Ancestry: Family History & DNA Reviews

by Seventh Fret

Ancestry is a scam! 😩😡🤬. You risk losing money! They tempt you with a few days free trial and charge your credit card. When your free trial ends, this app deactivates your account so you can no longer see images of documents even though your card has been changed. To get your money back you have to deal with Apple.

I have had an this app account for years, but only activate it occasionally for a few months to see if any new information is available. This time I made the mistake of activating it through Ancestry using Apple Pay. Ancestry worked okay for me. If you are using an iPad, Ancestry is more convenient than the site on Safari; however, there are a few things that can only be done on the website (e.g. inviting others to your tree if your tree is private). Occasionally Ancestry locks up and loses connection when you try to add files to your gallery. But the main problem is activating your account through Ancestry , especially along with the free trial offer. If you want an active membership, activate it through the website even though you will not get the free trial. Otherwise, you risk a lot of headaches trying to get a refund when this app doesn’t honor your purchase at the end of the free trial.

by Ahamanda

Do not believe the free 14 day trial. You may get charged & then apple itunes will not refund your money. They told me that all sales were final & that apps are not personalized. I was not told this & there is nothing on the free 14 day trial page within Ancestry that has terms & conditions or any exclusions. I had received a previous free trial & was surprised to see another one. I clicked it thinking I’d received it because I did not keep the subscription originally. Apple itunes store kept me on the phone for over an hour refusing to refund & quoting the all sales final in the terms & conditions. There needs to be an * on the free 14 day trial page in Ancestry with at least a short sentence stating if you’ve received a free trial that you will be charged the full subscription price for one month & not receive the free trial. This is false advertising & makes both this app & apple itunes store look very bad. I learned my lesson the hard way. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one. Save your money & don’t even risk it if you’ve used it before. Reclaim the records offers all records for free, same ones this app charges for- public free records-paid for by your ancestor’s taxes & you can use this app through your taxpayer $ for free at your local library. I’m so angry.

by CAB20

Why why why??? You ruined a perfectly good app! It is so difficult now to see my tree. There is no contrast, the pictures are tiny, the names don’t look right. Cannot follow the lines. Terrible graphics! No new useful features. What could have been really helpful would be to view the relationship in the tree without having to click on each profile. It would be amazingly helpful to have a colored border around each person in the tree with the ability to customize a color for each individual. This way you could highlight relatives in your direct line, another color for different relationships or to highlight interesting matches or ones you want to go back and research more. So sad about this new update...I have put so much time and effort into my tree and this new look is not going to work for me. So visually cumbersome! I need a larger photo and have put a lot of effort into using photos for quick identification and sizing them just so. Too much wasted space now that is not even being used to display additional information. I’m not sure what the thinking was behind this colossal failure. I want the old app back!!!

by HazeltheBasil

I love this app, the things i’ve discovered are an amazing gift to my family. That said, Ancestry version leaves much to be desired. The website allows you to connect with other members, view their profiles and trees (member trees are the most helpful feature on this app), and send pictures. That only scratches the surface when it comes to all the goodness you’re missing out on if you use Ancestry over the website. Additionally, Ancestry glitches. If you delete someone on the tree it will reload you back to your home person, and often when you try to accept hints it will save the wrong one (or save one multiple times.

As for the membership, while expensive they are worth it. I do think that the first or second are the best (though depending on which part of the world you want the international records from it might not help). I find that FamilySearch works better for international records, and this app works best for US records. All access is basically a scam. All the newspaper article you want to look at (i truly mean ALL of the ones for my relatives) are behind another paywall. additionally the Fold3 records are largely already available on the this app website (draft cards, hospital admissions etc). Keep your 1st-2nd tier this app membership then get the higher level newspaper membership separately.

by Tisha603

I am struggling with how to figure out how I am related to my DNA matches. The Thru Lines are a great idea however I wish there was something similar that only showed Dna matches instead of everyone because when someone like myself is adopted and has no idea of their heritage or ancestors, it’s just a big puzzle. For instance I entered my “assumed” grandfather and I get tons of hints and thru lines for him but I have no idea if I’m related to him via DNA because so far no matches that I can find . I do admit I have thousands of relatives I can’t link in my tree even though we matched DNA, simply because idk how we are related. No common Surnames shared mostly. It’s very hard and confusing and I’m struggling to find my real ancestors because I don’t know my family nor who is who. If you could help us find a way to piece this together, you would be healing many lives that have holes in them from not knowing their families. you would help make so many lives better. Nonetheless ty for the hard work you have done so far.

by BlooDude

I really appreciate the convenience of being able to do this app on my phone! It makes it so easy to hop on and do a few leaves between activities.

