Ancestry Publishing was founded in 1983 with a focus on publishing genealogical book and magazine titles.
In 1997 Western Standard Publishing bought Ancestry, Inc. That same year, Paul B. Allen and Dan Taggert,founders of Infobases, purchased Western Standard’s interest in Ancestry, Inc.
In 2002 the company expanded to the U.K. and began creating indexes to the census schedules of Great Britain, beginning with the 1891 census.
In 2008 the company expanded to Canada. In 2009 Ancestry.com went public, trading on the NASDAQ.
In 2010 Ancestry.com began to sponsor the US television series, Who Do You Think You Are? In the series celebrities trace their ancestry. Ancestry.com provides the research for the series.
Today Ancestry.com has 2.5 million subscribers who can search a variety of documents, photographs, maps, and newspapers on its website. Ancestry.com relies on user-generated content and social networking activities to encourage collaboration between users. The company was taken private in 2012.
Ancestry.com has over 1,000 employees and had $400 million in revenue in 2011.
Ancestry.com
Ancestry Publishing was founded in 1983 with a focus on publishing genealogical book and magazine titles.
In 1997 Western Standard Publishing bought Ancestry, Inc. That same year, Paul B. Allen and Dan Taggert,founders of Infobases, purchased Western Standard’s interest in Ancestry, Inc.
In 2002 the company expanded to the U.K. and began creating indexes to the census schedules of Great Britain, beginning with the 1891 census.
History
In 2008 the company expanded to Canada. In 2009 Ancestry.com went public, trading on the NASDAQ.
In 2010 Ancestry.com began to sponsor the US television series, Who Do You Think You Are? In the series celebrities trace their ancestry. Ancestry.com provides the research for the series.
Today Ancestry.com has 2.5 million subscribers who can search a variety of documents, photographs, maps, and newspapers on its website. Ancestry.com relies on user-generated content and social networking activities to encourage collaboration between users. The company was taken private in 2012.
Ancestry.com has over 1,000 employees and had $400 million in revenue in 2011.
When I select PROFILE/LIFE STORY for several members in my tree the information shows they died in Yoro Honduras. This is not correct, if you look at the data shown for the person there is no entry for Honduras. The problem occurs using different browsers and different computers. I reported this over a month ago and was told it was a known bug and someone was working on it. When will this be corrected?
I have been waiting online for over an hour for on of your “experts”.
In February 2020 I was charged $159.43 for a 6 month subscription. I am no longer interested in family history research and called to cancel 9 days after the charge. I was not told I couldn’t get a refund. My March’s credit card bill still reflected the charge. When I called I was told I couldn’t get a refund because I didn’t cancel a month BEFORE my subscription ended. I honestly do not remember any of that when I first subscribed. That is like paying my electric bill faithfully, moving, shutting off my electricity , but being billed for the next 6 months of service! This is highway robbery!!! Please do not subscribe in any way to Ancestry. It is a rip-off!! I will be telling everyone I know about this.
You have an ad on TV where a woman says her nationality is Hispanic. Hispanic is not a nationality, it is an ethnicity. Nationality applies to a country-you know nation. If you do not know the difference I do not want to patronize your company.
The customer service is terrible. Last evening, after being on hold for 50 minutes plus, I was advised by a “supervisor” the two credit cards I was attempting to use were being declined. I was further advised it was nec. for me to contact my banks. I did so today and the banks have told me there is absolutely no reason for them to be declined. Ancestry.com is WRONG in asserting same.
This morning I called Ancestry.com again, and was on hold for 63 minutes. I went through another run around with another inept customer service person, finally spoke with a supervisor, after begging for same, and the order was taken without any problems.
My suggestion…FIND ANOTHER COMPANY TO SEND YOUR DNA TO. Ancestry.com is BAD NEWS!!
Virginia
A gift purchase of Ancestry.com all inclusive package was purchased in December 2015.It was for a 6 month designated time allotment.Confirmation was sent to my email and notification was also sent when it was about to expire.The termination was confirmed through a call placed to customer support.
Therefore a renewal was never an option nor intended.
Recently, I began receiving emails from Ancestry.com alerting me to a variety of options available,of which I have no interest.
A purchase of a DNA kit was made yesterday and assistance was secured to process the transaction.It was during that conversation that i was informed that I had another year of Ancestry.com that was about to expire.Apparently,it was renewed without my authorization in December 2016.It was never to be reactivated and nor did i receive a notification that it had been.my husband was charged $199.95 on a credit charge during Xmas without permission.The emails sent in May/June 2016 were specific as to the expiration.How did thiis occur?.We are senior citizens who have been apparently scammed.An attempt was made to cancel and recover the amount were to no avail.We were told we had to use it
I am completely dissatisfied with my 5th DNA. The first 4 were good and I was able to print them out with the map
showing the areas and a graph of nation of heritage under. Well the last one made of Kenneth Givans I could not print, cut and paste’ or
move it. There wasn’t to much I could do with it. I called support and was told that you changed your format.
