A pile of old black-and-white photographs spread across a table

Family History Research for Others: Turning Your Genealogy Hobby Into a Little Income

ByRuth Abernathy

If you have spent years tracing your own family tree, you already have a skill many people would gladly pay for. Plenty of families want to know where a grandparent came from, or what happened to a great-uncle nobody talks about. They just don’t know where to start, or they don’t have the patience for old records.

Doing small family history projects for others is a quiet, sit-down way to earn a little money. Here is how it can work, what people charge, and how to keep it honest and kind.

What Kind of Work Is It?

You don’t need to take on huge projects. Small, clearly defined jobs are easier to price and easier to finish. A few examples:

  • Finding one ancestor in old census records and writing up what the records show.
  • Building a simple family tree, three or four generations back, with a note on where each fact came from.
  • Looking for obituaries or newspaper notices at the local library.
  • Helping someone sort, label and date a box of old family photographs.
  • Turning a family’s research into a short written family history they can share at a reunion.

The Association of Professional Genealogists (APG) notes that professionals also help with things like reading difficult old handwriting, lineage society applications and writing family histories. You can start with the simple jobs and grow from there.

Free Records You Can Use

You don’t need expensive subscriptions to begin.

  • FamilySearch is free for everyone. It is run and paid for by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and you don’t have to be a member. A free account lets you search its historical records and family tree.
  • The National Archives explains that U.S. census records are kept private for 72 years, so 1950 is the newest census you can see. Records with details for each household member go back to 1850. Most of the 1890 census was lost in a 1921 fire, so expect a gap there.
  • At National Archives research rooms, you can use Ancestry and Fold3 for free. Many public libraries, state archives and historical societies offer free access too. Ask at your library desk.

What Do Genealogists Charge?

Rates vary widely. A 2023 article from the research firm Legacy Tree Genealogists, citing the APG, put independent genealogists anywhere from about $30 to $40 an hour to well over $200 an hour, depending on experience and location. That same article listed the firm’s own team rate at about $108 an hour. Treat these as rough guides; prices change, and results vary.

As a beginner, you would likely sit at the lower end, and that’s fine. Many people starting out charge a flat price for a small project instead, such as “one ancestor, one written report.” That way your client knows the cost up front.

Here is a rough, made-up example. If you did one small two-hour project a month at $30 an hour, that would be $60 before any costs. That could go a long way toward a basic phone plan or a streaming bill, though your own numbers will differ.

Keep It Honest and Kind

  • Charge for your time, not for results. Some ancestors simply can’t be found. Say so in writing before you start.
  • Agree on the hours first. Write down what you will look for and how many hours you will spend. Stop and check in before going over.
  • Show your sources. Note where each fact came from, so your client can trust it and check it.
  • Be gentle with surprises. Old records can turn up things families didn’t expect, like a hidden adoption or a second marriage. Share them with care.
  • Protect living people’s privacy. Don’t share details about living relatives without permission.

If you want to see what professional standards look like, the APG has a Code of Ethics and Professional Practices, and its members agree to follow it and keep up continuing education.

Finding Your First Clients

Start close to home. Tell friends and family, your church or club, and your local genealogy society. A short notice on a library or community bulletin board can work well. Teaching a beginner’s class can also bring in clients who want more help.

Ask for payment by cash, check from someone you know, or a payment app you already use safely. Be wary of anyone who sends a check for more than your price and asks you to send back the difference. The FTC says this is a common fake check scam.

A Word About Taxes and Benefits

Money from research work is income, even in small amounts, and it may need to be reported on your tax return. For some people, it can also affect benefits, such as the Social Security earnings limit before full retirement age, SSI, Medicaid or housing help. Check the IRS and Social Security for your own situation.

More on Replace a Bill

Sources

Similar Posts