Question/answer » A family historian has contacted me. What do they want from me?

You receive an e-mail or a letter from someone you do not know. He or she is researching a family tree and has a question about your family. What now?

What does the researcher usually want?

• To confirm a name or date: "Was your grandfather the Jan who was born in Zwolle in 1920?"
• A photo or a story: "Do you perhaps have a photo of your grandparents?"
• To let you know that you are related: "Our great-grandfathers were brothers."
• To ask your consent to include your data.

You decide

You do not have to cooperate with anything. You may say no, or share only part of it. The researcher may only publish data about you if you give consent. Data about your late parents and grandparents is public, so no consent is needed for that.

Tips for a good conversation

1. Ask where the family tree can be found. On Genealogy Online you can then see for yourself what is already there.
2. Ask what the researcher wants to do with your information. Will it be published, or only kept?
3. Agree on what may and may not go online. For example: yes to the photo of grandpa, no to the names of your children.

It often brings you something too

The researcher usually already knows a lot about your family. Photos you did not know, the occupation of your great-grandfather, a branch of the family abroad. Feel free to ask. Also have a look at the family trees on Genealogy Online: maybe your family is already in there.

Back to list of frequently asked questions

Related questions

• Can I publish data from living persons on Genealogy Online?
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