Trace Your Past Reviews 236

TrustScore 4.5 out of 5

4.6

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Rated 5 out of 5 stars

The process was communicated very well. The cost was fair considering all the family history that was found. The contact person was sensitive to the nature of the reasoning for using this service.

Company replied

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

The course was well planned out and interesting. Some of the things covered were a bit over my head, but at least I have some general knowledge. I very much appreciated that it was self-paced, since... See more

Company replied

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

I really found a lot of useful information in this course. I was very excited about being part of a cohort via facebook, so I could also learn from others. This was a bit of a disappointment. Other... See more

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Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Although a bit expensive for me, I had reached an impasse on searching for my 2nd Great-grandfather's birth history and connection to Ireland. My first search through Trace verified my beginning effo... See more

Company replied

Company details

  1. Genealogist
  2. Class
  3. Education Center
  4. Historical Society

Written by the company

TraceYourPast.com, formerly known as Trace.com, is a premier global discovery platform that seamlessly connects customers with expert researchers across over 100 countries. Our mission is to align customer goals with meticulously selected researchers to minimize risks of overspending and mitigate the possibility of unsatisfactory search results. Over the past decade, we have cultivated and maintained relationships with the highest quality researchers worldwide, creating the largest network of over 4,000 professional genealogists, private investigators, archivists, and historians. Since 2014, we’ve successfully managed thousands of projects for clients from over 25 countries. Genealogy Courses and Family History Education: In 2021, we proudly expanded into the realm of genealogy education, offering a wide array of genealogy courses designed to enhance your family history research skills. Our platform is dedicated to creating a comprehensive learning environment that bridges the gap between generations, cultures, and histories. We provide accessible, engaging, and accurate educational resources tailored to both novice family historians and seasoned genealogists. Learn to Use DNA in Genealogy Research: At TraceYourPast.com, we understand the transformative power of DNA in genealogy research. Our specialized course on genetic genealogy empowers learners to use DNA evidence to trace their ancestry and discover new biological family connections. By learning to use DNA in genealogy research, you can unlock deeper insights into your heritage, uncovering connections that traditional research methods might miss. Our Commitment: We are committed to offering a blend of innovative technology, expert insights, and a supportive learning environment. Our goal is to facilitate the unlocking of personal histories, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of our collective human story. By enrolling in our genealogy courses, you gain the tools and knowledge needed to navigate the intricate world of family history genealogy, whether through traditional methods or by leveraging the latest advancements in genetic genealogy. Why Choose TraceYourPast.com? Expertise and Experience: Our network of over 4,000 professionals ensures you receive high-quality research from top-tier genealogists, private investigators, archivists, and historians. Comprehensive Learning: Our genealogy courses cover a wide range of topics, from basic family history research to advanced genetic genealogy techniques. Innovative Resources: We employ the latest technology and methodologies to provide you with the most accurate and up-to-date information. Global Reach: With connections in over 100 countries, our platform offers unparalleled access to international records and expertise. Unlock Your Past with TraceYourPast.com: Whether you're just starting your journey into family history genealogy or looking to refine your skills as a genealogist, TraceYourPast.com is your ultimate resource. Learn to use DNA in genealogy research, uncover your ancestral roots, and connect with the global community of genealogists through our comprehensive courses and resources. Join us today and embark on a journey of discovery and connection that transcends generations. Contact Us: Explore TraceYourPast.com to learn more about our genealogy courses and start your journey today. Connect with expert researchers and genealogists who are passionate about helping you trace your past and uncover your family history.


Contact info

4.6

Excellent

TrustScore 4.5 out of 5

236 reviews

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Rated 1 out of 5 stars

I cannot believe I was actually…

I cannot believe I was actually considering using this company again. I have read through the bad reviews and see they are just as bad today as they were 2 years ago. The frustrations of their current customers have reminded me of the same exact problems I encountered which are: complete lack of communication from Trace, my report contained mostly information I had sent them, what was to take several months took many months, my original research questions were never addressed, and of course an offer to do more research at an additional cost was offered. Since you have no communication with the researcher you have little control over the direction your research is taking. I ran across their researcher on Ancestry.com purely by accident, and there was my tree on her site which since has been removed. I assumed in my particular case that the only research done on my tree was what could be found on line.
Trace advertise lower prices..... but I guess you get what you pay for. Also they have since changed their name and shortened to Trace. Sadly enough, for a lot of us, their prices are all we can afford.

