About Genealogy Explained

Genealogy Explained is an educational site started by Marc McDermott to help weekend-warrior genealogists learn how to climb their family trees.

You may have seen us published or mentioned on sites like Ancestry.com, MyHeritage, Geni.com, Legacy Family Tree Webinars, CNN, Forbes, MSN, International Society of Genetic Genealogy (ISOGG), Health.com, FamilyEducation.com, or the International Symposium on Human Identification (ISHI).

Learn how to research your family history

Learning the fundamentals of genealogy is critical, but it should also be fun. Whenever possible, I’ll use illustrations, diagrams, videos, and other visual learning techniques to help make complicated topics more digestible.

I’ll also review the various tools, products and subscription services available to family history buffs. Having the right tools for the job is half the battle in genealogy. The other half? Knowing what to look for and how to look for it. Also known in the professional genealogy world as “reasonably exhaustive research.”

Start your research journey!

Not sure where to start? Genealogy Explained is divided into different sections based on how most weekend warrior genealogists should progress in this hobby: Basics, Research Techniques, Managing a Family Tree, and DNA Testing. If you are new to the hobby, start with the basics and go from there.

My hope is that the information I share here will help you make breakthroughs on all your toughest genealogy problems.

Speaking of brick walls and tough problems, make sure to check out the Genealogy Explained blog. That’s where I’ll tell the story of my own research. Follow along as I discover new sources, analyze information, and document my findings. I’ll talk about things I’ve learned in the process and the mistakes I’ve made so that others can learn as well.

Contact Us

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me here or on Facebook.

Media Mentions

Genealogy Explained has been mentioned in several major media outlets.

  • USA Today
  • CNN
  • Forbes
  • Wired
  • FOX 10 Phoenix
  • ABC 15 Arizona
  • Arizona’s Family
  • The Dallas Morning News
  • International Business Times
  • Toronto Sun
  • Calgary Sun
  • Ottawa Sun
  • Edmonton Sun
  • Winnipeg Sun