Finding and connecting with your cousins around the world has never been so easy.
As part of the in-person and virtual RootsTech 2023 event, scheduled for March 2-4, anyone can download the free FamilySearch Tree app and use the “Relatives at RootsTech” feature to find and connect with living relatives worldwide.
The fun global tool is only offered annually as part of RootsTech. It is available starting today, Feb. 17, and goes until March 31, FamilySearch announced Friday in a news release.
“It is a chance for participants to discover living relatives they might not have otherwise known and adds to the excitement of making living connections — a signature attribute of the RootsTech experience,” the news release said.
Background on ‘Relatives at RootsTech’
The Relatives at RootsTech experience first went global in 2021 during the first worldwide virtual RootsTech Conference. The event drew more than 1 million visitors from 240 countries and territories.
Over 3 million people participated in the global family history event in 2022. FamilySearch received the following reactions from people who used the Relatives at RootsTech feature:
- “I have never seen so many connections before! I am so pleased with how this feature on your RootsTech site works. Thank you so much!” — A participant from Florida.
- “I am blown away by this cousin mapping. I am stunned to realize I am connected to the world so very much. Thank you. Even in Ukraine. My eyes are opened!” — A participant from Ukraine.
How to join Relatives at RootsTech 2023
RootsTech 2023 participants using Relatives at RootsTech will be able to connect with relatives both online and in person.
Download the FamilySearch Tree app or go to FamilySearch.org/Connect to connect with your global cousins. Attendees can either sign into their FamilySearch account or create a free account and start their family tree.
Once logged in, the discovery technology will search for common ancestors to match attendees worldwide together as relatives and show how they are related.
Once identified, users can send a message to their relatives.
The feature will display how many relatives have joined the experience. Users can filter relatives based on location, ancestor or family line. A search tool also allows users to look up a specific person and see if and how they are related.
Learn more about Relatives at RootsTech at familysearch.org.
