What’s new, BillionGraves? Well, a LOT! Here are 10 great new features for you to explore on the BillionGraves website.
There’s something here for every BillionGraves fan! So whether you are a volunteer photographer, transcriber, or family history researcher, these new features are sure to make you smile.
What’s New, BillionGraves?
#1 – Tracking Your Volunteer Contributions
You can see the number of photos you have taken in total, . . .
. . . the number of photos taken this month, . . .
. . . the number of 1st pass transcriptions completed, . . .
and the number of 2nd pass transcriptions completed.
There is also a chart that shows the number of people you’ve helped. In other words, when researchers use a photograph that you have taken or a record you have transcribed, the statistics are added to your chart.
There is a table with your contribution details for each volunteer session. It shows the number of hours you have contributed during each session. This tool is useful for those who need to track their community service hours.
The cemeteries where you have taken photos are displayed in a picture format.
They are also displayed on a world map. In this example, pins mark locations where I took photographs in the Philippines, Turkey, and France.
What’s New, BillionGraves?
#2 – Family History Research Tools
BillionGraves also has some unique tools for family history research.
Search for a name. After the record has been found, you will see information from the gravestone, such as names, dates, ages, and military service.
You’ll also see photographs of the gravestone. High-resolution images are unlocked through BillionGraves Plus (an upgraded subscription).
You can see Nearby Graves. These are burials that are close to the gravestone you are researching.
You can see related records, such as a spouse, parents, siblings, children, and grandparents.
There is a map of the cemetery, which can be enlarged.
There is a link to view the person you are researching on the FamilySearch family tree.
You can view the epitaph and memories.
For professional genealogists, there is an easy to use “source citation” section for creating genealogy reports.
Just click on this icon to copy the citation.
What’s New, BillionGraves?
#3 – Genealogical and Historical Societies
Here’s an exciting new feature on BillionGraves’ website. It’s a way to connect with genealogical and historical societies.
When you search for your ancestor’s gravestone, the results will show genealogical societies and historical societies that are located in the area where your ancestor lived.
Then, when you click on the name of the society, you will see links to contact the society by phone, website, social media, and email. How awesome is that?!
You’ll then be able to get in touch with people who currently live in the area where your ancestors lived during their lifetime so you can ask for their help with your research.
What’s New, BillionGraves?
#4 – Connect FamilySearch to Your BillionGraves Family Tree
To get the most out of your BillionGraves research, connect your FamilySearch family tree to your BillionGraves family tree.
From the BillionGraves dashboard, select the button labeled, “Go to Family Tree”.
Then sign in using your FamilySearch account. If you have created a family tree on FamilySearch, you can easily migrate the information to BillionGraves by clicking a few buttons.
It may take up to an hour for the data to load, depending on the size of your family tree.
Once the information has loaded, . . .
. . . you can select an ancestor and the BillionGraves’ record finder will guide you step-by-step to find the final resting place of your ancestor.
What’s New, BillionGraves?
#5 – Edit Records
It’s very easy to edit records on BillionGraves.
You don’t need permission from the photographer or anyone else to edit. Just select the button labeled “edit record”.
This will open a page with editing options.
From there, you can merge duplicates.
You can add memories.
You can add additional family members.
Or add a Wikipedia link if the person is famous.
What’s New, BillionGraves?
#6 – Family Plots & Nearby Graves
Cemeteries are often divided into family plots.
About 70% of all deceased people are buried in family plots. That is a bonus for genealogists because when you find one person, you find them all!
Some family plots are neatly bordered with stone barriers. They often have the family name inscribed on a step at the entrance. Other family members may be buried throughout the cemetery. The tools on BillionGraves can help you find both.
You can use the BillionGraves website to find additional family members. It is best to do this on a computer rather than a phone since the screen will be larger. Start by going to this link: billiongraves.com/search/cemetery.
This will open the cemetery search page which looks like this. When you search for your ancestor, you will be able to see where they are buried in the cemetery and who is buried nearby. Enter a location in the search box.
Then choose a cemetery from the list below the search box . . .
Or select a cemetery pin on the map.
Select the name of the cemetery.
That will open a page of information about that cemetery.
Enter the name you are researching. Enter the birth and death year, if you know them.
Names and gravestone images will appear. Select the name you think best matches your search. For this example, we will use the name of Frank Anderson. Click on the name.