16 January 2022
Unprompted review
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Reply from Trace Your Past

Hi Karen, thank you for sharing your concerns with us. We would love to discuss this further with you and see what we could do. We strive to provide the best genealogy projects. I have reviewed your project and it looks like it was completed in 4 months which is normal for your objective. We did tell you the estimated time was 8-12 weeks. This project only went a little past that time frame which can happen with genealogy. Also, our researcher provided a 19-page report answering your one objective. As far as communication, we strive to send updates once a month. These updates come from the researcher and we updated you several times on your project. Unfortunately, it is not feasible to get updates more than once a month.
We did acquire another company and rebranded to Trace as we felt this suited what we are all about better. I apologize again Karen that you are not happy with your results. I have tried to reach out over the phone and by email. Please email us at support@trace.com so we can further help resolve your concern.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Terrible experience

It took 18 months to get my report. Reseacher shut down because of Covid. I continued to followup on every possible outlet available to me during this same time. It would appear the experts don't have access to very many resources.
Her final report provided NOT ONE SINGLE new bit of information. NOT ONE! It cost me $750 to be told I should look deeper into my family tree! I thought thats what the Trace experts were going to help me do! This was a real ripoff!!

16 January 2022
Unprompted review
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Reply from Trace Your Past

Hi Steve, We appreciate you sharing your concern with us. We are sorry that you feel like your project did not meet your objectives. Our researcher did go through each of your objectives and responded to all of them in your full report. Unfortunately with genealogy research, it is never sure that we will be able to fulfill all or every objective. Sometimes despite our researcher's best efforts, certain records can not be found. Your project was paused for a very long time because the researcher could not access the archive needed to obtain a record. Because you pay for the researcher's time they will not continue the research until they have the appropriate records or information they need. They do this so no paid time is wasted. The archive was shut down due to COVID which was out of our control, however, we still updated you every month to let you know the status of your project. I have called to try to talk with you about your experience. We would love to discuss this further with you and see what we can do. Please reach out at support@trace.com.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

Interesting and worthwhile

The course was well planned out and interesting. Some of the things covered were a bit over my head, but at least I have some general knowledge. I very much appreciated that it was self-paced, since that alleviated some stress, because life often gets in the way.

I do wish that after taking a test, and passing, the correct answers were shown. I'm still confused about one question in particular, and I couldn't post it in the Facebook group for an answer.

10 January 2022
Unprompted review
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Reply from Trace Your Past

Thank you so much for your review and feedback, Laura! We are grateful for the concerns you expressed and will pass that on to our team to review. We strive to make excellent courses that provide an easy way to understand DNA. If there is anything else we can help you with, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at support@trace.com.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

DNA Academy

DNA Academy was amazing! I am prepared to dig in and do some great DNA research.

10 January 2022
Unprompted review
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Reply from Trace Your Past

We are really grateful for your review, Kari! That is great to hear that you feel so ready to dig into DNA research. If there is anything else we can help you with, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at support@trace.com.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Excellent Course

7 January 2022
Unprompted review
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Reply from Trace Your Past

Thank you so much for your review, Bill! We have worked hard to make great courses for everyone. If there is anything else we can help you with, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at support@trace.com.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Take the DNA Genealogy course!!!

Other than having taken appx. 8 different DNA tests (the big 4 + Nat G + . . .) since 2005, I had not worked with DNA genealogy at all. I noticed this class in one of the genealogy related e-mails I regularly receive & figured I'd try it. This course is fantastic! Nicely structured, appropriate timing of course schedule, well put-together modules. Subject matter well-written, parts I found challenging I think are clearly explained, & handouts/forms fairly easy to use (formatting some for the printer available to me was a challenge, but it can be done). Quiz/assessments at end of relevant modules relevant - nice to be able to retake or not, as desired.

