Genealogical Digital Assets and Legacies
What happens to your research after you die is up to you today.
I am more of an historian than a genealogist…perhaps a family historian? The label doesn’t matter much in this situation, as I feel the genealogist’s pain when he or she complains that no one in the family is interested in all the work put in over the years to develop a factual (as possible) family tree. You have documents, paperwork, charts, maps, photographs, digital files, DNA files, trees on four different websites…and the list goes on.
I decided this week I would veer from the general aspect of digital assets and focus on genealogical assets, as I need to know what to do, too. Hopefully, this article will help us clean up our evidence and help compile it into a functional body of work that we or our beneficiaries can keep, sell, or donate. Any option is better than watching them from the great beyond as they toss all that hard work into a dumpster. There, I said it.
1. Digital & Physical Assets Genealogists Use
I think I’ve covered it all here, but I would like to know if I’m missing anything. If you have questions about your situation or additions to make, please let me know in the comments.
Physical Records & Materials:
Family trees (handwritten, printed)
Original documents (birth, marriage, death certificates, wills)
Old photos, negatives, and slides
Personal letters, diaries, and journals
Heirlooms and artifacts
Reference books and guides
Research notes and binders
Digital Records & Files:
Digitized family trees (GEDCOM files)
Scanned documents and photos
Audio and video recordings (oral histories)
Research spreadsheets and databases
Online Accounts & Subscriptions:
Genealogy websites (Ancestry, MyHeritage, FamilySearch, FindAGrave)
DNA testing accounts (23andMe, AncestryDNA, GEDmatch)
Social media groups and personal genealogy blogs
2. What to Do Before Death
Organizing & Preserving:
Digitize old records and back them up (cloud storage, external drives).
Label photos and documents for easier identification.
Create a master list of accounts, passwords, and access details.
Write instructions for heirs on how to manage digital genealogy assets.
Deciding on the Future of Research:
Identify a "genealogy heir" to take over research. This person does not need to be a relative.
Contribute work to a historical society, archive, or library.
Set up a plan for DNA accounts (privacy settings, account transfer, deletion).
Monetizing or Donating:
Sell rare genealogy books or research services.
Donate collections to genealogy libraries, universities, or museums.
Publish family research as a book or digital archive.
3. What Happens After Death (for “genealogy heir”)
Manage Physical & Digital Assets:
Family or a designated person follows instructions for preservation
Libraries, archives, or genealogy groups acquire materials
Handle Online Genealogy Accounts:
Transfer ownership (some sites allow for legacy access).
Download/export data from genealogy websites.
Close or memorialize profiles on DNA/genealogy sites.
Genealogy and DNA Websites
These sites help researchers build family trees, access historical records, and connect with other genealogists. Note that you’re tapping into international sites, but some of the links are for U.S.-specific or English-speaking users.
Ancestry.com and AncestryDNA – The largest genealogy sites with extensive historical records and family tree-building tools and the largest integrated DNA testing service. No official policy for memorializing accounts. Heirs should download the family tree and research. Accounts are non-transferable. See “Requesting Access to the Account of an Ancestry® Member Who Passed Away”.
MyHeritage and MyHeritage DNA – Similar to Ancestry, with international records and photo-enhancing tools. Their DNA section offers ethnicity estimates and integrates with MyHeritage genealogy records. Read this information to learn what you need to gain access to the account after the user dies.
FamilySearch.org – A free site run by the LDS Church with a massive collection of historical records. DNA use, but doesn’t offer the tests. They have a clear policy about what to do for deceased users.
FindAGrave.com – A database of cemetery records and gravestone photos. Owned by Ancestry.com. According to FindAGrave, “You can appoint someone as a steward for your account so that if you leave Find a Grave for whatever reason, they can continue to manage your memorials. First speak to the member to make sure they are willing to be responsible, then email [available at link] to let us know. Be sure to include the member ID number of your steward in the email and we’ll make a note of this in your account.” In other words, the steward must also be a FindAGrave member who is willing to take on your memorials. Otherwise, FindAGrave will obtain ownership of your memorials and farm them out with an “are you interested in managing” message to folks who come across your pages. It appears that family members also can contact FindAGrave if they want to manage their loved one’s memorials.
BillionGraves.com – Similar to FindAGrave, with GPS-tagged cemetery records. their deceased-member policy is about the same as FindAGrave, too. If there is no designated steward, family members can contact BillionGraves support to request access to the account and memorials.
Geneanet.org – A European-focused genealogy site with family trees and historical documents, and it is a subsidiary of Ancestry. Geneanet offers a "Genealogical Data Legacy" service to allow members to declare their wishes.
Geni.com – A collaborative genealogy site that aims to build one world family tree. Since this is a public tree site, when a member dies their content is preserved even if their subscription fails. Family and/or friends are not allowed to log into the deceased person's account, but Geni customer service will automatically free the profile for editing the date of death once notified of the user's demise. They will probably ask for a death certificate copy.
