Every person has a general idea of who’s in their family tree. You can probably trace relatives until your fourth or fifth cousin, but beyond that, it can be difficult to keep track.
This is where genealogy research comes in. You can hire a genealogy researcher to trace back your ancestry as far back in time as they can and discover details about your lineage, from the meaning of your last name to your family’s medical history.
The cost of genealogy research varies. You’ll likely spend around a couple of hundred bucks for a subscription to a genealogy website or a DNA tracing service, but if you’d like to hire someone who knows how to research family genealogy, you can expect to pay a steeper fee, which can be anywhere from $30 to $40 an hour to up to $200 an hour. Some professional genealogy researchers may also charge for the entire project, usually starting at around $3,500. The price is worth it, especially if you’re determined about getting to know your family history.
What Is Genealogy Research?
Genealogy research refers to the process of digging up a family’s origins and history. A genealogist, also known as a genealogy researcher, is a professional who undergoes this endeavor, seeking and compiling data about a person’s ancestry from public records and historical documents—as far back as they can go.
What Does a Genealogy Researcher Do?
Generally speaking, a genealogy researcher traces a family’s history. They do this by consulting sources such as libraries, archives, courthouses, records, etc., making connections between generations and collecting insights on a person’s ancestry as they go
Much of the work of a genealogy researcher involves layers of exploration. They take the time to analyze, transcribe, and source citations and results, the result of which enables them to create pedigree charts, determine key points of a family’s background, and conduct genealogical reports.
A genealogist may have a certain specialty. For example, forensic genealogists are experts in finding living descendants; record specialists can transcribe and analyze challenging family records; genetic genealogists are the best at tracing biological lineage; geographic or language specialists are fluent in particular regions, countries, or languages.
Some genealogy researchers take their work beyond just research. Some teach genealogy courses, speak at conferences and seminars, or even host podcasts. Others may double as archivists or historians.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Genealogy Researcher?
The cost to hire a genealogy researcher differs. It may depend on the genealogist you hire; their fee may be based on their expertise, experience, or access to sources. What you pay may also be calculated by the extent of the research needed for the project. The further into the past you ask a genealogist to research, the higher the price you’ll typically pay.
Most professional genealogy researchers charge by the hour, starting at around $30 to $40 hourly (although the average is about $60 an hour, and some may ask for well over $200 an hour). On top of their fee, they may also ask you to pay for additional expenses and services, such as travel-related fees, postage, subscriptions, etc. Some genealogists may opt to charge a flat fee for the entire project (usually when the scope is well-defined), starting at about $3,500.
Is Hiring a Genealogy Researcher Worth It?
Hiring a genealogy researcher is well worth it, especially if you’re eager to learn about your family’s past and your own ancestry. It’s recommended to hire a professional genealogist to trace your lineage when:
- You need access to multiple data repositories or records databases
- Learning about your family requires special research skills (such as fluency in a language)
- You require someone who knows how to analyze and interpret DNA results
- You’re looking for more than just a simple tracing of your family history
- You want someone else to conduct genealogy research or would like results delivered in a faster and more accurate manner
Hire a Freelance Genealogy Researcher on Guru
Guru, one of the top freelance markets online, is home to hundreds of freelance genealogy researchers who are ready to help you make sense of your family’s origins. Upload a free job listing or browse through hundreds of professional candidates.
Hiring the right person is just a couple of clicks away, and you can manage everything about the job right on the platform, from tasks to payments. Hire a freelance genealogy researcher on Guru today!
