FamilySearch International celebrated a variety of milestones in 2024, from reaching its 130th anniversary to adding 2.5 billion searchable records and images to its databases.
Now the organization is planning for another full year. Here’s what to expect from FamilySearch in 2025.
Artificial intelligence
FamilySearch has been developing artificial intelligence technology to read old handwriting in more languages and improve its ability to suggest lineage-linked data from records.
For instance, the FamilySearch Full-text Search feature — teased at RootsTech 2024 — can search unindexed, handwritten historical records that have never been searchable before.
This year, the feature will continue introducing advancements to the record search experience. FamilySearch Full-text Search is available now for interested patrons to test out in FamilySearch Labs.
Additionally in 2025, FamilySearch artificial intelligence will expand computer-assisted indexing algorithms to more quickly index a greater number of historical genealogical records. FamilySearch’s Get Involved web and mobile app will make this process easier and more fun for volunteers who refine the work of handwriting recognition artificial intelligence.
More genealogy records and digital books
In 2025, FamilySearch will make “significant” strides to expand record collections for France, Germany, Honduras, Italy, Palau and Philippines, according to information provided by the organization.
Additionally, FamilySearch will continue publishing millions of oral genealogies gathered through in-person interviews with tribal leaders from 25 African countries.
FamilySearch will expand this effort to oral genealogy cultures on other continents, using its tree and search technology to build databases that will make these oral genealogies searchable for the first time ever. Users will be able to search by tribe, village or surname, and will receive instant access to audio recordings and lineages shared during interviews.
Outside of genealogy records, FamilySearch will continue working with societies and libraries to digitize historical genealogical books, accessible for free online in its Digital Library. These digitized publications are full-text searchable and include genealogy books, family histories, local histories, maps, yearbooks and more. It currently has over 600,000 digitized, searchable books and serials.
New tree features
The FamilySearch Family Tree will become even more collaborative in 2025 with the fully-launched Family Groups feature. Patrons will be able to create private groups of living family members who have FamilySearch accounts, enabling them to efficiently share collective family history information such as photos, stories, sources and memories. Group participants won’t have to re-enter their living information to join collaborative efforts.
Together by FamilySearch
FamilySearch’s new mobile and web app, Together, helps families make, share and record memories. Patrons can create their life story as they experience it or later as they reminisce.
They can also create family groups and invite select family members to help capture impactful life stories, memorable family events, traditions, favorite foods, hobbies, interests, friends, holidays, vacations and more. Built-in prompts remain relevant throughout different life stages.
Together by FamilySearch is available for Android and iOS devices on Google Play and the App Store, respectively.
RootsTech 2025
Registration for RootsTech 2025 is now open at RootsTech.org.
The global family history gathering — the world’s largest genealogy event, hosted by FamilySearch — is scheduled for March 6-8, 2025, with an in-person event in the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City and online at RootsTech.org with select content available in multiple languages.
Organizers hope to build on the success of RootsTech 2024, where attendees made more than 350 million new family connections, according to a FamilySearch news release.
RootsTech 2025 will feature:
- Hundreds of classes: Attendees can choose from a variety of online and in-person classes and workshops led by industry experts, covering topics for beginners to advanced research techniques.
- Expo hall: See and learn about the latest innovations and products.
- Main stage sessions: Attend presentations by celebrities, influencers and experts who will share their personal family stories and insights. The keynote speakers will be:
- Olympic gold medalist Tara Davis-Woodhall and Paralympic gold medalist Hunter Woodhall, track and field athletes who are married.
- Ndaba Mandela, the grandson of the late Nelson Mandela, speaker, writer and philanthropist.
- Dana Tanamachi, an artist.
- Family Discovery Day: This free event on Saturday, March 8, offers fun activities, games, projects and other discovery ideas for families. RootsTech 2024’s Family Discovery Day featured a video presentation of the late President M. Russell Ballard’s last visit to Church history sites in Kirtland, Ohio, and Nauvoo, Illinois, prior to his death on Nov. 12, 2023.