AmericanAncestors.org – A site run by the New England Historic Genealogical Society, specializing in early American records. There are no clear answers to what to do if a member dies, nor could I find anything about a beneficiary. Most likely, a member’s family will need to contact the organization after the user’s death and supply documentation. You’ll probably find this true for other localized genealogical organizations.
23andMe – Focuses on both ancestry and health-related DNA analysis. This is a tough one, as they offer no solutions for transfer of ownershsip for DNA information because they own it. If you have log-in information you can delete the account, but deletion means that everything—including the data—is deleted except for those bits of information 23andMe are required to keep by law. You can navigate to their page about Demo Accounts to learn more about deletions. Links on the left column of that page might interest you as well.
FamilyTreeDNA (FTDNA) – Provides autosomal, Y-DNA, and mtDNA tests, great for deep genetic genealogy research. Of all the DNA testing companies, only Family Tree DNA (FTDNA)* currently allows you to name a beneficiary for your DNA test.
GEDmatch – A third-party tool for comparing DNA matches across different testing services. GEDmatch notes: “We retain personal information about you for as long as you have an open account with us or as otherwise necessary to provide you with the GEDmatch services. See the “Security” section about our retention and deletion of original uploaded files.”
There are many other DNA and Genealogy websites. If you belong to other sites, use your search engine to find “What happens to my “site name” information when I die.” You’ll find information, hopefully, that will lead you directly to the source. If you find any different information than I posted above, let me know. I do know that many sites change their policies over time, so be aware this information may not be valid in a year or two.
Handling DNA/Genealogy Accounts After Death
The following is a recap for easy reference:
1. Preparing Genealogy & DNA Accounts Before Death
To make things easier for your heirs or chosen genealogy successor, take these steps in advance:
✅ Make a List of Accounts
Document all genealogy and DNA accounts, including login credentials (username, email, and password).
Keep this list secure, such as in a password manager or a physical document in a safe place.
✅ Specify What Should Happen to Each Account
Decide whether you want your accounts transferred, preserved, deleted, or archived.
Write clear instructions for each site and include them in your will or estate plan.
Some sites allow for account transfers, while others do not.
✅ Back Up Your Research
Download GEDCOM files of your family tree from genealogy websites.
Export or print key records, stories, and notes.
Save DNA data if you wish to keep records outside of the testing company’s database.
✅ Name a "Genealogy Heir"
Designate someone to continue your research.
Let them know where your records are stored and how to access them.
2. Steps for Heirs to Manage Accounts After Death
If you are the designated person handling a genealogy or DNA account after someone dies, follow these steps:
✅ Check for instructions left by the deceased
Did they specify what to do with their accounts?
Look for a genealogy will, written plan, or estate instructions.
✅ Download and backup data
Save family trees, GEDCOM files, photos, and documents.
If DNA data should be preserved, download raw DNA files before requesting account closure.
✅ Contact support for each platform
Most genealogy sites require proof of death (such as a death certificate) before making changes to an account.
Some sites allow account transfers; others will only allow deletion.
✅ Decide whether to continue or close the account
If no instructions were left, the family should decide whether to maintain the account for research purposes or close it.
Some accounts can be turned into a memorialized account (like FindAGrave).
4. Final Considerations
When planning for the future of genealogy and DNA accounts, there are several key factors to consider. For DNA accounts, privacy is often a major concern, and it may be more of a concern to your ancestors than it is to you. You may have spent years building connections through DNA matches, and after you pass, those matches may still hold valuable insights for family members. If privacy is not a concern, leaving the account active can help relatives continue uncovering family history. However, if privacy is a priority, it may be best to request account deletion to remove personal genetic data from the platform.*
Another important aspect to keep in mind is subscription-based genealogy services. Many of these websites operate on a paid membership model, meaning that without action, an account could continue auto-renewing and charging fees to the estate. If no one in the family plans to use the service, it is wise to cancel subscriptions to avoid unnecessary costs. If you don’t cancel them now, be sure to note they need to be canceled in your instructions.
For those who have built extensive family trees on public platforms like FamilySearch, FindAGrave, or Geni, there is some peace of mind in knowing that your work will likely remain available even if your account is closed. These platforms preserve contributions, ensuring that future generations can still access and benefit from the research.
Published works are another matter. Be specific, family historian, about what you need from your publisher on this issue. A beneficiary to your royalties is one suggestion if possible. Otherwise, a trustee or attorney may need to deal with this type of asset allocation since it concerns the transfer of funds to you rather than away from you. In most cases, a published book's copyright and royalties become part of an estate and are typically inherited by heirs, as outlined in a will or trust or by state law if there's the genealogist dies intestate.
Ultimately, the best course of action depends on your wishes and what will best serve their family and future researchers. Even if your children aren’t interested, you may learn in this process of developing a lasting legacy that your cousin’s daughter’s husband is vastly interested. Planning ahead by leaving clear instructions for account management can make all the difference in ensuring your work lives on in a meaningful way.
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