Adding Non-Relatives to Your Family Tree
Genealogists know that blood relatives shouldn’t be the only people you research. “Cluster” research encourages you to study the people in a person’s community—their friends, neighbors, coworkers, and fellow countrymen—not just their immediate family members.
However, recording non-relatives in family trees is not always straightforward. Here are some research sites that may help.
Ancestry.com: Networks - Announced at RootsTech 2025, Ancestry Networks are private workspaces where you can document information about the people who lived in your ancestor’s community. Networks are collections of people who share something in common: families, immigration groups, local and religious communities, fraternal organizations, school classes, military units, and more. Create one, then add existing profiles from your tree or create new profiles (for example, of non-relatives).
Ancestry.com allows you to upload images and sources for your networks—for example, a page from a census or city directory that mentions all of a street’s residents or a class yearbook photo. At this time, the tool (still in beta testing) is exclusive to Pro Tools subscribers but is expected to be made available to wider audiences. Pro Tools is an added membership fee to Ancestry.com. The cost is about $10 per month extra.
Family Tree Maker - allows you to add a father, mother, spouse, child, or unrelated person to a tree profile. This person will not be cross-referenced in anyone's profile, but you can find their profile underneath the People tab. You can also use the Notes tab to record details this person has to your family tree.
Family Search - also allows you to add other relationships to your family tree. From your ancestor's profile, go to Details, then scroll up until you see Other Relationships. You will click Add and select a relationship from the drop-down tab. You can add relationships such as Godparent, Neighbor, or Apprentice.
Cluster research could help you find missing links to a previous generation or a direct ancestor’s family, individuals with the same name, and questions about identity, kinship, or events (such as immigration, births, or deaths). By looking at the broader scope of your ancestor’s life, you might be able to identify valuable trends or add new meaning to your research.
If you need help with your genealogy research, please contact me at geneal@laurel.lib.ms.us or call 601-428-4313, ext. 111. Voicemail is available. The hours for the genealogy library are Wednesday 1-4:45, Thursday and Friday 9-11:45, then 1-4:45. Saturday is by appointment only. Appointments must be made one week in advance.
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