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Rooted in America. Connected worldwide.

American roots.
Family stories.
Expert genealogy research.

Ready to kickoff your family history project?

Special $99 offer for those that have not researched their ancestry yet

My goal is to trace at least one of your family lines back to the time of the Civil War — or to their time of immigration, whichever applies to your family.

You’ll receive
  • A visual family tree chart
  • A written summary of what was found
  • Supporting historical records and documents
    • Census records
    • Military records
    • Immigration records
    • Naturalization records
    • Birth certificates
    • Marriage certificates
    • Death certificates
    • Grave locations

    *Every case is different. No specific record is guaranteed.

Start a beginner project See what’s possible ↓
What we do
  • Start a family history project from scratch — see details below
  • From “came over on a boat” to the port, the ship, and the town it started in
  • Trace enslaved ancestors and identify plantation locations
  • Build missing branches of your family tree
  • Provide a clear, visual family tree you can see and share
  • Break through a family-history brick wall
  • Understand how DNA results fit into what you know about your family
Peter Simonson, Civil War soldier
From the Vault • Reader favorite

Civil War Soldier Discovery

U.S. Colored Troops, 23rd Infantry Regiment

Tracing Peter Simonson’s service in the Civil War’s U.S. Colored Troops — found through draft cards, pension records, and old newspaper archives.

 PFC James J. Murray
From the Vault • Reader favorite

A Brooklyn Kid in Normandy

508th Parachute Infantry Regiment • 8 comments

PFC James J. Murray, a 23-year-old from Red Hook, jumped into Normandy on D-Day and was killed in action 10 days later — traced through military records, unit histories, and a family photo mystery.

 Ulster Scots-Irish immigrant family
From the Vault

Tracing Your Irish Ancestry

Irish immigration to America

The story of Irish immigration to America — and how to start tracing your own family’s journey across the Atlantic.

 House of the Good Shepherd, 1920
From the Vault • Reader favorite

1915 Census Leads to Breakthrough

NY State Census research • 8 comments

A brick wall broken open by the lesser-known 1915 New York State Census, bridging the gap between the 1910 and 1920 federal counts.

 Brooklyn Bridge construction workers, 1870s
From the Vault

Building the Brooklyn Bridge

The Irish & German workers who risked it all

The immigrant laborers behind one of America’s most famous landmarks — and how to find their names in the historical record.

 The Coney Island Express family photo
From the Vault • Reader favorite

Old Family Photo’s

7 comments

Dating a mystery family photo by tracing the exact subway car in the background — down to the year.

 Old Breuckelen sign, showing the Dutch origin of Brooklyn's name
From the Vault

Dutch & English Settlers in Brooklyn

Researching colonial-era ancestors

Long before Ellis Island, Brooklyn was settled by the Dutch and English — tracing ancestors back to the colonial era.

Hit a Brick Wall? Or Have a Specific Research Goal?

This option is for when you already know exactly what you’re chasing — a specific family line, a rumor you want confirmed or disproven, or research that’s stalled and needs a fresh set of eyes.

Examples of this kind of request
  • A family story about a Native American ancestor you want confirmed
  • Tracing your family back to slavery, and where they went in the years right after the Civil War
  • A rumored Civil War soldier in the family tree
  • An ancestor who disappears between census years
  • A specific family line you want traced further back
  • Conflicting DNA match information
How this works
  • Tell me the specific story, rumor, or ancestor you want researched
  • I’ll give you an honest read on what’s realistically findable

*Cost depends on scope — you’ll get a clear quote after I hear what you’re chasing.

Get Started See what’s possible ↓

Researching families across America — and beyond, when the records lead overseas.

What’s possible?

Records vary by family. Not every project includes every record type — we focus on the records that are available, relevant, and most helpful for your story.

Sample extended family tree
  • Visual family tree chart
  • Written research summary
  • Supporting documents and certificates
  • Birth records / birth certificates
  • Marriage records / marriage certificates
  • Death records / death certificates
  • U.S. census records
  • Immigration and passenger lists
  • Naturalization records
  • Military records
  • Church and baptism records
  • Cemetery and burial records
  • City directories and address records
  • Newspaper articles and obituaries
  • DNA / heritage guidance — understanding how DNA results fit your family story

What Clients Say

GoalIdentify Native American Ancestors
LocationMidwestern U.S.

“BrooklynAncestry.com did an outstanding job organizing and collecting the data. I merely gave them my grandmother’s name and they were able to trace the history back from her. In only two hours, they had traced my history back several generations and even forwarded an image of a grave site. I was very impressed with the quality of work and the communication throughout.”

— Andrew Lechlak, 21, Ohio
GoalLocate Lost Friend and Family
LocationNew York & East Coast

“BrooklynAncestry.com discovered all sorts of information about family members — some of whom I didn’t know existed! I had also been searching the Internet for over 5 years for information on a friend who had suddenly ‘disappeared’ from my life. Within a few hours they discovered when and where she had died, as well as information about her remaining family! Very efficient and dependable.”

— Cecilia Dierson, 68, New York
GoalInformation on Grandmother
LocationBrooklyn, NY & New England

“With BrooklynAncestry.com’s help, my family has learned when my grandparents were married and where — all within 10 minutes. They’ve traced our family back to the 1600s, filling in the gaps of our family tree. We even found out that a book was written about one of our ancestors. I can’t thank Brooklyn Ancestry enough for helping me find the answers I’d been looking for.”

— Carol S. & family
GoalFind Lost Relatives
LocationNew York

“My mother was always talking about growing up in Brooklyn and seeing some of her distant family at holidays, and I decided to try to find them. I had no idea what something like this would involve… not knowing what happened to them when the families moved away and only knowing a few names, I was blown away by how fast they were found.”

— Grace, 78, New York
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🔍 Researching families since 2009
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