FAN Club Updated for 2025 + Ancestry Networks Beta | Genealogy Research Strategies

The FAN Club is back—and better than ever with new tools for 2025! In this episode, we’re exploring how the traditional “Friends, Associates, and Neighbors” method is getting a high-tech update using Ancestry’s new Networks (currently in beta) and other modern tools to help break down brick walls in your family history research.

We’ll cover:

• What the FAN Club is and why it’s a powerful strategy for genealogists
  
• Classic research techniques that still work—like extracting census neighbors to Excel for deeper analysis
  
• How DNA matches fit into your FAN Club (yes, they count too!)
  
• Building floating trees for mystery DNA cousins
  
• Tools like Lucidchart and AI to map and correlate your community of interest
  
• Creating networks from passenger lists, census neighborhoods, obituaries, land records, and probate files
  
• A look at the new Ancestry Networks feature—how to build them, where to view and filter, and the pros and cons
  

This episode is packed with ideas to help you track the people your ancestors interacted with—whether they were family, friends, or neighbors. These connections may be just what you need to solve your toughest research problems.

? Ancestry Networks handout – For members, see your respective membership locations, non members can purchase the handout here. https://genealogytv.org/product/handout-for-ancestry-new-networks-a-powerful-new-research-tool/ 

? Be sure to check out the related videos for more on floating trees, DNA strategies, and building out your FAN Club.

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