I highly recommend this hands-on course to anyone interested in learning how to do DNA genealogy. I loved the challenge and feel I've gained some very useful skills. I appreciate the opportunity to be able to go back to the course now I've completed it - there are topics I want to continue to work on.

7 January 2022
Unprompted review
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Reply from Trace Your Past

Thank you so much for your great review, Renee! That's great to hear how much the course helped. We have put a lit of time into this course and it's nice to receive feedback on how well it has helped. If there is anything else we can help you with, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at support@trace.com.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Very well-organized and detailed…

Very well-organized and detailed course. The information on the Clustering and Triangulation methods was particularly helpful.

31 December 2021
Unprompted review
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Reply from Trace Your Past

We appreciate the review, Merralee! That's great to hear that you found the clustering and triangulation methods helpful. If there is anything else we can help you with, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at support@trace.com.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

The course is very helpful but navigation is not easy.

The course is very helpful. However, the navigation is not easy to use. I completed all items in the course and downloaded all handouts, scored 80 or above on all assessments and still show only 96% completion. I don't know what, if anything, there is left for me to complete.

30 December 2021
Unprompted review
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Reply from Trace Your Past

Thank you for your review, Marty! We are glad the course was helpful for you. I will pass your navigation concern onto our team. If there is anything else we can help you with, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at support@trace.com.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

This instructional course was really…

This instructional course was really good. I liked being able to do the skill practices on the other websites in order to see how they work. Videos at some points would also have been helpful.

29 December 2021
Unprompted review
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Reply from Trace Your Past

Thank you so much for your review, Renette! We are glad the course was helpful. I will pass on your suggestions to our team. If there is anything else we can help you with, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at support@trace.com.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Highly recommended

I highly recommend this course for learning more about DNA as it applies to supplementing traditional genealogical records research. As an intermediate learner I found the level of course content to be ideal--a good review of basic knowledge with a great deal of information for the modestly skilled learner. I find myself re-energized and ready to tackle my brick wall again (with more knowledge and discipline this time)!

20 December 2021
Unprompted review
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Reply from Trace Your Past

We really appreciate your review, Susan and Al! That is awesome that you feel so ready to tackle that brick wall again. We are glad the course was so helpful. If there is anything else we can help you with, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at support@trace.com.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

This course was an excellent guide to…

This course was an excellent guide to DNA. It started with a solid, easy-to-understand explanation of DNA, and built on that foundation to describe various tools to utilize the information for family research. The course also provided explanations of on-line tools and websites, and how to use them. A great course, with lots of detail. I will refer back to this course when I'm doing my research.

15 December 2021
Unprompted review
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Reply from Trace Your Past

Thank you for your review, Sheryl! We are so glad to hear that you enjoyed the course and that it has been helpful in better understanding DNA genealogy. We hope it can continue to help you in your research. If there is anything else I can help you with, please don't hesitate to reach out!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

Great content for independent learners.

I really found a lot of useful information in this course. I was very excited about being part of a cohort via facebook, so I could also learn from others. This was a bit of a disappointment. Other students were posting about modules way ahead of schedule. I didn't feel the teachers were very responsive to the posts. But the course content, particularly the spreadsheets, was very good, if you are a good independent learner.

14 December 2021
Unprompted review
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Reply from Trace Your Past

Hi Michelle, thank you for sharing your experience with us and for participating in our course! We strive to answer all of the questions on our Facebook group and we are so sorry if we did not see your posts! Please feel free to email us at support@trace.com if you have any additional questions about the course and we will pass them along to our teachers.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Online DNA Course

I have just completed the online DNA course. Several different methods of analyzing DNA results were taught in a way that was easy to understand. I recommend the course to anyone who wants to learn how to better use their DNA match list to help identify ancestors.

13 December 2021
Unprompted review
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Reply from Trace Your Past

We're so grateful for your review, Jennifer! Some topics in DNA can be hard to wrap your head around and we are glad that our course was easy to understand. Please don't hesitate to reach out if there is anything we can help you with at support@trace.com.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Very helpful for DNA results analysis.

Very helpful for: 1. understanding the complex nature of DNA science; 2. important instructions for. understanding as well as preparing DNA results analysis.

