Frequently asked questions

Start with your own records and work backwards to parents and grandparents. Note names, dates, places and the source of every detail. Verify one relationship before expanding.

No. It may be unindexed, transcribed differently or only accessible onsite. Check coverage, dates and gaps, then browse tables and images.

Treat it as a clue. Find citations, check records and respect reuse conditions. Several trees copying one mistake do not constitute independent evidence.

Limit personal information sharing and ask permission before publishing stories, photos or recordings. Check sharing settings and create a public export separate from private files.

Not necessarily. It may reference media without including the files. Export media using application options and test import before sharing or deleting a copy.

No. Genetic ancestry and documented relationships differ. Results do not name an ancestor on their own. Check local rules; the CNIL explains French restrictions on recreational tests.

Retain both dates and citations. Separate event and registration, identify the informant and check the image. Seek independent evidence; repeated websites do not decide accuracy.

Use it as a reading aid after checking the image. Verify names, dates, negations and relationships. Retain initial output, corrections and original citation; leave unreadable text uncertain.

Text may be unindexed or misrecognised. Try variants, initials and nearby words, then browse relevant issues. Record title coverage and pages checked before concluding absence.

Prepare a precise question, names and variants, places, period, known references and previous searches. Check repository procedures. A focused enquiry helps staff direct your research.

No. Record identity and seek the relationship in other records. Repeated witnesses can reveal a social network without proving kinship.

Record portal, collection, place, period, variants, filters and pages. Separate no result, out-of-scope collection and inaccessible records. These support different conclusions.

One person, event, location, date range, known references and completed searches. State whether you need guidance or a copy of an identified record.

Not necessarily. Seek an explicit relationship or a connecting record. Names, occupations and addresses support comparison but cannot establish kinship alone.

No. It provides an estimate to compare with an earlier record. Age may be rounded or supplied by an uninformed person; keep a range and cite the source.

Their records may state an origin, the same parents or an address. Verify each parent-child relationship before applying the information to your ancestor.

Avoid forcing glued prints. Capture whole pages to preserve order and captions. Seek advice for fragile or damaged materials.

Yes: margins, numbers, annotations or context may disappear. Keep the complete capture, edit a copy and record changes.

Deletions and errors can synchronise too. Keep independent copies, test restoration and check images, transcripts and citations are included.

A place photograph supplies context. For an ancestor, seek a named record matching identity and timeline; unidentified people are not assigned to your family here.

It locates a plot or building according to its content. Link it to a property record, date and identified person; numbers may have changed.

Yes, if event and registration are distinguished. Label dates as birth, notification, ceremony, death or burial to avoid artificial conflicts.

It finds records that do not use a married surname. Keep other attested forms with dates and sources; customs differ between places.

Open it and check pages, readability and citation. A checksum compares file content through its computed value; it does not validate reading or interpretation.

An index may omit parents, witnesses and context or misread a name. Retrieve the record and compare several identity clues.

It records a journey, not the entire life after arrival. Seek residence, civil and census records to follow the person.

No. Transcribe the stated relationship and distinguish heirs, executors and witnesses. Confirm parentage with other records.

Not automatically. Compare land records, censuses and records stating residence. Distinguish ownership from occupancy.

No. Read roles and decisions in the file and their context. Do not infer biological parentage from placement.

Retain the original wording and add documented normalisation separately. State the calendar and uncertain readings.

Keep the exact term and date, then compare civil, census, directory and surviving company records. A modern definition can mislead.

Check the exported file, notes and linked media. Display settings may not apply to exports. Work on a copy and retain a private backup.

The birthday may not have occurred yet. Age 38 on 10 April 1901 allows 11 April 1862 through 10 April 1863 if accurate. Keep the observation date and both bounds.

No. Purpose and recording rules changed. Finnish National Archives guidance explains that headcount variations may reflect tax rules or administrative practice. Compare years and another source before concluding departure or death.

No. Guidance distinguishes ordinary parish registers held by relevant parishes, dioceses or communities from military church registers. Identify place, date and community before choosing a holder; a negative central search does not cover those other holdings.

Szukaj w Archiwach specialist search selects parishes, communities and offices by place, denomination and dates. It is not a personal-name index. After selecting a register consult images and its internal index where available.

ANLux’s official announcement says archives.services-publics.lu replaced Query on 20 March 2026. Use that announcement or current access guidance; some old help links still point to Query. Retain reference and title to recover records if addresses change.