Ancestry works well, but with a few issues. Occasionally, when trying to view something with a photo/attachment, it will say I need a paid account to view it, but usually when I go back and then click on it again, it works. Also, there are a few hints that take you to a website that you have to pay to be a member, just to see if that hint is the person in your tree (e.g. family search); I always skip those hints. Thirdly, a few hints always mess up no matter how many times you try to accept them; it just says something went wrong; try again later. (I’ve noticed this with newspaper articles.)

I only give 4 stars because the census pictures only show you one page, whereas on the PC you can click to view the next page or previous page. Often the family is split between two pages, and I can’t confirm anything that is not on the page that it chooses to show me. If this were changed, I could give 5 stars, though those other problems still need addressed too.

by Photogrphr

If you are interested in the genealogy of your family Ancestry will do it. But the full price of Ancestry is way too high and the claim of newspaper artifacts is quite limited.
If your ancestors come from Russia and your Jewish you will not be able to get further back than 1860. Assuming that your family came here in the very early 1900’s.
My son in law is from German decent and I could trace his family back to 1675 when they came here as early settlers of Ohio, Maryland and Pennsylvania.
Everyone in my family did this app DNA and it we found it very interesting. I had thought we were the only family with our last name in the America but with the DNA and matches I found that another family with my last name settled in Chicago around the same time my grandfather came. This I am sure of because I am a match for at least on of that clan. But I cannot figure out how we are related because the answer to that is in the small towns in Russia where the Jews were persecuted by the tzar and forced them to immigrate to the US.
Instead of five stars I put four because I think they mislead me with the “all access” when it really isn’t “all access”

by Speak Little

I have used this app since its inception.
As a previous person stated, At first it was lacking records, but now it is amazing. If they could make the search where it would narrow down some more, because looking through 2,000 or more and having people come up who are in the 1900s when you want the late 1700s is very aggravating to me. Surely if you put the date of 1768, why are 1970s people showing up. Same with state, if I put SC and California is shown, I wonder why did I even put South Carolina, But I have to admit it does give you much more accurate information. And the DNA information amazes me. If the new ones would put their trees online and the stubborn old ones not keep everything to themselves, especially when you have given them information. Especially on the pictures. I have so many to identify and Rosa or Jose is from the same family, but they won’t share. However this app has really added to my knowledge and I know it will get better and better because it already has. It is sad to me because I won’t be around to see what’s to come. (I am 73.) So if you want to know is it worth it? I say a definite YES.

by Jessi Lanham

I love finding all my long dead relatives but I wish there were more detailed options for your family tree. For example, it should include siblings on each layer of the tree to make even more accurate assessments of relation. Also, including an option for adopted children would be amazing. My grandfather was adopted by his aunt, and so she kept being listed as his mother when in fact she was only his mother by adoption. As a result of this, I’m having an incredibly hard time finding out who my actual great-grandmother is because the records are only show the adopted parents name. There should be a way to include both adopted parents for the purposes of records AND the actual parents for genetic purposes. Also, it would be nice if there were more inclusive options that were sensitive to transgender individuals, including the records for older relatives who may have had to alter their paperwork because of the times they were living in. The history that you can uncover is really eye-opening and I just think everyone should be able to experience it.

by Teal Bee

I can’t complain about the amazing range of relatives I’ve discovered going back centuries. But sometimes the hints I get are a little frustrating, because my tree will tell me that “Joseph Smith” is the father of “Sara Brown” while the hints show that Sara is the daughter of “David Jones.” And often it’s hard on Ancestry to navigate your way back to the more remote branches of the tree.

That being said, if you’re lucky enough, as I am, to have two parents going back to pre-Revolutionary days (who happen to be light-complected), and suspect that your parents might be distant cousins, you can sometimes find out they are, and also discover Jewish nth-degree great-grandmothers; darker-complected cousins; pastors and poets and actors; Mary Queen of Scots; a slave overseer for Thomas Jefferson 😔; figures such as Robert E. Lee and Martha Washington; Irish criminals deported to the Americas; and an assortment of French Huguenots by way of the British Empire.
Your husband might have the DNA test confirm that yes, despite a Greek name and an immigrant from Germany, he is nearly half-Jewish and is attached to storied family fur-trading company owners from Kastoria in Greece who immigrated to the US via Germany.
And your children won’t have inherited the same percentages of genes as their siblings. Viva la difference!

by Jim Dexheimer

When your family history research becomes so complex that you can no longer remember everything, this continuously improved app gives you complete access to an amazing range of details. In spite of my frustration that this app has taken away some resources that were formerly available without additional fees, their software both on a desktop and mobile devices make the annual cost a great bargain.

