Record enough to find the item again
A practical citation answers: what is it, who created it, when and where was it created, where is the exact entry, who holds it, how was it accessed and when? The order and punctuation matter less than preserving those facts consistently.
Name the record before the website
“Ancestry.com” or “FamilySearch” alone is not a source description. Identify the census, certificate, parish register, probate file, newspaper or family letter, then state the database or repository through which you viewed the image.
Point to the exact information
Include page, sheet, line, image, certificate, volume, entry, file or item number. For a physical family document, include the item ID, collection owner and provenance. A broad collection title can still leave thousands of possible pages.
Distinguish original, derivative and authored work
An image of an original register, a database transcription and a published family history have different relationships to the event. Record what you actually used. If an index led to an image, cite the image for the claim and optionally note the index as the route.
Connect sources to individual claims
A record may support residence but not parentage; an obituary may name a daughter but give the wrong birth year. Attach citations to the exact facts they support and explain conflicts. A list of sources at the end of a tree is not enough to show the reasoning.
Use a repeatable plain-language template
Example: “1950 US census, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, enumeration district 92-123, sheet 4, dwelling 81, Novak household; digital image, provider and URL; accessed 19 July 2026.” Add the repository and image details available in the collection.
Common questions
Clear before you continue.
Do citations have to follow one academic style?
Consistency and retrievability come first for a family project. A formal publication may require a specific style, but a complete plain-language citation is better than no citation.
Should I cite a family interview?
Yes. Include speaker, interviewer, date, place or method, recording or transcript ID, current holder and access restrictions.
Is a URL enough?
No. URLs change and may open a collection rather than the exact record. Describe the record and location details as well as the access path and date.
Sources and further reading
Wiserta summarizes these resources for practical family use. Repository rules and record availability can change; verify details with the holding institution.
A useful next step