past’ can come with some uncertainties. However, we found our choice to go with Scott to be an excellent fit for our family! From the start, Scott exhibited an impressive dedication to his profession. Superb follow-through as well. Such a precious gift it is to honor our loved ones with long-awaited answers to questions we were unable to answer on our own. What an amazing journey! Many thanks to Scott for making it happen!

– Elizabeth, Kansas, USA

I highly recommend Scott’s work. Scott was super responsive, took the time to clearly understand what I was hoping to “unravel.” I was so thrilled to receive my report from Scott. It was such a lovely story about my family — much more information than I was finding. The end result was a lovely narrative of my family tree, one that all my family members enjoyed reading and learning from!

– Lisa, Washington, USA

I found Scott’s research to be outstanding, professional and very inclusive. I am very pleased to say that Scott’s work was so satisfying to me, that I have [engaged him for] further research on this line of my family. I fully anticipate that I will use [Scott] to research several additional lines of my family heritage.

– Larry, Maryland, USA

Where do we look for clues?

Census & Voting Records

By establishing where our ancestors lived as well as their occupations, we open so many doors to learn more about the lives they led.

Land & Court Records

Deeds & land sales can shed light on families, their relationships, and their movements. Court records likewise can establish financial & family circumstances.

Newspapers

Whether a marriage announcement, an obituary, or simply making the local news, ancestors can show up in small ways that say a lot about the lives they led.

Illustration of tree with branches

Vital & Probate Records

Birth & death certificates, marriage licenses, divorce records, adoption files, and wills can be treasure troves of information on family relationships.

Military Records

Military records can provide a window not only into your ancestors’ service & their roles within particular military conflicts, but also can reveal family background & circumstance.

So many more places…

Naturalization & immigration records, passenger lists, travel records, local histories, not to mention your own inherited DNA. There are so many ways to reveal the secrets of the past and learn more about your ancestors.

Get in Touch!

I can't wait to help solve your genealogical puzzles. Fill out my quick inquiry form and get a FREE quote for your project.

GET A FREE QUOTE >>