Have you ever wondered how many of your distant cousins are out there, even if they haven’t taken a DNA test? In March 2025, MyHeritage introduced a powerful new feature called Cousin Finder™ to help users discover DNA-level insights without a DNA test. This instructional article will explain what Cousin Finder is, the problem it solves for family researchers, and how to use it step by step. You’ll learn how to access and activate the feature, link your DNA results (optional), explore your cousin matches, interpret the relationships, and apply these findings to advance your genealogy research. By the end, you’ll see why Cousin Finder is hailed as a game-changer for genealogists and be ready to try it out yourself!
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What is Cousin Finder and Why Use It?
Cousin Finder is a unique genealogy feature (introduced on MyHeritage in March 2025) that finds other MyHeritage members who are your blood relatives – in other words, cousins who share at least one common ancestor with you. It works by comparing your family tree to millions of other trees on MyHeritage using the site’s Smart Matches™ technology to identify overlapping ancestors. If someone else’s family tree has one of your direct ancestors in it, that person is likely your cousin. Cousin Finder gathers all such matches and creates a focused list of these relatives for you.
The problem it solves: Before Cousin Finder, genealogists often relied on DNA tests to find unknown cousins or painstakingly sifted through Smart Matches (tree-to-tree matches) one by one. DNA matching is great, but not everyone has taken a DNA test. Smart Matches are helpful too, but they can be overwhelming in volume and not all are relevant, since “nuggets of genealogical gold are sometimes mixed in with large amounts of non-useful information.” Cousin Finder addresses this by filtering the data to just the meaningful connections: it “extracts only those people who are related to you through common ancestors, are easily contactable, and likely to be interested in researching those common ancestors.” In essence, think of Cousin Finder as a new way to find DNA matches without needing a DNA test. The relatives it finds might include family members you already know (but perhaps didn’t realize were on MyHeritage) and completely new cousins you’ve never met before. Unlike DNA match lists that just estimate a relationship, Cousin Finder will show you exactly how each person is related to you (e.g. “third cousin once removed” through a specific ancestor). And best of all, this feature is available for free to all MyHeritage users – no subscription or DNA kit purchase required.
By revealing a curated list of cousins and how you connect to them, Cousin Finder makes it easier to grow your family tree and collaborate with relatives. It removes guesswork by pinpointing your common ancestors and relationship paths. This can lead to exciting discoveries: early users have reported finding dozens or even hundreds of new cousins via this tool. It opens the door to contacting these relatives, sharing knowledge, and filling in missing pieces of your family history. In short, Cousin Finder is designed to help you find family, verify lineage connections, and make breakthroughs in your genealogy research in a way that’s faster and simpler than before.
How to Access and Enable the Cousin Finder Feature
Getting started with Cousin Finder is easy. You’ll need a MyHeritage account with a family tree – even a basic one will do (the more detailed your tree, the better the results). Here’s how to access and activate the feature:
- Log in to MyHeritage: Sign in to your MyHeritage account on the website. If you don’t have an account yet, you can create one for free and upload or build your family tree. Having a well-developed tree (with names, dates, and connections) will improve your cousin-finding results. If you already have a detailed tree elsewhere, consider importing it to MyHeritage (via GEDCOM) to take full advantage of this tool.
- Enable Smart Matches™: Cousin Finder works by analyzing Smart Matches (matches between people in your tree and people in other users’ trees). Smart Matches are usually enabled by default, but if you previously turned them off, you’ll need to re-enable them in your site Privacy Settings. (Smart Matches allow your tree to be compared with others; without them, Cousin Finder can’t find any relatives for you.) Conversely, if for some reason you don’t want to be discovered by others through this feature, you can opt out by disabling Smart Matches for your tree.
- Navigate to Cousin Finder: Once logged in, find the Discoveries tab on the main navigation menu of the MyHeritage website. Click on “Cousin Finder™” in the dropdown menu. (On the MyHeritage mobile app, look for similar options in the menu – as of the launch, Cousin Finder was initially a web feature, but check if the app has been updated to include it.)
- Activate the search: The first time you open Cousin Finder, it will “spring into action” and start scanning your family tree matches. You don’t have to do anything except wait a short moment. MyHeritage will automatically compare your tree to others and identify all the users who share a common ancestor with you. A progress indicator may show that it’s calculating. Once done, you’ll see a results screen listing your newly found cousins, sorted by how closely related they are to you. (If you ever want to refresh the results – say, after you’ve added more people to your tree – you can click the “Recalculate” button at the top right of the Cousin Finder page to update the list.)
