How to Cite Genealogy Sources Properly

Why citations matter

A fact without a source is a guess. A fact with a source is evidence. Proper citations let you (or anyone else) re-find the original record, evaluate its reliability, and resolve conflicts when two sources disagree.

The standard reference work is Elizabeth Shown Mills' Evidence Explained, which provides citation templates for every conceivable record type. You don't need to memorise it - you just need a consistent approach.

The five-element citation

Almost every citation answers five questions:

1. Who created the record (e.g., General Register Office)
2. What the record is (e.g., death certificate)
3. When the record was created (e.g., 1903)
4. Where the record is held (e.g., GRO England, Southport)
5. How you accessed it (e.g., online subscription database, accessed 14 March 2026)

A full citation example: *General Register Office, England, death certificate for Mary Jones, 12 May 1903, Manchester registration district, vol. 8d, p. 142; accessed online, 14 March 2026.*

Layered citations: source, citation, repository

Most genealogy software uses a three-part structure:

• Source: the publication or collection (e.g., "England & Wales Death Index, 1837-2007")
• Citation detail: the specific record (e.g., "Mary Jones, vol. 8d, p. 142, Manchester 1903")
• Repository: where you accessed it (e.g., the online database name or archive)

This avoids retyping the source for every record - you just add a new citation under the existing source.

Step 1: Cite as you go

The single biggest mistake is "I'll add citations later." You won't. The download timestamp will be lost; the URL will be a session-locked search result you can't reproduce; the catalogue reference will fade from memory.

When you find a record, immediately:

1. Save the image with your standard naming convention.
2. Note the volume/page/reference numbers.
3. Copy the persistent URL (look for "share link" or "ARK" identifiers, not the search results URL).
4. Add the citation in your main software.

Step 2: Measure your progress with GEDminer

GEDminer's Tree Health Score (Overview tab) includes a Sourcing component, calculated as the percentage of facts that have at least one source citation attached.

A score above 70% is excellent. The Tree Source Health view (Integrity > Suggestions) shows which individuals and which fact types are under-sourced, so you can prioritise. Re-export and re-upload your GEDCOM monthly to see the score improve.

Step 3: Distinguish derivative from original

Not all sources are equal. Evidence Explained classifies sources as:

• Original (e.g., a parish register entry written by the priest in 1750)
• Derivative (e.g., a transcribed index entry on a commercial database)
• Authored (e.g., a published family history)

Always try to view the original image rather than relying on a transcription - errors creep in at every layer of copying. Note in your citation which type you've used so future researchers know whether to verify against the original.

Step 4: Reconcile conflicting sources

When two sources disagree (e.g., census says born 1855, baptism record says 1857), record both with citations and write a brief note explaining which you find more reliable and why.

Baptism records are usually closer to the truth than census ages, which were often estimated by neighbours or off by a year because of when in the year the census was taken. GEDminer's Errors tab (Integrity > Errors) flags impossible date combinations so you can investigate before they corrupt downstream calculations.