Can you hire someone to trace your family tree?

Question

If so how much does it cost?

Answer 1

yes you can and in a way its seems like a waste cause they cost soo much. but its good to know. probably about 500 on average in the cities its probably a heck of a price

Answer 2

Yes you can but from what I have been told it's very expensive.  I made enquiries at a very well known genealogy business here in the UK and I was quoted £700:00 for the basic family tree.?, I didn't ask for further details, I began my own research, I've got back as far as 1615 on my mums side, which is much further back than I was told these people could research. I am completely hooked now, and I'm studying to become a probate genealogist.

Answer 3

yes you can, if you go to familytreetracer.com you can hire them for about 300$

Answer 4

Yes, you can if you are in a hurry. Otherwise, you might have fun doing this yourself. :)

Look for someone involved in the APG- the Association of Professional Genealogists. They are trained and have a code of ethics too.

here's a good site for help:

http://www.apgen.org/articles/hire.html

Answer 5

Yes. They all work by the hour. If the research is easy, you'll get lots of branches. If it is hard, you won't. In all cases you tell them how much you can afford and they work that many hours. If anyone tells you "No results, no pay" they are almost always dishonest. If they guarantee you 3, 4, 5, 6 . . . generations in 20, 20, 30 . . . hours, they are dishonest.

Professionals charge $25 to $75 (US) an hour, with a 12 - 20 hour minimum.

Your county Genealogical Society may have a poor but honest widow willing to work for cash under the table for $10 - $15 / hour.

If you belong to a church,and if it has an annual talent auction, where people offer gourmet dinners, yard york, baby sitting, house cleaning, gardening, . . ., you can sometimes get a bargain.

As an example, I offer 20 hours of my services for a minimum bid of $150 every year. The winning bid is usual twice to three times that, but if some year only one person is interested, they will get me for $7.50 an hour and have a check for $150 made out to my church, which someone who didn't love the current administration could claim as a tax deduction, thus making (for people in the 50% bracket) the real cost $75, or $3.75 an hour.

I'm not offering to do your tree for money. I'm using me as an example. We're not the only church in the country that could use a new roof. Talent auctions as fund raisers are not our original idea. Ask around. Even if you don't have a church, one of your friends might.

Finally, if you don't mind a little non-genealogical work, ask the county genealogical society if they have someone frail who would trade you hour for hour, her research for your yardwork, pruning, clean-up . . .