Tip: If you have taken a DNA test and uploaded your DNA data to MyHeritage (or tested directly with MyHeritage DNA), make sure your DNA kit is associated with your account. While a DNA test is not required for Cousin Finder, linking your DNA results to your profile can enhance your experience. For example, if one of your newfound cousins also has DNA tested on MyHeritage, the Cousin Finder will mark them with a special “DNA Match” label on their card. This lets you know that not only do you share ancestors on paper, but you share DNA as well – a double confirmation of your relationship. (Don’t worry if you haven’t taken a DNA test; Cousin Finder will still work perfectly. You can always decide to do DNA testing later as a way to verify and complement these discoveries.)
Now that you’ve accessed Cousin Finder and the system has generated your list of cousin matches, let’s walk through how to use the feature and interpret the results.
Step-by-Step: Using the Cousin Finder to Discover Your Cousins
Once Cousin Finder has compiled your list of relatives, you’ll see a dashboard of “cousin match” cards on the MyHeritage website. Each card represents a relative (one of your cousins) found through your family tree connections. Follow these steps to explore the list and make the most of the information:
Step 1: Review the list of cousin matches
At the top of the Cousin Finder page, you’ll see how many relatives were found (for example, “49 relatives found”). The list is automatically sorted by relationship proximity, so your closest cousins (perhaps first and second cousins) appear first, and more distant cousins (like fourth cousins, etc.) are further down. Each relative is displayed on a card with key information. Take a moment to scroll through and get a sense of how many new family connections have been identified. (Don’t be surprised if there are dozens or even hundreds of cousins listed – results vary depending on the size of your tree and how many overlaps it has with others.)
Step 2: Understand the cousin’s card information
Each cousin’s card provides useful details to help you understand who this person is and how you’re related. At a glance you’ll typically see:
- Name and Photo: The cousin’s name and a profile photo (if they have one on MyHeritage). You can click their name to view their full profile page on MyHeritage for more info .
- Personal Details: Their age (often displayed as an age range or decade), country of residence, and when they joined MyHeritage. This gives context – for example, a cousin in another country might represent an emigrated branch of the family.
- Activity Indicators: You’ll also see when they last visited MyHeritage and the size of their family tree (number of individuals, and sometimes number of photos). These indicators help gauge how active and serious they are about genealogy. A cousin who logged in recently and has a tree with hundreds of people is likely to be very interested in family history – a great person to connect with. (If you see someone whose last visit was years ago or with a tiny tree, they might be less active, but it’s still worth noting the relation.)
- Tags and Labels: If the person is already a member of your family site on MyHeritage (perhaps you invited some relatives before), you’ll see a “Site member” label on their card. If you have a DNA Match with this person (both of you have uploaded DNA and match genetically), you’ll see a purple “DNA Match” label. These labels give extra insight: a DNA Match tag means this cousin’s genetic relationship to you has been confirmed by DNA, and a Site Member tag means you might have already been in contact or they are part of your online family circle. If the cousin is not yet a site member, you’ll see an “Invite to site” option – allowing you to invite them to join your family website, which can make collaboration easier.
Step 3: Note the reported relationship and common ancestors
This is the heart of Cousin Finder – showing exactly how each cousin is related to you. Prominently on the card (usually on the right side or top of the card), you’ll see a description like “Mother’s 2nd cousin” or “Father’s cousin”. This is the relationship prediction based on your combined family tree information. It also indicates the branch of your family: for example, “Mother’s father’s side” means the cousin is from your maternal grandfather’s lineage. The card will list the common ancestor(s) you share with this cousin, along with an explanation of each person’s descent. For example, it might say: Common Ancestor: Samuel Taylor – (He is) your great-great-grandfather and (the cousin’s) great-grandfather. This tells you exactly which ancestor connects you and how. Take time to read this section on each relevant card, as it identifies the precise family line connecting you. Often, just seeing the names of the common ancestors can trigger recognition – “Oh! That’s my 2nd great-grandfather. So this person must descend from one of his other children.” It’s like connecting the dots in your family tree.