Then scroll down to the“Related Records” section.
We are going to select “spouse” to see the name of Frank Anderson’s wife.
We can see that the name of the spouse is “Clara Showalter”. Clara was listed on the gravestone with her married name of Anderson. The information about her maiden name comes from FamilySearch.
Further down the page, you can see that there are clues for parents and grandparents.
Clicking on that section reveals the parents and a grandfather of Clara Showalter.
Notice that there are 67 nearby graves.
This opens a list of names of people buried nearby.
This opens a map of the cemetery. The large blue pin marks the grave of Frank Anderson.
The legend for the colored dots is on the left. There are 22 “Family Plot” gravestones marked in orange and 67 “Nearby Graves” marked in blue. The “Family Plot” graves are those with the names of Anderson or Showalter.
Selecting the dots will cause a thumbnail view of the gravestone to appear. Select the name to see the full gravestone image.
Can you see how useful this tool is!? The wife’s parents aren’t buried in the same section of the cemetery as Frank Anderson, and they don’t even have the same last name, but you can still find them.
What’s New, BillionGraves?
#7 – Automated Searches
Automated searches are another powerful way to find more ancestors.
When you set up an automated search, BillionGraves will send you an email when a gravestone has been photographed with the name and location where you are researching.
Here’s an example. There are two notifications here for gravestones with the surname “Kane”.
You can set up new automated searches by clicking on this button.
Then enter the family name and location where you are searching.
What’s New, BillionGraves?
#8 – Photo Requests
You can also make photo requests.
If you want a photograph of a specific gravestone, you can make a request. To make a photo request, go to your dashboard on the BillionGraves website, on a computer, and select “research”.
A dropdown menu will appear. Select “Photo Requests”.
Then follow the prompts to add the information for a new photo request.
Then when other BillionGraves users that live near that cemetery, open their BillionGraves app on their phone they will see your request to take a photo of a specific gravestone.
If you are volunteering to take photos of gravestones though, you will help far more people by taking photos row-by-row of every gravestone, rather than fulfilling one photo request at a time.
What’s New, BillionGraves?
#9 – Get Certificates of Verification for Community Service
Did you know that BillionGraves provides certificates of verification for community service hours?
Community service may be done for a variety of reasons:
- Students who need service hours for graduation, classes, college applications, or scholarships
- Eagle Scout projects
- Court-appointed service hours
- Service clubs, sororities, or fraternies
- Employee volunteer hours for corporations
- Church youth groups, church congregations
- Girl Scout service projects or Gold Award
We would love to have you take photos of gravestones for community service hours! The app will automatically keep track of the number of photos you take and the amount of time spent taking those photos.
When you are finished, you can print a certificate of verification for your service.
From your dashboard page, select the “My Contributions” tab.
Scroll down to the “Contribution Details” section. Select the “filter” button.
Select “uploads” or “transcriptions” or both.
Select the start and end dates of your service.
Select the “done” button.
Finally, select “Print Verification”
Enter your information and then select the “Print Verification” button.
You will then see your custom printable certificate of verification.
What’s New, BillionGraves?
#10 – Earn BillionGraves Plus by Volunteering to Take Photos or Transcribe
It is free to do basic research on BillionGraves. Let me say that again to emphasize. It is free to do basic research on BillionGraves. But there is also an upgraded subscription available for those who would like to do more advanced research and it is called BillionGraves Plus.
You can earn a month of BillionGraves Plus for free, by uploading 1,000 gravestone photos or transcribing 500 gravestone records. You are welcome to repeat this every month for as long as you like.
The online tracking for earning BillionGraves Plus is a new feature.
BillionGraves Plus Reviews
BillionGraves has been featured on USA Today, ABC News, The New York Times, and more. Subscribers from around the world have shared their testimonials and success stories.
Volunteer to Take Photos of Gravestones
Would you like to get started taking photos of gravestones to help others find their ancestors and grow their family tree? Just click HERE. It’s easy and it’s fun!
You are welcome to do this at your own convenience, no permission from us is needed. If you still have questions after you have clicked on the link to get started, you can email us at Volunteer@BillionGraves.com. We’ll be happy to help you learn to use the BillionGraves app, find a cemetery that still needs to have photos taken, or plan a group project.
Happy Cemetery Hopping!
Cathy Wallace
What's New, BillionGraves? 10 Great New Features!
