Genealogy Research Insights
Have you ever used SMART goals? If so, you know the “M” stands for measurable. In genealogy, progress is often measured in simple terms—Was the record found or not? Over the years, I’ve relied on a variety of statistics to help answer that question and to track the direction of my research.
As I noted in my 2023 Tracking Growth post, numbers can sometimes be misleading. While my family tree is largely complete through six generations, the work itself is far from finished. Research continues as I document descendants, revisit earlier conclusions, and search for records that strengthen, clarify, or occasionally challenge what I think I know.
This year, rather than presenting those numbers in a traditional table, I took a different approach. I submitted three years’ worth of genealogy statistics to Google Notebook LM and used the results to create a series of infographics. Each visual tells part of the story—RootsMagic data, Ancestry tree growth, DNA match trends, and yDNA results—offering a clearer, more intuitive snapshot of how my research has evolved over time.
Seeing the numbers laid out visually added a new layer of insight to this annual review. The infographics below capture three years of data and invites a closer look at how steady, incremental progress shapes long-term research.
RootsMagic
Ancestry Tree
Ancestry DNA Matches
yDNA – my 2 brothers and a 4th cousin
At the end of the day, these numbers are simply tools—markers that help track effort and direction. The real work continues in the records, the analysis, and the stories waiting to be uncovered.