Build Your Family Tree with ChatGPT

Useful places to check

• FamilySearch records Search birth, marriage, census, death, and other historical collections. Some images have access limits.Open
• FamilySearch family tree Compare possible connections in the free shared tree, then inspect the sources attached to each profile.Open
• National Archives of Australia A useful starting point for Australian migration, military, government, and family-history records.Open
• Trove Search Australian newspapers, notices, photographs, and archived material for names and family events.Open

How to grade a match

• Confirmed The relationship is supported by strong original records or multiple independent sources.
• Likely The evidence fits, but one important record is still missing.
• Possible The name, time, or place matches, but there is not enough proof yet.
• Conflicting Sources disagree, so the connection stays out of the main tree until resolved.

How to use it

1. 1

   Build the starting tree

   Open ChatGPT and share only the family details you are comfortable using. Approximate years and broad locations are enough for living relatives.

   I want to build my family tree. Interview me one question at a time about the relatives I already know, including names, relationships, approximate birth and death years, and places connected to them. Do not ask for sensitive information such as exact addresses, phone numbers, account details, or ID numbers. When we finish, organize everything into a clean starting tree. Mark every missing or uncertain detail as unknown instead of guessing.

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2. 2

   Research the family name

   Ask for the possible history of the surname, but keep it separate from your proven family line. A surname origin is a clue, not evidence that two people are related.

   Based on the surnames and places in my starting tree, research the possible origins, spelling variations, migration patterns, and historical context of each family name. Use web search and cite every source with a working link. Keep general surname history separate from facts proven about my relatives. Clearly label anything uncertain, disputed, or based only on a name match.

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3. 3

   Find possible relatives

   Use ChatGPT Search or deep research to check public web sources. Paid, private, blocked, or unindexed records may still need to be searched manually.

   Using the confirmed people, dates, relationships, and locations in my tree, search public web sources for records that may reveal additional deceased relatives. Check obituaries, cemetery indexes, digitized newspapers, archives, and publicly accessible genealogy records. Do not search for or expose sensitive information about living people. For every possible match, give me the person's name, the proposed connection, the evidence for it, the source URL, and a confidence label of confirmed, likely, possible, or conflicting. Never add someone to the tree from a name match alone.

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4. 4

   Audit every connection

   Before drawing the final tree, make ChatGPT separate sourced facts from guesses and tell you exactly what evidence is missing.

   Audit every person and relationship in this research. Create a table with: person, claimed relationship, supporting sources, conflicting evidence, confidence level, and the next record I should find. Require at least two independent sources for each new relationship where possible. If a source only repeats another family tree, do not count it as independent evidence.

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5. 5

   Create the visual tree

   Once you have reviewed the evidence, ask for a diagram you can update. ChatGPT can produce Mermaid code or another supported visual format, but the result is only as reliable as the sources behind it.

   Now create a clear visual family tree using only the people and relationships marked confirmed or likely in the audit. Put possible connections in a separate section instead of joining them to the main tree. Output the tree as a Mermaid diagram, then include a compact source key under it. Use birth and death years only when sourced. Do not include exact addresses or sensitive details about living people.

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Tips

• Start with relatives you know and work backward one generation at a time.
• Search spelling variations, maiden names, nicknames, nearby towns, and wider date ranges.
• Open the original record when possible. Search indexes and AI summaries can contain transcription errors.
• Do not upload birth certificates, IDs, exact addresses, or private details about living relatives.
• A public family tree is a lead, not proof. Check which records support each connection.