Step 4: Use the “View relationship” tool for a family tree diagram
If the relationship is complex or you want a visual, click on the relationship label or the “View relationship” link on the card. This opens a special Relationship Diagram illustrating the path between you and your cousin. It will show a combined family tree snippet that links you to the cousin through your common ancestors. What’s neat about this diagram is that it pulls information from both your tree and your cousin’s tree: any individuals that come from your cousin’s side (and not already in your tree) will appear with a dashed outline and a little tree icon. Those are people from the cousin’s tree that you haven’t documented in your own tree yet – potentially new relatives you can add after verification! You can click on any person in this diagram to see more details, and even go to their full profile if needed. This is extremely helpful for interpreting relationships, especially for distant cousins. For example, the diagram might show that the cousin’s great-grandmother is your great-grandfather’s sister, visually mapping out the connection. Use this feature whenever you need clarity on how exactly you’re connected.
Step 5: Explore further details and matches
Back on the cousin’s card, you might notice a “More details” or “Smart Matches” section (often an expandable link). This will show you how many Smart Matches you have with that person’s family tree – in other words, how many individuals are matched between your tree and theirs. You’ll see counts like “X pending, Y confirmed” Smart Matches with that tree. If you click those links, you can review each match in detail. While Cousin Finder simplifies the big picture by telling you who your cousins are and which ancestor you share, it’s still a good practice to review the underlying matches. This can help you verify that the connection is accurate. If you ever find a Smart Match that is clearly incorrect (perhaps a mistaken identity or error in a tree), you have the option to reject that match, which will remove or update the cousin’s information accordingly (and you can then recalculate Cousin Finder to refresh your list). In general, Cousin Finder does a lot of the heavy lifting by summarizing relationships, but it’s always wise to double-check critical details via the Smart Matches or source records.
Step 6: Filter and sort the results as needed
On the Cousin Finder page, you’ll find filter and sort menus (usually at the top of the list). These allow you to narrow down or rearrange your cousin list:
- Filtering by branch: You can filter to show only cousins from a specific side or branch of your family. For example, you might focus on your maternal line vs. paternal line, or even more granular like only relatives descended from your mother’s side of the family. The interface uses color-coding consistent with MyHeritage’s family tree color labels for ancestral lines, so you can filter by those colors (if you’re familiar with that system). This is helpful if, say, you’re currently researching your father’s ancestry – you can look just at cousins on your father’s side.
- Including spouses of cousins: By default, Cousin Finder shows blood relatives only (people who share ancestors by blood). If you want, there’s an option to “Show spouses of cousins.” This will include, for instance, the husband or wife of your cousin in the list. Why would you do that? Maybe your actual cousin isn’t active online, but their spouse is, or perhaps you’re interested in connecting with that household. Generally, contacting the cousin themselves is most fruitful, but if a cousin is deceased or not responsive, sometimes their spouse might have information. This option is there if needed.
- Hiding known relatives: You might also choose to hide people who are already members of your family site (people you likely know about) so that your Cousin Finder list focuses on new discoveries. There’s typically a checkbox for “Show members of your site” that you can uncheck to filter them out. This way you’re not cluttering the list with, say, your sibling or your first cousin who you already invited to your site – you can concentrate on the newfound connections.
- Sorting: The default sorting is by relationship closeness (closest first), which is usually what you want. However, you can also sort the list alphabetically by last name if, for example, you’re trying to quickly find a particular surname in the list. This might be useful if you have many results and are looking for matches connected to a specific family name in your tree.
Step 7: Contact your new cousins
One of the most exciting parts of Cousin Finder is the ability to reach out and actually connect with these relatives. When you find a cousin on the list that you’d like to talk to, simply click the “Contact” button on their card (often an orange button that might say “Contact [Name]”). This will open up the MyHeritage Inbox messaging system (MyHeritage has an internal mail feature for users). You can compose a friendly message introducing yourself and mentioning that MyHeritage showed you are relatives through a common ancestor. For example, “Hello, I see that we both have Samuel Taylor (born 1870) as an ancestor – it appears you might be my third cousin! I’d love to compare notes on the Taylor family.” The message will be sent through MyHeritage (no personal email info is shared until the recipient decides to reply). Remember to be courteous and explain why you’re contacting them – mention the shared family connection. Many users are thrilled to receive such messages because it means someone else is interested in the same family line. If you’ve contacted a particular cousin before, the system will note that (the card may show “Previously contacted” next to their contact button), so you know you’ve already reached out. Don’t be discouraged if replies aren’t instant; not everyone checks their MyHeritage inbox regularly. But when you do hear back, you can start exchanging information, tree details, and perhaps even arrange a call or meeting to share knowledge. This is where Cousin Finder turns into real genealogical collaboration!
