The Great North of Ireland Family Tree

Make connections. Break down your brick walls!

If you have ancestry from the North of Ireland, you will know that finding records before the early 1800s is not impossible but it can be challenging and this results in many of us having broken branches in our trees.

NIFHS is here to support your individual research by providing guidance, resources, and expertise. But we also believe that real progress happens when we work together. By sharing research and collaborating with others, we can unlock discoveries that might be impossible on our own.

A shared ancestor from someone else’s tree or a DNA match could be the missing branch you need to extend your tree so let’s make it easier to recognise those valuable connections.

With this in mind, NIFHS is encouraging anyone with North of Ireland roots to come together on Wikitree and on FamilyTreeDNA (FTDNA) to grow The Great North of Ireland Family Tree. Simply follow the steps below and if you need a hand, you’ll find where to get help on the right.

You don’t need to be a member of NIFHS to take part. The more people who add their ancestors to WikiTree and their DNA results to FamilyTreeDNA, the stronger and more valuable these shared resources become for everyone.

Another advantage of adding your ancestors to Wikitree is that you will be making sure your research is not lost – Wikitree is free forever so this is a great way to pass on your hard work to future generations.

And don’t forget to check to see if you are related to one of the Famous Faces who are already part of The Great North of Ireland Family Tree project!

Imagine if someone else has already researched your ancestors.

How does NIFHS help you to connect your ancestors?

We provide Profile Forms and Ancestor Charts for Society Members to list their research interests and a means for them to contact each other in the hope of finding connections.
We add the profiles of people in our DNA Projects and from our promotions to Wikitree, thereby adding to The Great North of Ireland Tree.
We have appointed a Tree Manager who will encourage both members and non-members to add profiles to Wikitree.
We provide support for anyone wanting to learn and use Wikitree.

What can you do?

Add your own ancestors to Wikitree. Start with your direct line – that might be enough to connect you to a profile that someone has already added to Wikitree.
Encourage your DNA matches to take part. Send them a link to this page!
Volunteer to add profiles to Wikitree for testers in our Projects. Contact the Volunteer Co-ordinator via our Contact page.

DNA is the big connector of people but it only works if we can identify our matches.

How does NIFHS help you to identify your matches?

The Society runs various DNA Projects in which we carry out targeted DNA testing and analysis.
It promotes DNA testing to those with North of Ireland ancestry through education and promotion.
Because of all this activity, FTDNA now has the largest database of testers with North of Ireland ancestry, with over 11,000 of them in the North of Ireland DNA Project.

What can you do?

Take a test at FTDNA or upload an existing test to FTDNA and join the North of Ireland DNA Project. You can only compare your DNA with others on the same site and why wouldn’t you be on the site with the most North of Ireland testers? It’s free to do with a small one off fee if you want to use their advanced tools.
Ask your matches on other sites to transfer their DNA to FTDNA and join the North of Ireland DNA Project.
Make sure your matches can connect to you – add your ancestors to Wikitree!
Enter your Wikitree profile ID onto your FTDNA account.
Add the type(s) of DNA test you have taken onto your Wikitree account.