More than just the basic family relationships and personal data, I appreciate access to primary sources such as census records. I upload hundreds of digital photos and Ancestry makes it easy to access these historic images. And as I travel, I always have access to the most recent discoveries I’ve made about my family. If you have an interest in your personal history, Ancestry can keep your interest vital and enjoyable.

by NealP44

In a place far far away. No knowing anyone on my fathers side of our family it was kind of sad. Who where they and where did they come from?
After some connections a lot of documents and a little luck, my discovery was amazing.
Having the name Jones obviously makes it difficult to ensure, with so many with the same name, that an ancestor is ours. Yet, when the documents like a Draft card has parents names and addresses which reflect the child you know. Your face lights up as each connection becomes a reality.
John Lee Jones is my big find. A settler of the west in Utah, in and around Cedar City. It was amazing to read a story of how he took his family and many Saints ( Latter-day ) from Missouri through the mountains to Utah. With his huge family and friends they carved out a settlement. To say the least I feel so proud to have had family like this. Best of luck on your search.

by JingleCat

Update: working much better!
Old: Let me start with the positive: the tree section is lovely, helpful, works well, and I love it. Now, the negative: the DNA section, which updated on the 1 July is not great. It is set up similar to the website, but please consider that apps are used on devices, such as a phone. The DNA section has become a behemoth if information, difficult to manage or view, crashes if you try and look at Cousin matches for a second person... it used to be quite simple and elegant with the 11 generation view, and option but not requirement to open other users’ entire trees. How can I possibly appreciate their full multi- thousand tree of information on my iPhone? I hate to complain, I use the this app app daily. Some people do crosswords or sudoku. I work on the family tree, it’s my favorite puzzle. I just wish I could use the DNA cousins’ section with ease, but it seems to have become way too huge to appreciate as a simple task in bed or during down time, with the phone. It has become a project strictly for sitting at my computer. Is there any chance to make it more convenient for device use? It’s an app, after all. Thanks :)

by Tmccabejr

Unlike Reunion, Ancestry requires a constant internet connection to display a tree. Nothing really resides on the iPhone other than a link to your online this app tree. So, from a practical point showing your tree to family members around a dinner table, or while researching in a library, or many other places where a signal isn't always available - that soaks up battery time also - is extremely limited. With Reunion my tree fully resides on the iPhone - period. The fact that this this app app is "free" to paying members is great - the fact that it's crippled and mostly useless speaks to the price value as well as what this app thinks of its customers.

Suggestion - charge a couple of bucks and have the full GEDCOM load on the iPhone and present in a Family Tree Maker format. Even if it isn't as fully featured, you'll make a return on invest in both money and added customer good will. But it's useless as it runs now. One star is a gift.

by Layton Granny

I have been working on my family history for over 50 years and have accomplished quite a lot. Then, a couple of years ago I discovered this app and am amazed about how much easier it is to do everything. Yes, there are quirks, as there are in every program, but this one is wonderful. I recently decided to have my DNA done, but was too suspicious to give this app all of the information ahead of time, so I used a different e-mail address for my DNA kit, to see if they would be able to come up with the information I have on my charts (back to the 1500s in most cases). I was totally amazed that they pinned all of my ancestors down to the exact areas I was expecting them to be from, including the Jewish ancestor that is on my chart 4-5 generations back. ABSOLUTELY recommend this program. It is very addicting to do family history and this program makes it even easier with the very helpful and accurate hints. Thanks to all of the programmers!

by DinaSangs

My Father’s one and only wish was to one day know someone from his Mothers side of the family. She died when he was five. We spent many years traveling the state of Texas looking for anyone that know anything about his Mother. He sent his DNA to this app and we waited... and waited.. and waited, until one day, there was a match, Mercedes. I saw that her Grandfathers name was Alfredo Alviar Chavez and flipped out!!! I sent her a message through the this app app. and explained who I was and that we have been looking for years and years for anyone related to My fathers Mother’s side of the family. I gave her my email address and hoped she would answer. She quickly responded by sending an email to me and we were immediately connected. She was blown away that we knew so many details about her Grandfather. It did t take us long to get together. They came to visit on Labor Day weekend 2019. We had 3 glorious days to talk and laugh and cry. My Father was the happiest Man in the world. Then on September 19, my Father passed away. His name was Guadalupe Ibarra. He died a happy man. God kept his word and brought to pass the one and only piece of the puzzle left.
Thank you this app for making it possible. Without you, he would never have met his beautiful cousins, children of his uncle Alfredo, my Fathers Mother, Francisca’s little brother.

What a wonderful world!!!

