The Ancestry Insider Says Goodbye

Ancestry Insider has been a wealth of genealogy information for over ten years. Nothing lasts forever, though, and the man behind the popular Ancestry Insider website has posted what will likely be his final blog on that website. It is titled “A Fond Farewell”.

The Ancestry Insider was a readers’ choice for the top four genealogy news and resources blogs. It was part of Family Tree Magazine’s “40 Best Genealogy Blogs” for 2010. The anonymous Ancestry Insider reported on both Ancestry.com and Family Search. He was named a “Most Popular Genealogy Blogs” by ProGenealogists, and has received Family Tree Magazine’s “101 Best Web Sites” award every year since 2008.

The anonymous man behind Ancestry Insider has a post-graduate technology degree and holds a dozen technology patents in the United States and abroad. He has done genealogy since 1972 and has worked in the computer industry since 1978.

Those who visited The Ancestry Insider website would see the brief description at the top of the blog that explained what readers could expect to find there. “The unofficial, unauthorized view of Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org. The Ancestry Insider reports on, defends, and constructively criticizes these two websites and associated topics. The author attempts to fairly and evenly support both.”

Why would someone want to stop doing an incredibly popular genealogy blog? The Ancestry Insider provides the answer to that question in his “A Fond Farewell” blog. He writes:

“…This newsletter began at a time when Ancestry’s communication policy was to say nothing. FamilySearch didn’t do much better when I started reporting on the rollout of New FamilySearch. Today, both organizations have healthy, vibrant communication programs.”

In addition, the Ancestry Insider also wrote: “This newsletter also consumed about six hours of my personal life each week and I think it is time for a change.”

The one bright spot of good news in this sad goodbye is that The Ancestry Insider website will remain. If you scroll through the comments left on the “A Fond Farewell” post, you will find one comment that The Ancestry Insider responded to. Fans may be relieved to learn that he intends to “leave everything on ancestryinsider.org” for people to find, learn from, and enjoy.

Related Article on FamilyTree.com:

* Unofficial Guide to FamilySearch

* Where to Find the Best Genealogy Websites of 2015

* Best Genealogy Blogs of 2015