WikiTree is a free, worldwide genealogy website built around the idea of creating one shared family tree. Rather than each researcher maintaining a completely separate tree, members can contribute information, sources, photographs and family knowledge to a common tree. This collaborative approach can be particularly valuable when researching a surname that appears in many branches and across different countries.
For a surname studier, WikiTree can provide a place where researchers can bring together discoveries that might otherwise remain scattered among individual family trees, research notes and archives. One member may have information about a family in Scotland, while another has traced a related branch that emigrated to Australia, Canada or the United States. By sharing their findings, researchers may be able to identify connections that would otherwise be missed.
An important feature of collaborative genealogy is the emphasis on evidence. WikiTree encourages contributors to add sources and explain how relationships have been established. This helps other researchers assess the reliability of information and provides a starting point for further investigation.
We are delighted to have Azure Rae Robinson from WikiTree speaking to us on Saturday 15th August at 4pm UK time. She coordinates several Surname Studier herself and we look forward to hearing her insights.
The strength of collaborative genealogy is simple—the more researchers who contribute carefully documented evidence, the more complete the picture of our shared surname history becomes. Please join us to learn more!
