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How Research For Hire Works

Learn about our research process

Discover your family history, heritage, and culture with Research & Library Services experts!

Our 20-person team is knowledgeable in all geographic areas and can assist in any type of research inquiry. To begin your journey with us, you will start with an Expert Assessment. During this review, your expert researcher will evaluate your inquiry, complete preliminary research, and provide personalized recommendations for you to achieve your research goals. Upon completion, you can decide to continue your project with our Research Team or use the provided recommendations to continue researching on your own.

Pricing for our Expert Assessment starts at $735 for American Ancestors members and $875 for non-members.

What You Get

An expert reviews your inquiry

An expert researcher will review the information and materials you send to us and conduct preliminary research on your inquiry.

Your assessment report is created

Your expert researcher will provide a summary report containing any additional findings and a detailed research strategy for continuing your family research.

Any documents found are included

Your assessment report may include records and documents found during the assessment research.

What happens next?

Option: Continue your research independently

You may use the outlined strategy that we provide to carry out research on your own. In your Expert Assessment report, we will outline resources, records, microforms, and even repositories to contact, which will help you in your search.

We recommend joining American Ancestors for access to our online databases through AmericanAncestors.org, as well as our photocopy service for access to sources in our Research Center in Boston.

Option: Complete your project with us

Upon completion of the Expert Assessment, your researcher will outline how our Research & Library Services team can continue your research work with a recommended number of hours. During this authorized time, we will complete the outlined assessment strategy.

You may browse a variety of projects we can help with below:

Ready to start your research for hire project with an expert assessment?  

Research For Hire Projects

Interested in seeing examples of our work or learning more about how we can help with your family history research? We’d be happy to answer your questions, discuss the services and options best suited to your needs, or share samples of our work.Every family’s story is unique, and our team can help you explore the possibilities for your project.

Contact our Research & Library Services team at (617) 226-1246 or by emailing research@americanancestors.org to learn more about our services, or discuss your research goals. 

We look forward to helping you bring your family’s story to life!

Personalized Family History Books

Create a lasting family keepsake with a Personalized Family History Books, thoughtfully crafted by our expert genealogical researchers. Whether you’re preserving generations of family history, building on years of personal research, or just beginning to explore your roots, we’ll work with you to create a personalized volume that reflects your family’s unique story.

Each book can be tailored to your interests and goals, incorporating genealogical research, family trees, photographs, historical records, family stories, and a special introduction or dedication for future generations. From a focused family lineage to a richly illustrated family history, we’ll help bring your family’s past to life in a meaningful and lasting way.

With optional printing and binding services available for an additional fee. 

Each project is unique, and pricing is tailored to the size and organization needs of your book.

Family Collections & Preservation
Example archive boxes

Give your family’s history the care and organization it deserves. Our Family Archive Organization service helps preserve and organize your treasured family documents, photographs, letters, and other paper heirlooms, creating an accessible archive for you and future generations.

Simply provide your materials, and our team will carefully organize them into clearly labeled folders and archival boxes, bringing order to your collection while making it easier to locate and enjoy individual items. Each completed archive includes a personalized guide explaining how the materials are arranged, so you and your descendants can navigate the collection with confidence.

Whether you’re organizing a small collection of family photographs or preserving a lifetime of accumulated family records, we’ll help transform your treasured materials into an organized, meaningful, and lasting family resource.

Pricing is customized based on the size and scope of your collection, with estimates determined by box size.

View an example

Citizenship by Descent Research

Reconnect with your heritage and explore the possibility of citizenship in another country through your family history. Dual or multiple citizenship allows an individual to hold citizenship in more than one country, often through ancestry or family connections.

Our expert genealogical researchers can help you explore your eligibility by tracing your family lineage, identifying relevant ancestral records, and locating the documentation needed to support your application. From birth, marriage, and immigration records to other essential genealogical documents, we can help you build a well-documented picture of your family’s origins and take the next steps toward your citizenship goals.

Whether you’re just beginning to explore your options or already have a family history to build upon, our team can tailor its research to your needs and help you navigate the genealogical research portion of the process.

Your family history may open doors to new opportunities. Let us help you discover where your roots can take you.

Please note: Our services focus on genealogical research and supporting documentation. Eligibility determinations, legal advice, and citizenship applications are handled by the appropriate government authorities or qualified legal professionals.

Lineage Society Research & Application Support

For more than a century, American Ancestors’ Research & Library Services team has helped individuals uncover, document, and celebrate their family connections to history through lineage society research.

Whether you’re beginning your search for a qualifying ancestor, looking to verify an existing family tree, or ready to complete an application, our expert genealogical researchers can provide customized support tailored to your goals. We’ll help identify ancestral connections, locate and evaluate historical records, verify relationships across generations, and assemble the documentation needed to support your lineage society application.

Our team has experience researching eligibility for a wide range of organizations, including The Mayflower Society, the General Society of Colonial Wars, the Sons and Daughters of the American Revolution, the National Society of The Colonial Dames of America, the Society of the Cincinnati, the Magna Carta societies, and many others.

Whether you need help documenting a single ancestral line or navigating a complex, multigenerational research challenge, we’ll work with you to develop a research strategy that fits your needs.

Your family history may connect you to a remarkable legacy. Let our experts help you uncover the evidence and tell your story.

Customized Genealogy Charts

Celebrate your family’s heritage with a beautifully designed, customized family tree chart created by American Ancestors’ Research & Library Services team. Whether you’re showcasing generations of family history, commemorating a meaningful ancestral connection, or creating a treasured gift for a loved one, our customized charts transform your genealogy into a display-worthy keepsake.

Our expert genealogists examine historical records, evaluate existing documentation, and assess the evidence supporting your family connections. We work to confirm relationships across generations, resolve discrepancies, and identify gaps in your research to help you develop a more accurate, well-documented family tree. We’ll work with you to develop a chart that reflects your family’s unique story, with options tailored to your research goals and the lineage you wish to highlight.

Your finished chart is provided as a PDF, with optional printing services available for an additional fee. 

Turn your family research into a lasting heirloom—beautifully presented, thoughtfully researched, and ready to share with generations to come.

Expert Assessment: Breakthrough Genealogy Research

Stuck on a family history mystery? Our expert genealogical researchers can help you move beyond frustrating dead ends and uncover new paths in your family tree. Whether you’re struggling to identify an elusive ancestor, resolve conflicting records, or trace a family line that seems to have disappeared, we’ll bring fresh perspective, specialized expertise, and proven research strategies to your search. Together, we’ll explore new avenues of inquiry and help you take the next step toward solving your family history puzzle.

Not sure where to begin? An Expert Assessment connects you with an experienced genealogist who will review your research question, evaluate existing documentation, and recommend a path forward tailored to your goals.

 

Build Your Family Tree

Whether you’re starting from scratch or expanding years of family research, our expert genealogists can help you trace your ancestry, uncover meaningful family connections, and build a well-documented online family tree. We’ll tailor our research to your goals, helping you explore your roots and preserve your family’s story for generations to come.

Pricing varies depending on the scope and complexity of the project.