Ancestry: Family History & DNA — Uncover Your Roots and Build Your Legacy

Start with just one name to explore 30 billion records, discover your ethnicity, and bring your family’s unique story to life with the world's leading genealogy app.

Hobbies & Interests ›

Publisher

Ancestry.com Operations Inc.

Your Story in Sight

Discover the interface used by 11M+ users.

Ancestry app interface showing the Discover feed with historical family photos

Ancestry app screen showing DNA ethnicity results and world map regions

Ancestry app interface showing tools to scan colorize and restore old family photos

Ancestry app interface showing DNA matches with relationship categories and shared centimorgan data.

A profile screen in the Ancestry app for an ancestor named David Arthur Scott McLeod with the text Collaborate with family on your journey

Ancestry app screenshot showing a historical marriage record hint for a family tree

Ancestry app interface displaying a 1943 marriage certificate for a grandfather under the heading Build your family legacy

Detailed view of a handwritten 1870 US census record in the Ancestry app

Ancestry app screen for inviting a contributor to a family tree and selecting their permissions

Uncover the Stories That Made You

The tools that make this app stand out, trusted by 11M+ users.

🍃

Smart Discoveries with Ancestry Hints®

Let our technology do the detective work. We search over 30 billion records to find photos, stories, and details about your ancestors so you don't have to.

🧬

Trace Your DNA and Origins

Go beyond names and dates. Discover your ethnicity breakdown and connect with a massive network of DNA matches to find living relatives you never knew existed.

🌳

Build Your Living Family Tree

Easily create a visual map of your history. Upload old photos, scan documents with your phone, and collaborate with family members to keep your heritage alive.

Loved by users worldwide

Trusted by 11M+ people who love this app.

"I always heard stories about my great-grandfather coming through Ellis Island, but I never had proof. Using the Ancestry app, the hints led me straight to his original ship manifest! It’s been so rewarding to build this legacy for my grandkids and see our history come to life right on my iPad."

Sarah Jenkins

"The DNA results were a total game-changer for me. I finally understand my heritage on a deeper level, and the app even helped me connect with a second cousin I never knew existed. The interface is so sleek, and getting 'shaking leaf' notifications on my phone makes genealogy feel like a modern-day treasure hunt."

Marcus Chen

Review Analysis

Insights from user reviews.

Sentiment Score

28%

Negative

Summary

The app receives mixed feedback, with many users appreciating its ability to help uncover family history and provide rich information, including a helpful "hints" feature. However, a significant number of complaints focus on the app's high pricing model, expensive subscriptions, paywalls for previously free features, and unexpected cancellation fees. Users frequently report issues with app performance, such as slowness, crashes, syncing problems, and features not loading, particularly affecting DNA results. There are also notable concerns regarding the accuracy and consistency of DNA ethnicity results and difficulties with customer support and account management.

Common Themes

Information & Discoveries(8)

Navigation & User Interface(1)

About the app

Everything you need to know about Ancestry: Family History & DNA.

Description

Explore who and where you personally came from through photos, stories, historical records, and so much more— even your ethnicity and family communities if you’ve taken an AncestryDNA® test. And with just one relative’s name, you can start to discover your family history anytime, anywhere with Ancestry®, the top genealogy app*. Why you’ll love to discover your family story using the Ancestry® app: • View your family tree, search and add new family members, upload photos, and share stories - all with just a few taps • With a free trial or paid subscription easily access more than 30 billion records, photos, and more • The dynamic Discover feed lets you review, dismiss, and save your discoveries and hints for later • Activate your AncestryDNA® kit and view your ethnicity results • See your DNA matches and compare your results with them • Learn even more about your family story when you combine your tree with your DNA results • Preserve your history with your own personalized family tree • Collaborate with friends and family - it couldn’t be easier • Our modern layout design makes it even easier for you to explore • Discover stories, photos, and records about your ancestors with Ancestry Hints® • Personal traits. Add Traits to your DNA results to see how your genes could influence 35+ fitness, nutrient, sensory and appearance traits. Free Features: • Build a family tree • Search the census records and access more than 1.1 billion free records • Receive hints based on your tree • Scan or upload your own family pictures • Receive messages from Ancestry members • See your ancestors' life stories on a map Available with an optional free trial or subscription: • View more than 30 billion records. • Use Ancestry Hints® to learn about ancestors • Find pictures of your family • Discover new relatives • Unrestricted messaging iPhone and iPad Features: • Curious about your family tree? Simply look up a relative's name, discover their story, and then share it with your loved ones • Remember the high school years by finding yearbook photos to share with your close family and friends, all with just one quick tap • Review your personalized hints • Add photos, hints, or ancestor stories and watch your personalized family tree grow • Watch Ancestry Academy Videos that get you started with genealogy research • Easily upload or scan photos and add facts or stories to your family tree • Learn about historical events that affected your ancestors’ lives. Apple Watch Features: • Get on-this-day alerts for events from your family history. Download the Ancestry Family History & DNA app to start exploring your heritage and more, today! View our Terms and Conditions at: https://www.ancestry.com/cs/legal/termsandconditions View our Privacy Statement at https://www.ancestry.com/cs/legal/privacystatement CCPA Notice at Collection https://www.ancestry.com/cs/legal/privacystatement#personal-info-categories Consumer Health Privacy https://www.ancestry.com/c/legal/wa-health-privacy *within free apps in the Apple App Store's Reference category

Latest Version

18.0

Size

519.5 MB

First Released

Jan 19, 2010

Ready to discover the stories that made you?

Join over 11 million people uncovering their heritage. Download the Ancestry app today and start your family tree for free—your history is just one name away.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about Ancestry: Family History & DNA

How can I start discovering my family history with the Ancestry app?

You can start discovering your family history with the Ancestry® app by entering just one relative's name. The app allows you to build your family tree and explore origins through records and photos.

Does the Ancestry app allow me to view my DNA ethnicity results?

Yes, the Ancestry app allows you to view your ethnicity results if you have taken an AncestryDNA® test. It also lets you see your DNA matches and compare results with them.

What free features are available in the Ancestry app?

The Ancestry app offers free features including building a family tree, searching census records, accessing over 1.1 billion free records, and uploading family pictures. You can also receive hints and messages from members.

Can I collaborate with family and friends on my family tree using the Ancestry app?

Yes, you can collaborate with friends and family on your family tree using the Ancestry app. It offers tools to share your discoveries and invite others as contributors.

How does Ancestry Hints® work in the Ancestry app?

Ancestry Hints® within the Ancestry app provides suggestions based on your family tree, helping you discover stories, photos, and records about your ancestors. You can review and save these hints for later.

Can I scan and restore old family photos using the Ancestry app?

Yes, the Ancestry app allows you to scan or upload your own family pictures. Additionally, it provides options to colorize, restore, and enhance old photographs directly within the app.

Is a subscription required to access all records in the Ancestry app?

Yes, an optional free trial or paid subscription is required to access over 30 billion records in the Ancestry app. Free users can access more than 1.1 billion free records.

What kind of personal traits can I learn about with AncestryDNA results in the app?

If you add Traits to your DNA results in the Ancestry app, you can learn how your genes influence over 35 fitness, nutrient, sensory, and appearance traits.

Does the Ancestry app offer features for Apple Watch?

Yes, the Ancestry app includes features for Apple Watch. Users can receive "on-this-day" alerts for events from their family history directly on their Apple Watch.

Recommendations