Step 8: Invite cousins to your family site (optional)
In addition to messaging, you have the option to click “Invite to site” on the cousin’s card to invite them to join your family tree site on MyHeritage. This can be great for closer cousins or relatives who are enthusiastic – by joining your site, they can see the family tree you’ve built (with whatever permissions you allow) and even contribute to it. It essentially brings them into your online family circle. This is optional, of course, but can foster a team effort in exploring your common heritage. If you do invite someone, they’ll get a notification or email to join your site. Having them on your site also means you’ll easily recognize them in the future (they’ll get that “Site member” label on Cousin Finder and elsewhere).
By following these steps, you will have explored all the major features of Cousin Finder. You’ve identified new family connections, understood how you’re related, and hopefully begun reaching out to build relationships with these cousins. Every piece of information – from common ancestors’ names to the ability to contact cousins – is a clue or an opportunity to advance your genealogy journey. In the next section, we’ll discuss how to leverage these results for your research and some best practices to get the most value from Cousin Finder.
Applying Cousin Finder Results to Your Genealogical Research
Finding new cousins is exciting, but the real power of Cousin Finder lies in how you use those discoveries to enrich and inform your family history research. Here are several ways you can apply the results in your genealogy work:
- Verify and expand your family tree: Each cousin identified by Cousin Finder comes with a known common ancestor. This provides immediate verification for that branch of your tree – if the cousin’s tree independently shows the same ancestor, it corroborates your research up to that point. For example, if you and a newly found cousin both list John Doe (b. 1820) as a great-great-grandfather, it’s a good sign your family line to John Doe is correct. You can then compare notes: maybe your cousin has information on John Doe’s parents or siblings that you don’t. Use this opportunity to exchange pedigree details and sources with your cousin. They might have documents, photos, or stories passed down that you’ve never seen (and vice versa). By combining information, you both can fill gaps. In Cousin Finder’s relationship diagram, notice the dashed outlined individuals from your cousin’s tree – those are people you haven’t documented yet. Perhaps your cousin’s tree includes an extra generation or collateral relatives that could push your research further back or wider. Always add new information to your tree with proper verification, of course. Treat the cousin’s data as a hint or lead – then find supporting records (census, birth certificates, etc.) to confirm it. In essence, Cousin Finder gives you leads to double-check, not finished facts, so do use standard genealogical proof methods to validate any new names or dates you incorporate.
- Break through brick walls: A “brick wall” in genealogy is a dead-end you haven’t been able to get past (like an ancestor whose parents are unknown). Cousin Finder can provide fresh angles to tackle those. For instance, let’s say you’re stuck on identifying your great-great-grandmother’s maiden name. Suddenly, through Cousin Finder, you find a third cousin who shares that great-great-grandmother. Looking at their tree, you discover they have her maiden name listed and perhaps her parents’ names – information you were missing. That connection just smashed a brick wall for you! Even if it’s not directly giving the answer, connecting with cousins can bring in new clues. Your cousin might have family letters, a diary, or just knowledge passed down through their side of the family that answers questions you’ve had. In one early user story, a MyHeritage user found two cousins in Sweden via Cousin Finder, and a conversation with them helped her prove a family line she had been trying to verify – DNA testing was the next step they planned to confirm it. This example shows how a cousin connection can provide the missing evidence or testimony needed to confirm a relationship. When you reach out to cousins, let them know what family mysteries you’re working on – you might be “just a cousin or two away from major breakthroughs” in your research, as one genealogy expert noted.
- Find and confirm common ancestors: Sometimes you have a DNA match or some evidence that you’re related to someone but you don’t know through which ancestor. Cousin Finder helps pinpoint the exact common ancestor in the case of each cousin match it lists. This is immensely helpful for focusing your research. For example, if Cousin Finder tells you that you and a particular cousin both descend from Samuel and Charlotte Smith, your research efforts can zoom in on that couple. You might then look at all descendants of Samuel and Charlotte to see how both of you fit in. This could reveal additional related branches. Moreover, once you identify the common ancestor, you can use traditional records to further solidify the connection (like finding both your ancestor’s and the cousin’s ancestor’s birth records showing the same parents, etc.). Cousin Finder essentially provides a shortcut to identifying common ancestors, which might have taken a long time to figure out otherwise, especially for distant cousin relationships. It’s like having a cheat sheet to the question “how are we related?”