They blamed it on my equipment (that worked on the others) and after a little while I was told that she had other calls
and ended her support, still no way to copy. THIS IS NOT WHAT I PAID FOR. You need to either change your format back
so I can print it or something. No mater how you do it I want copies.
Maybe someone there could copy it and E-mail it to me and see if I can copy it that way. Please reply.Thanks. Ken
NAME TEST FOR: KENNETH RAY GIVANS
Kit # H6E-3H8L-4S6A-XXXXX
ORDERED FROM: ANCESTRY.COM/DNA (FIFTH TEST ORDERED)
DATE: NOT SURE
DATE MAILED TO YOU: 24 JAN 2017
DATE YOU SENT RESULTS: 3 APR 2017
KIT SHIPPED TO: KENNETH MAY
BRANDENBURG, KENTUCKY 40108
E-MAIL USED: kllpdm at gmail.com
FAMILY TREE NAME MAY AND GIVANS FAMILY TREE
I am so sorry to hear that you have had issues with ancestry.com. I am posting to thank them for the DNA testing because they helped me to check off a bucket list item. My aunt’s children had been black market/privately adopted out back in the middle 50’s. We knew about the first 3 because she gave them up when they were 5, 4, and 3. The oldest were boys and the youngest a girl. They were to have stayed together, but were immediately split up 5 minutes later out of the sight of the mother.
I learned of them many years later and asked my aunt if I could look for them so they could reunite. My mother loved genealogy, so I figured we could do it together. We would work on it off and on for many years. She died, my dad and aunt got Altzheimer’s and sickly, so my stress level to find her children was high. Through ancestry.com, I was able to reunite her with her 2 sons before she and the younger son died. I was heartbroken over not finding the girl and submitted my DNA to ancestry. It took a few months for me to even try,, and a few months waiting for the results. Then my cousin whose dad had passed did his. I received an email from a person on my DNA list who said she was looking for her mother’s biological birth mom from the town my aunt and family is from. We were sooooo excited and thought she was the missing sibling! But…surprise, surprise, surprise…she was an unknown baby from that aunt. And, we got a two-for-one special because her adopted brother she was raised with is another brother by the same mother!!!!! You can color me pink and outside the lines…they lived less than an hour from where they were born. So, while still heartbroken over the missing sibling, the girl who was raised with her older brothers, we were ecstatic about the new babies!
Less than a year later we got another DNA hit for a first cousin. With cautious breath we contacted her…and oh yes! The missing sibling was found less than an hour from the two babies!!!!
She was put in touch with her surviving big brother so they could reacquaint themselves. He lives in SC and is battling the big C. We are trying to find a way to get him here safely for a reunion with all of the family before his health declines too much. Not everyone can go to him, so we are sending up prayers for a way to get him here. I want to see them all together before I kick the bucket…hence it is a bucket list item.
Had it not been for ancestry.com, these siblings who have been apart for over 60 years would never EVER had the chance to reunite this side of heaven. I thank God Almighty, our Heavenly Father for making ancestry.com an instrument of His will and allowing me to be a part of a great miracle. We just have to pray for healing for the big brother so we can fly or have him travel by an rv where he can be in bed to Tulsa, Oklahoma.
God is so good and has blessed this family through ancestry.com DNA!!!
I am not a paying member to Ancestry, nor do I expect to become a paying member in the future. However, I did have my DNA done by Ancestry. The test was not quite accurate as it showed NO native American, yet I do have: Little Owl is a distant ancestor through the Finley side of family. Since I did my DNA I established a name and password which allows me to enter Ancestry and look around in a limited measure. I do have a HUGE complaint: Recently I accessed my limited viewing privileges and found that my father’s social security number shows on the Finley tree. My father is deceased and anyone could see that Social Security number and use it for criminal purposes. I am contacting the Social Security Department and have them investigate this breach of privacy.
Spent 4000 dollar only got possible name added to my tree I am so broke and sad no vacation this has definitely made me very unhappy still in shock
TO: Tim Sullivan
I purchase my DNA test through Amazon. I sent it in as directed and began receiving emails for purchasing further services immediately, but the results never followed. After 2 months I called and waited an enormous amount of time before someone would forward my call to a manager. Your manager said he would research and get back to me. This turned out to be a lie. I began receiving emails that said if you need help call in, which exactly what proved to be fruitless. Your manager has no communicated in 3 weeks. The frustration level now high. Your company has failed, not once but several time. I continue to return the emails and they are ignored. The same offer to call in is returned. We know what that will mean…stay on hold, we can’t help you and call in if need more help. I was forced to call Amazon to have my money refunded. At this point, I believe you should be responsible to send me a new kit at no charge and process it properly. P.S. The popular response is that I did not open the account with the proper code. This however is rejected as your company obviously got my information as the emails were immediate and on-going.
to the management of Ancestry.
at times i am a user of your “family tree”–not if i can help it–i am an old age pensioner
who can not afford membership fees (recently finished my wife’s f/t without any cost to
the year1600,thanks to the LDS.)
you people offer 14 days FREE search–however as soon as an interesting name or data
comes up–you page comes up with”join us for a month or year for only x-amount of dollars” and you can have a look at the data in question….it is like telling a kid—see the lolly, IT IS FREE,but if you want it you have to pay for it . honest ,isnt it???
