When you see that famous “shaking green leaf” on your family tree, it is tempting to click “Accept” immediately. It feels like Ancestry has done the hard work for you.
But how accurate are these hints really?
The short answer: It depends entirely on the source of the hint.
Ancestry’s computer algorithms generate hints by matching names, dates, and locations. They do not “know” your family; they only know statistical probabilities. This guide explains which hints you can trust, which ones you should ignore, and why blind acceptance is the fastest way to ruin your family tree.
Record Hints on Ancestry (High Accuracy)
If the hint comes from a government database, it is generally reliable—but not perfect.
- What they are: Census records, Birth/Death certificates, Military rolls, and Passenger lists.
- The Accuracy: Very High (90%+). These are primary sources.
- The Risk: The document itself is accurate, but the match might be wrong.
- Example: The algorithm might match your “John Smith” born in 1880 to a “John Smith” in the 1880 Census who lives three towns away. You must always check the family members listed in the record to confirm it is the correct John Smith.
Ancestry Member Tree Hints (Low Accuracy)
This is the danger zone. These hints appear when other Ancestry users have the same person in their tree.
- What they are: Data copied from other users’ public family trees.
- The Accuracy: Low (50% or less).
- The Risk: If one user makes a mistake (like attaching the wrong father), and 10 other users copy that person, Ancestry’s algorithm sees 11 trees with the same info and assumes it is a “fact.” This creates a feedback loop of bad data.
- Rule of Thumb: Never accept a Member Tree hint unless it includes attached sources (like a Census image) that prove the connection.
The “Unavailable Hint” Problem Explained
Sometimes, you might click a hint only to see an error message saying it is gone.
This usually happens when a hint was generated from a private tree or a record that was recently removed. While frustrating, this is actually a safety feature—it prevents you from linking to data that the owner has decided to hide or delete. You can read more about why this happens in our guide on Ancestry unavailable hints.
How to Verify an Ancestry Hint Before Accepting It
To keep your tree accurate, follow this 3-step verification process for every single green leaf.
- Read the Original Document: Do not just look at the summary. Click “View Image” to read the actual handwriting. Does the age match? Are the neighbors correct?
- Check the Dates: Does the hint say your ancestor died in 1890, but your tree says they had a child in 1895? Algorithms often miss these logical impossibilities.
- Check for Duplicates: Accepting hints carelessly often creates duplicate profiles for the same person (e.g., “Mary Jones” and “Mary A. Jones”). If this happens, you will need to clean up your tree and merge duplicate people to fix the mess.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ancestry’s algorithm is broad by design. It prefers to show you a “Maybe” match rather than show you nothing. It relies on you to be the filter.
Yes. If you are tired of seeing bad data from other people’s trees, you can go to your “Site Preferences” and uncheck “Member Tree Hints.” This forces the system to show you only government records (Census, Birth, Death), which are much more reliable. For more on managing these notifications, see our guide on Ancestry Hints settings.
Be extremely cautious. These are guesses based on other trees. Unless you can find a marriage record or birth certificate linking that father to your ancestor, treat it as a clue, not a fact.
Conclusion
Ancestry Hints are tools, not answers. They are incredibly useful for finding records you might have missed, but they are not a substitute for research. By treating every hint with healthy skepticism and verifying the source, you ensure your family history is built on facts, not just algorithms.
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