Family History Research Wiki

The Family History Research Wiki (also known as the FamilySearch Research Wiki or the FamilySearch Wiki) offers reference information and educational articles to help genealogists locate and interpret records of their ancestors. It is a free-access, free-content, online encyclopedia on a wiki platform as part of the FamilySearch site. Anyone may read the articles, and almost all articles can be edited by registered users (contributors); registration is free.

Content
Most of the articles in this Wiki focus on specific places, such as towns, counties, states, provinces, or nations. These articles provide guidance on researching records to find information about ancestors in that jurisdiction. Every nation worldwide has at least one article, with more extensive coverage for places in the United States, Canada, and Europe. There are comparatively fewer pages for Africa, Asia, Australia, Latin America, and the Pacific Islands.

Contributors can add information about places to help researchers find and understand ancestry records. This includes information about local record idiosyncrasies, record gaps or loss, jurisdictional boundary changes, records housed in unusual places, and tips for using the records more effectively. Reference information about local jurisdictions, contact information, record start and stop dates, repositories, and social life and customs that affected local record keeping is also welcome.

Content for a place article may include maps, primary repository contact information, organization date, parent jurisdictions, internal subdivisions such as towns or counties, boundary changes, record loss if any, neighboring localities, resources, local record types, local migration routes, and other local libraries, archives, societies, or museums.

The Family History Research Wiki is not a database of ancestors' names, photos, family stories, or pedigrees, nor is it a place for genealogical queries or message boards. However, it often explains and then links to such sites. Religious doctrines, church policies, and religious images are not permitted on the Family History Research Wiki except where they directly impact genealogical research.

Content history
The FamilySearch Library, formerly known as the Family History Library, in Salt Lake City has over four thousand branches worldwide called FamilySearch Centers. These centers have volunteer staff who offer free research advice to visitors. Starting about 1988, the Family History Library developed a series of "research outlines" and other publications. When the FamilySearch Research Wiki was launched in late 2007, the electronic copies of these old paper publications were transferred into the wiki, resulting in over 162 new articles. Of those articles, 86 were front-page-articles, each linked to about 25 closely related topical sub-pages. For example, the front-page New Jersey Genealogy article was linked directly to the associated New Jersey Biography, New Jersey Cemeteries, and New Jersey Census pages. Much of the early structure and phrasing of the wiki can be attributed to these publications. The old paper "research outlines" were the original source from which the Family History Research Wiki has developed.

Platform history
The Family History Research Wiki was launched on December 14, 2007, when the main page was first edited. Initially, the wiki used Plone software. However, it was soon determined that MediaWiki software would be a better platform, so in January 2008, it was moved to MediaWiki 1.17.1. In late March 2016, the wiki was transitioned to a newer, more-stable platform, WikiMedia 1.23.10, which requires less maintenance from FamilySearch computer engineers.

Languages
Following the introduction of the English language edition in late 2007, the Family History Research Wiki has been made available in other languages. As of July 2014 it is available in 11 languages.

Links to the other language wikis can be found at the bottom of the Family History Research Wiki homepage. As of March 7, 2016, the English edition of the Family History Research Wiki had 150,561 registered users who had contributed to the creation of over 82,858 articles.

Reception
The Family History Research Wiki receives over 100 million views per year. During most months, it is typically the second-most frequently visited section (out of ten sections) of FamilySearch, its host site. Despite its substantial usage, its wider adoption within the genealogical community appears to be growing slowly. This resource has been discussed by expert authors in how-to books,    in periodicals,      by instructors at genealogical conferences and classes,      on internet sites,       in blogs,            and on talk radio.

James Tanner, in 2014, on his Genealogy Star blog said the Family History Research Wiki "...is the one most valuable genealogical resource on the Web. I make no qualification in making that claim and have repeated it time and time again."

Christine Hitchmough, in her 2016 lesson "FamilySearch: Using the Wiki," explained, "Because no one can be an expert in all localities, records, languages, or ethnic groups, the purpose of the FamilySearch Wiki is to collaborate and share knowledge that is designed to encourage and eventually enable all people, anywhere in the world, to know where to find, how to use, and how to analyze genealogy records."

The Federation of Genealogical Societies in 2014 used their BlogTalkRadio hour "mysociety" to explain how to leverage a society's Internet site by adding a Family History Research Wiki article linking to their society home page.

The London FamilySearch Centre at the National Archives near Kew Gardens, England, wrote in March 2015, "The Research Wiki is a work in progress. It relies on members from the genealogical community to help add information to make it grow. YOU are the genealogical community! You may know of a database or information not already listed in the wiki."

Governance
The Wiki Governance Council oversees the direction and management of the Family History Research Wiki. Its purpose is to ensure a valuable and productive experience for all Wiki users.