13 December 2021
Unprompted review
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Reply from Trace Your Past

Thank you for sharing this review! Genetic genealogy is quite complex and our goal in this course was to help make it easier to understand and easier to use in your own research; we're glad that this was your experience! If there is anything we can help you with, please contact us at support@trace.com.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Powerful and Useful Introduction

This was a powerful, but accessible entry level course in Genetic Genealogy. The concepts were well explained without being overly complicated, and the tools presented had immediate, real-life application for anyone who has taken a DNA test and wants to dive deeper into their results. Bravo!

12 December 2021
Unprompted review
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Reply from Trace Your Past

Thank you for sharing your experience with us, Terrance! We are so glad that you found the course so helpful and that it has helped genetic genealogy to be a greater tool in your research. Thank you again for this glowing review!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

DNA Course review

Great course for learning how to work with DNA and the matches one gets with the various testing companies.

8 December 2021
Unprompted review
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Reply from Trace Your Past

Thank you for sharing this review, James. DNA is an exciting tool in genealogy research and we are glad you have the knowledge to use it now in your own research! If there is anything else we can help you with, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at support@trace.com.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

18 months waiting - no results

I paid for a project in May 2020. At first the library the researcher needed to access was closed due to COVID-19. However from everything I can tell online the relevant library appears to be open. However I have gotten no meaningful updates for 18+ months other than "the library is still closed". When I reached out to support I got no meaningful answer.

It's wild they would go this long and not give any meaningful update or opportunity to redirect.

7 December 2021
Unprompted review
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Reply from Trace Your Past

Hi Joshua, thank you for sharing this concern with us. We understand how frustrating it can be for your project to be on hold while we wait for archives to recover from the Covid19 pandemic; many projects are in a similar situation. In your present circumstance, the necessary archive is in the process of reopening, however, the documents needed for your project are currently unavailable and, as they are necessary for your research, your project "remains paused, until the researcher is able to conduct onsite research" as stated in your project updates. We recognize your desire for meaningful updates and we will absolutely provide you with those as soon as your project and be resumed. We encourage you to contact us at support@trace.com if you have additional questions about this process. Thank you for your patience as we continue to follow up with the archive.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

DNA Academy

I just completed Trace.com's DNA Academy, and highly recommend it for beginner to intermediate genealogists working with DNA. I have been using DNA in my research for over 5 years, but was mainly self-taught. This course solidified the fundamentals I was already familiar with, and also advanced my knowledge and provided me with some very useful tools I have already used in my own research.

5 December 2021
Unprompted review
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Reply from Trace Your Past

Thank you for your glowing review, Kimberly! Our researchers really enjoyed creating this course and we are glad that it has been helpful to you. We wish you the best of luck in your future genealogical research and we encourage you to contact us at support@trace.com if there is anything else we can assist you with.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

My experience with this company is very poor

My experience with this company is very bleak. They provide very little communication regarding where they are at in the process of outlining your project. If I cant get a response in the beginning of this project I can only imagine the fustration I will have moving forward. Nothing was done for me, but due to their non refund policy I am out of money and time spent waiting on help. I would not reccomend this company. Please stay away and find a more reputable company that you can reach whenever you have questions.

3 December 2021
Unprompted review
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Reply from Trace Your Past

Thank you for sharing this with us, Lamont. We apologize for any lacking communication on our part; we strive to share updates on your project monthly, and more frequently when available. Your project has recently received a proposal, which we hope will meet your genealogical goals. If it does not, we would be happy to complete any revisions to your proposal you may have, to better meet your genealogy needs. We look forward to speaking with you more soon, and please don't hesitate to reach out to support@trace.com if you have any additional questions or concerns.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

"DNA Academy"

I completed the online course "DNA Academy". I found it to be extremely helpful in understanding genetic genealogy. When I had questions, the experts at TRACE answered quickly with easy to understand answers. The group site on Facebook was also very helpful.

1 December 2021
Unprompted review
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Reply from Trace Your Past

That is great to hear, Larry! We are glad that you enjoyed this course and that you had such a positive experience with getting answers to your questions. The topic of DNA research is exciting and we are glad that you enjoyed learning about it from our course. Please don't hesitate to contact us at support@trace.com if there is anything else we can assist you with!

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