Genealogy in Reverse: Finding the Living

Genealogy often feels like a treasure hunt, piecing together the stories of those who came before us. But sometimes the focus shifts from the past to the present as we look for living relatives who can fill in the gaps in our family stories. Learning how to find living relatives can be a valuable skill to help you reach out and connect with living family and descendants of your ancestors who may have the information you are looking for or be able to put you in touch with those who do.

This book aims to help genealogists at every level learn to trace descendants of ancestors, both direct line and collateral. With step-by-step guidance, methodologies, and practical examples, this guide will give you the tools and confidence to find and make meaningful connections with living family members. In fact, finding living relatives isn’t all that different from tracing your direct-line ancestors and their families. The same skills apply—researching, organizing information, and following clues—but with a focus on connecting the past to the present. This process, known as reverse genealogy, involves creating a detailed family tree, identifying relatives down both ancestral and collateral lines, and using modern tools to track them down.

Cheri Hudson Passey

2025, 5.5" x 8.5", paper, 54 pp.

ISBN: 9780806321516

102-4482