The BEST Genealogy Gift Guide for 2023

The best genealogy gift guide for the family historian (or you!) on your Christmas gift list. Unique gifts to find and honor your heritage!

The holidays are coming! And that means shopping.  Whether you love it or hate it, most of us have some Christmas shopping to get done. I’ve got you covered  this year with a whole list of genealogy gifts and ideas for the family historian in your family. 

Oh, and if you shop for yourself, I won’t tell….if you don’t tell on me. 😉

 What do you get the genealogy researcher in your family? 

While they might ask Santa for the 1890 census back or the 1799 will of John Smith,  we as the gift givers need to be a bit more practical.  After all, what genealogy researchers really want is something that would make their ancestor searches easier and more successful.

Below I have created a genealogy gift guide to help you and your family members out with the Christmas shopping.

Grab a pencil and paper and let’s start making your list.

Subscriptions & Software Make Great Genealogy Gifts

1. Family Tree Maker – Great for recording your family history data. (This is the one I use.)
2. Ancestry.com Subscription – One of the most popular genealogy research sites, it’s my go-to for online researching.
3. FindMyPast Subscription– A Must have for UK research.
4. MyHeritage Subscription Another wonderful option for researching our ancestors.
5. Fold3.com Subscription – Researching your ancestors in the military? Fold3 is what you need.
6. Newspapers.com – A great resource for your newspaper research.
7. Vivid-Pix Restore – My FAVORITE photo editing software. (See my tutorial here.)

Genealogy Gifts for Research On-the Go

Not all genealogy research is done on the computer! Research trips are part of the fun AND necessary for many of us. Let’s make the most out of those research trips outside of our offices by being prepared.

1. Anker Portable Charger – Keep those smartphones charged anywhere.
2. Flash Drive – Great for backing up genealogy research and for genealogy on the go! Alternatively, take a portable external hard drive. Here’s the one I use!
3. Business Cards – Not just for professionals!  Cards with surname research interests are great for sharing at conferences and local genealogy meetings. Business cards by Moo Cards are my favorites!
4. A Genealogy Cruise – A vacation + genealogy research/education = A perfect combination. Just Are You My Cousin? for a genealogy cruise to Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao in April 2024!
5. A Genealogy Conference –  An opportunity to learn and talk genealogy with like minded folks. I suggest NGS 2024, and Rootstech 2024 just to name two.
6. A Research trip to a distant location your favorite genealogy researcher is longing to go.
7. Family Reunion – Is there a family reunion happening? Gift your family member with the gift of travel.
8. Roll of Quarters – Yes, genealogists still need to feed those microfilm machines.

Genealogy Books – The Perfect Gift

Genealogists love books! Seriously, we LOVE books!

1. NGS Research in the States – Research in the states books offer a comprehensive overview of records and repositories in individual states.
2. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot – Not a genealogy book per se, but an incredible family history read. (It’s one of my favorites!)
3. The Journey Takers by Leslie Albrecht Huber – Another one of my favorites! Follow the author’s journey in discovering her family’s history. It’s no longer available at Amazon, but check your local library! It’s a great book. 🙂
4. The Family Tree Guide to DNA Testing and Genetic Genealogy (2nd edition) by Blaine Bettinger  – This is your must have genetic genealogy book.  It sits on my bookshelf.
5. Professional Genealogy: Preparation, Practice & Standards by Elizabeth Shown Mills – A must have for any genealogy researcher looking to go to the next level.
6. 100 Questions for Grandma by Lisa Lisson [That’s ME!] – It’s the prefect gift to gather a grandmother’s stories to pass on to the next generation. For grandmothers and grandmothers-to-be!

Genealogy Gifts For The Home Office

I spend a lot of time in my home office researching those ancestors for myself and for others. Here are my recommendations for office supplies that keep the work flowing.

1. Carson LED Lighted Magnifold 2x Power Rectangular Magnifier For Reading, Inspection, Low Vision, Hobby and Crafts (MJ-50) – Perfect for reading those old, faded documents.
2. Legacy Box – Preserve old VHS tapes, photos and movies digitally.
3. Archival Storage Supplies: Archival Document Box, Archival Clamshell Folio Storage Box
4. LaCie Rugged External Hard Drive – You can never have too many backups!
5. KODAK Mini Digital Film & Slide Scanner – Save those old family photos by scanning old negatives.

DNA Test Kits Make Great Genealogy Gifts

The holidays are the best time of year to stock up on DNA test kits! They are at their lowest prices, and great to take to that family dinner.

1. FamilyTree DNA – Potentially break through genealogy brick walls with DNA.
2. AncestryDNA – The most popular DNA test kit!
3. MyHeritageDNA – A third great DNA test kit option
4. 23 and Me DNA – Another great option for DNA testing

Unique Family History Gifts

Perhaps you are looking for something a little different. Try one of these more unique genealogy gifts. 

1. MyCanvas – Your Own Family history books, posters and more, but don’t wait too long! The time to start is now! Enjoy $10 off your first order with code: LJGEUB
2. Family Recipe book – Create a family recipe book.
3. A Family Tree Chart – Family ChartMasters has a great selection.

Stocking Stuffers for Genealogists

Who doesn’t love peeking inside a stocking on Christmas morning? Genealogists still do! Try one or more of these ideas.

1. Rolls of quarters – Copiers an microfilm machines need to be fed.
2. “School Supplies” – paper, pens, pencils for all that research. My favorite school supply is mechanical pencils. 
3. Snacks – Genealogists don’t take long meal breaks! My favorite are cherry pie Larabars! 
4. Amazon gift certificate to purchase those genealogy books.

Frugal Genealogy Tip – If you are shopping on Amazon this holiday season, consider a Prime Membership for free shipping.

Did I miss an idea?  Drop your favorite genealogy gift idea in the comments below.

Check out MORE Genealogy Gift Guides!

• Gift Guide for Genealogy Book Lovers
• DNA Themed Gift Guide for the Genealogist
• Your Genealogy Easy Gift Guide for the Holidays
• Gift Guide to Genealogy Stocking Stuffer Ideas