Why Genealogy is Thriving Among the 50+ Crowd

Gardening may reign supreme among hobbies for the 50+ crowd, but another form of digging — into family history — is quietly cultivating a multi-billion dollar industry. With tens of millions of enthusiasts and a growing trove of digitized records, genealogy is more accessible than ever and holds a special place in many Gen X and Baby Boomer hearts. Experts note the hobby’s popularity across all age groups, but they also cite many reasons for particular interest among older generations.

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At or near the top of the list: Increased self-reflection and legacy pondering.

“Throughout life, we accumulate family stories, keepsakes and mementos passed down from older relatives,” said Jen Baldwin, a Research Specialist at FindMyPast.com. “These fragments help strengthen bonds across generations and, as we age ourselves, there’s a natural desire to understand and preserve them. It’s about looking past the names and dates to gain a deeper understanding of who we are and the experiences of those that have come before.”

Crista Cowan, Ancestry’s Corporate Genealogist and a leader in the field under the Barefoot Genealogist pseudonym, ties many people’s origins in the hobby to various “triggers.”

“When a parent dies, maybe when that first grandchild is born … When these things happen, those are times when many people turn to family history,” Cowan said, adding rhetorically, “How am I going to be the storytelling grandmother if I don’t have any stories?”

The word “genealogy” may conjure images of poring over dusty volumes in old libraries, traveling hundreds or even thousands of miles to track down records, or filling out reams of family group sheets and pedigree charts on actual paper. You can certainly still do all those things if you want. But for most of today’s family history hunters, the action moved online a long time ago.

You may find that the amount of information you can access from a smartphone or laptop these days is staggering. Think billions of records. Countless newspaper articles are not only available online, but searchable. The same is true for records like U.S. censuses, which can provide snapshots of your ancestors’ families with loads of interesting facts. There are also birth, marriage and death records, photographs, stories already posted by others … you get the idea. Your odds of finding at least some information on your ancestors are pretty good.

“Millions of historical records are now put online each week, and modern tools such as AI are helping to transcribe, index, and surface relevant information with incredible speed and accuracy,” Baldwin said.

Cowan offered a powerful example of how AI has changed the hobby. When the 1940 U.S. Census cleared privacy regulations and became available to researchers in 2012, Ancestry needed nine months to index and offer it via Ancestry.com. When the 1950 census became available in 2022, the latest handwriting recognition and other models allowed Ancestry to complete that task in just nine days. On top of all this, family history research is just plain fun for many people across various generations.

“It’s the perfect puzzle,” Baldwin said. “Many enthusiasts and researchers like me will tell you about the thrill of chasing down a lead, uncovering a long-lost ancestor, or solving a family mystery, happily playing detective for an entire afternoon.”

“I love the surprises,” Cowan added.

Tips for building your family tree

Part of the beauty of family history research is that you can tackle it in any number of ways. You can go casual or intense or anything in between. You can focus on filling in names and dates as far back as you can, or you can spend more time fleshing out stories about more recent generations. You can decide which leads to pursue and which lines to emphasize.

That said, here are a few common steps and tips to help you get started:

1. Start with yourself

It may be tempting to cast a wide research net right away, but there is no better first source than you.

Capture what you know about dates, places and other basics about yourself, your parents and your grandparents. You may be surprised at what you produce, and you’ll be gathering the building blocks for deeper research.

“Jot down your memories, Baldwin advised. “Grab a notepad and jot down everything you can remember about your family and key events in their lives: names, dates, places, locations. Sit down with that box of old photographs to help jog your memory.”

2. Keep track of where you find information

From the start, note your sources.

Recording where each fact comes from helps to verify its authenticity and prevent the spread of incorrect information, particularly when records conflict. It adds credibility to your research and helps other genealogists who may utilize your findings down the line.

Tracking sources can also save you time. Knowing where you’ve already looked can head off redundant searches and help you to quickly revisit parts of your research when new questions come up.

3. Interview parents and other relatives

If your parents or grandparents are still around, they’re a good next step. Interview them. Make it fun. Ask your parents how they met or your grandparents for stories about their youth. Record it if you can. While you’re at it, ask if they have any old photographs or documents that might help bring the past to life.

You can also check with other relatives – maybe that great aunt who you’ve heard has looked into this stuff. You’re likely not the only person in your extended family who is interested in genealogy.

“Someone in your family is going to know something that you don’t know,” Cowan said. She added that focusing on your “First 15” – yourself, your parents, your grandparents and your great-grandparents – will give you a sturdy foundation.

There are other reasons to prioritize talking to older relatives. Not to be morbid, but they may not be around a few months or years down the line. There’s an old saying with a lot of truth to it about a library – with information unavailable anywhere else — burning down every time we lose someone.

Perhaps more importantly, you’ll be thankful for the connections you established or re-established.

4. Check out online resources

Armed with some basic facts about your ancestors, you can start entering your information into online tree builders. Many of them will start providing hints to aid your search right away, along with easy methods of searching records.

There are numerous options offering various levels of information and research opportunities for different price points. In addition to Ancestry and FindMyPast, other popular options include MyHeritage and Geni.com. FamilySearch.org is a free site from the LDS church with billions of records. These and many other sites have their own strengths, so shop around.

5. Consider visiting places where your ancestors lived

Not everything is available online, and for genealogy enthusiasts there is nothing quite like literally walking in the footsteps of ancestors. This may mean traveling a few towns over or halfway around the world.

In addition to records that aren’t digitized yet, you may be able to discover an old family home, ancestors’ final resting places – maybe even a few living distant relatives whom you’ve never met before.

6. Look into DNA testing

The ability to analyze your DNA – and get a readout of where your family likely originated – has also changed the game. You may be able to find other distant relatives who have submitted their DNA, connect with them, and share your research notes.

“People are starting to realize the power of DNA,” Cowan said. “It’s a whole other record.”

There are countless other tips. Beware of trying to pursue every line at once. Try to verify information instead of taking it at face value. Get closer to your ancestors by learning something about the history they lived through. The joy is in the journey.

Another characteristic of genealogy research is that it’s never finished, in a good way. There are always more leads to pursue and more to discover. Many find they get the metaphorical “bug” and find themselves regularly diving in.

“Genealogy offers a powerful blend of personal discovery, emotional connection, and intellectual challenge,” Baldwin said. “It’s no wonder it becomes such a popular pursuit later in life.”