Thank you,
Dina Joy Lawrence
Proud daughter of Guadalupe Ibarra

by Lkldraft

I have used Ancestry for five years on iPhones, iPads and computers. I never had to start over or begin a "new tree" because you log in and you information is secure. I love Ancestry for several reasons the first being I have learned so much about the heroes in my family. I can see the struggles, how wars have affected family members. I found living relatives I never knew. The only problem I have is that duplicates still form too easily but the correction process has been simplified. Every update has made corrections easier to do. You can add pictures, obits notes and they automatically add historical facts to make your ancestors come to life. A ‘Warning’ though this can be addictive! Con- even if you have paid for records after having a membership for years once you discontinue or pause your membership you cannot access digital scans of records. You can however see you have the record as well as see the “detail” of the record.

by Lorieann77

I got bit by the this app bug in 2009 before I became a member. What started this for me was learning all I could about my great grandfather (my moms dads father.). Great grandpa left the home when my grandpa was three years old no one knew too much about him. Before becoming a member I was able to locate the him and within three weeks I actually drove to a rural cemetery and found his grave!! I was also able to find history. A few years ago I joined this app as a full member and absolutely love it! My family tree, maternal and paternal, goes back for some to the 1500s. Two years ago I did the AncestryDNA (the reports were just updated recently as well!) I can attest to the fact they are accurate because I know where a lot of my family came from and the DNA members it matched me to are relatives, some I know (but didn’t realize they were members.) Totally fascinating and soul fulfilling to know where my people came from know what blood runs through my veins. Rock on this app! I’m hooked ❤️👍🏽

by BrndaM

It’s the best gift, I received in my life. For my 62 Birthday my son purchased me a kit. While I waited for my results, I began creating my tree. Ancestry was easier to use than it looks and it took no time at all to master navigating my tree.
Then the results arrived and wow it was unbelievable. I never knew my birth/biological father so it was interesting seeing possible relatives. But I didn’t have the nerve to contact them, so I stuck to my mom’s tree & adopted father, then tackled my husbands side exploring leaves.
Then one day I had a message in my mailbox and it a matter of minutes I had my first contact with a Second Cousin .... that contact confirmed we’re relatives and although my birth father is deceased, I have Aunts, Uncles, sisters & brothers and of course tons of cousin to reach out to!
Perhaps I’m one of the lucky few that find relatives, for that I’m thankful for AncestryDNA. It’s a great app and became a new hobby for a recently retired grandma. With the help of AncestryDNA we may have just figured out my next “Heritage” vacation spot.

by Cmsmyer

this app has been a joy to explore. I first started my tree several years ago, but had suspended my membership for lack of time to devote to the project. Earlier this year I decided to explore my genetic history through AncestryDNA, so wanted to continue my tree as well. I’ve been thrilled with the enhancements the site has made in the intervening years. It’s been even easier to connect the family dots through the system of ‘hints’ provided by Ancestry . Each time I feel I’ve begun to hit a wall, a new hint is revealed that keeps me going.

I’m also pleased with how the genetic app is enhancing my search. I have barely begun to explore the many connections that submitting my DNA revealed. As just a beginning, I can engage any person who is 4th cousin or closer - and who chooses to keep their connection open as well. What I’m most looking forward to is searching for all those Scandinavian relations that make up a full third of my DNA. I had no idea there was any measurable Norse blood in my past!

I really am pleased with this app, and AncestryDNA, and have only scratched the surface of Ancestry ’s many features and my past.

by A-Dubb_DC

~I cannot see messages from family members. They are being lost in transit but the alerts randomly show up.~ No wonder I cannot reach my cousin in Jamaica Queens, NY or my beautiful cousins here in the US the cognitive dissonance keeps throwing us off and making us use Ancestry less and less as it pertains to messaging which is one of the killer apps and primary features. Rest of Ancestry is great I love my colored graphs and receiving proof that I’m Nubian/Egyptian 🇪🇬. 5-stars once messaging issue is resolved I love you guys in Utah and I know you’ll address it in the coming months. I went to school at Neumont College of Computer Science we are doing good things now. Austin, TX, USA 🇺🇸 + The Texas Triangle our to California. #yayyay (Elon Musk is a 🦸🏾‍♂️ and I love Disney+. Shoutout BlackPlanet and Solange asf just need these hackers n stalkers to stop tweakin like we ain’t grossly overpaid and intelligent af gettin sex 24/7) - active lifestyles ♾

1 December, 2019 - Yes!!! Thank you!! I can see an online status indicator light on now that turns green and it has more of an IM/iMessage style format and flavor. Monique please hit me b@ck out NY. You are our American-Nubian Goddess with both Western and Eastern cultures blended haha. Yes! Shoutout Lil Durk!!! 💌 🌀