All ican say,the LDS runs rings around you .
Yours, fgreXXXXX@aapt.net.au
Hello,
I am a longtime world subscriber. On April 19th I purchased and downloaded the family tree maker 3 for mac. I love it. I also ordered the companion guide for mac, which I have not yet received. Today is May 12th.
On May 1st I called your customer service to make sure that the book would be for mac and not pcs since I noticed the charge was $24.99 instead of $19.99. I was directed to Nova Development. When I called their customer service (877.445.6883), I spoke with Ruby who said she did not see the book order, even though it was on the same online form as the software program which I had already downloaded. She said she would send an email to their help desk.
I called the following day (May 2nd) – still no answer as to why the book hasn’t shipped.
I called last Friday, May 9th, and spoke with Ruby again. She has been very courteous to me. But that doesn’t answer why my book hasn’t shipped. Each time I have been told that their email requests have not been answered.
I asked if we could cancel the current order and reorder, but I was told no. I asked if she or I could call their help department for an answer. I was told they cannot call – only email. I asked if I could speak with her supervisor or someone else. After several requests Ruby put me on hold. She said her manager was on another line and would call me back within 24 hours. I replied that it was already Friday afternoon, and she repeated that he would call me within 24 hours. I asked for his name, and she said it was Dennis.
I still have not received a phone call. When I checked my email this afternoon I noticed that the charges for my order have been removed. There was nothing about if or when my book will ship. It might come tomorrow or not for another three weeks.
I realize that ancestry.com does not handle this side of your products, but I wanted you to know how displeased I am. I have looked for Nova’s email address but have not yet found it. I will keep looking. I do not want to make another phone call.
I am at a loss as to why I can’t get an answer to such a simple question.
Sue Fuller
Take me off your GD email list
I have two issues to bring to your attention.
1. I have been a member for a very long time and spent hours doing research. I gathered pictures from family to post and am still doing so. I AM SO TIRED OF PERSONS USING MY TREE “GORDON” TO FURTHER THEIR TREE YET WHEN I LOOK TO SEE IF THEY CAN HELP ME THEIR TREE IS PRIVATE AND/OR THE NAMES IN THEIR TREE IS PRIVATE. THIS IS NOT FAIR AND DEFEATS THE PURPOSE OF SHAREING PUBLIC TREES. I believe if a tree is “Private” they should be blocked from viewing other public trees. They can still do their research using public records, but not other Ancestry.com members who act as family and share each others information. I do not expect you do do any thing about this. However at the very least your sending an email to all members that they should give as well as take.
2. I had my DNA tested. this took a total of 3 months. I know from doXXXXents I have and knowing my parents that I am part cherekee indian. My Great G mother was full, my grandmother 1/2 my dad 1/4 yet the DNA showes none?? Further, the information provided gives many many names of persons that are 3re cousins yet in going through those that are not private, I can find no connection, I contacted some and they can find no connections. At this point I would say the Ancestry .com DNA check is less than through. It seems there is a gereratic answer given to many.
Thanks for letting me unload my frustration, I do not expect any thing to come of this, but had to let you know how I feel.
Larry Fine
I agree with you about PRIVATE tree owners “using” public tree information and not sharing. I also got tired of being used so I made my tree PRIVATE. You should also. I doubt whether your suggestion of private tree owners not seeing public trees is feasible.
As for your DNA test…..those results are not ancestry.com’s fault. I paid for 7 DNA tests (for my mother, her brother, my cousin and several aunts etc and they ALL came back related to me. Ditto for me finding my father’s siblings children who are my 1st cousins who took a DNA test and matched to me. We did not know the others existed. DNA does not lie and there are no mistakes.
1. Your family probably has an adoption in the family they kept quiet about and you are descended from that adopted person. If you are NOT DNA related to anyone on mother or father’s family, this is likely the scenario that happened. Your option then is to trace your biological side (using who is DNA related to you) or trace your adopted side or trace both.
If you are DNA related to only ONE side of the family….there are a lot of scenarios how that could happen. The Jerry Springer Show and soap operas thrive on how many mistakes people make.
2. A wife in your family in your line slept with someone not her husband and passed off the child as his
3 An unmarried woman got pregnant and married another man either telling him and they kept it quiet and raised the child as their own or she did not tell him and passing the child off as his.
4. A man impregnated a woman either before his marriage or after his marriage and somehow got to keep the child and he and his wife (not the child’s mother) raised the child as their own without telling someone.
How’s More and Curlie?
How’s Moe and Curlie?
I received my credit card statement today and saw that $19.99 had been charged to my card. I did not do that and do not know how that charge came about. I do not subscribe nor do I use ancestry.com. I would like this charge removed from my credit card, tell me how it got there in the first place or how you had my card number. I did not authorize any charge whatsoever.
Barbara Zimmerman