Hiring a professional genealogist
A researcher is worth paying when the problem is documentary rather than speculative: a specific record in a specific repository that you cannot access, or a DNA match cluster you cannot resolve.
What they charge
Expect roughly $40-100 per hour depending on location and specialism, with many researchers offering a fixed-fee initial assessment of two to four hours. A one-line request — "find my great-grandfather's village" — usually costs a few hundred dollars at most, and often less, because an experienced researcher knows which three sources to check first.
What they can do that you cannot
- On-site access to county courthouses, diocesan archives and state archives that hold records never digitised.
- Language and handwriting skills for German, Polish, Italian, Spanish or Scandinavian records, and for nineteenth-century cursive generally.
- Knowing the holdings — which is the real service. The record usually exists; the skill is knowing where.
- DNA match analysis, building mirror trees and working clusters down to a common ancestor.
How to choose someone
Look for accreditation or a documented research specialism rather than a polished website. Ask for a sample report, confirm the hourly rate and any expenses, and agree a cap in advance. Reputable researchers will decline a job they cannot do, which is a good sign rather than a bad one.
Professional bodies maintain directories of researchers by specialism and region, and can help you frame a request if you are unsure what to ask for.
Getting a referral from us
If you would rather not approach researchers cold, send us your one-page brief and we will point you at the right kind of specialist — a records agent, a regional researcher, or a DNA specialist. We may earn a referral fee if you engage someone through us; you will always be told the rate before anything is agreed, and we do not take payment to recommend anyone.
Some links on this site are affiliate links, and referrals to professional researchers may carry a fee. Neither changes the advice given on this page.