- Collaborate and share research tasks: Genealogy is often a collaborative effort. When Cousin Finder introduces you to new cousins interested in family history, consider it as finding new research partners. You can share the workload of digging into archives, libraries, or DNA analysis. Perhaps you and a cousin decide to each research different children of your 3rd-great-grandparents and then share findings. Or one of you might focus on tracking down living relatives while the other hunts historical records. Collaboration can also mean sharing the cost and effort: you might split expenses on ordering a vital record, or jointly manage a family website or Facebook group for your extended family. Cousin Finder gives you an instant team of people who care about the same ancestors – use that! Many users have reported positive experiences where reaching out led to long email exchanges, Zoom calls (as in the case of the cousins from Sweden who set up a video call to meet virtually), and ongoing information sharing. You can even plan a family reunion or visit if the connection grows strong. Remember that genealogy is more than just names on a chart; it’s about real family connections. Cousin Finder might literally connect you with living family members you never knew you had, and together you can bring your shared heritage to life.
- Triangulate with DNA (for those who have tested): While Cousin Finder does not require DNA, you can use it in tandem with DNA results for deeper insights. For any cousin match who also appears in your DNA matches, you now have two pieces of evidence of relatedness. You could perform DNA segment triangulation knowing exactly which ancestral line the DNA match comes from. For instance, if Cousin Finder reveals that Jane Doe is your 4th cousin through the Smith family and you also have a DNA match with Jane (or one of her close relatives), then any DNA segments you share likely come from the Smith ancestors. This helps you categorize your DNA matches by family line. Additionally, Cousin Finder can guide DNA testing strategy: you might discover a second cousin once removed on a branch you’re very interested in. If that cousin hasn’t taken a DNA test yet, you might encourage them to do so (perhaps even offer a test kit to them). Testing additional known cousins from a specific branch can help confirm that branch genetically and identify which DNA segments correspond to which ancestors. MyHeritage’s blog suggests that asking a cousin from a branch you want to research (like your mother’s first cousin) to test can pay dividends: once their DNA is in the system, every other DNA match you share in common with that cousin can be assumed to originate from your shared great-grandparents, focusing your DNA analysis on that lineage. In summary, use Cousin Finder to strategically expand DNA testing among relatives and to interpret DNA results with greater confidence.
- Document and source your newfound information: As you apply what you learn from Cousin Finder, don’t forget good genealogy habits. Record the new names, dates, and connections in your family tree software or online tree, and cite your sources. Your cousin’s input or tree info is a clue – if they provide, say, the name of a mutual 3rd-great-grandmother, note that it came from that cousin and then try to find a record (marriage record, census, etc.) to back it up. It’s also wise to keep notes of contacts – perhaps maintain a research log of which cousins you talked to and what you learned from each. This will help you keep track of leads to follow up on. Additionally, consider sharing back with your cousins any discoveries you make thanks to their information. Genealogy is a two-way street, and a fruitful collaboration will have both of you benefiting.
Finally, keep in mind one important caveat: Cousin Finder’s suggestions are only as accurate as the family tree data behind them. People’s online trees can have mistakes – wrong ancestors attached, incorrect dates, etc. While Cousin Finder uses algorithms to identify likely common ancestors, it does not prove the relationship scientifically like DNA would. MyHeritage themselves note that you should think of Cousin Finder as a complement to DNA, not a substitute. If something looks off (for example, a cousin’s card shows a common ancestor that doesn’t make sense for your known family, or the ages don’t line up), do some investigating. It’s always possible there’s an error in one of the trees. Verify with records or DNA testing whenever possible for any new connection that is significant to your research. In short, trust but verify. That said, the majority of matches you’ll see are likely correct connections, and they provide tremendously valuable hints to explore.
By using Cousin Finder in these ways – verification, breaking brick walls, pinpointing ancestors, collaborating, and augmenting DNA research – you can supercharge your genealogical progress. Many genealogists have found that what once might have taken months of research to uncover (finding a distant cousin who shares your lineage) can now happen in minutes with this tool. It effectively crowdsources the knowledge contained in millions of family trees, bringing you the pieces of your family puzzle that other people have. The next section looks at the broader impact of this feature on the genealogy community and why it’s considered a groundbreaking development.
The Broader Impact: A Game-Changer for Genealogy
Cousin Finder is more than just a convenience; it represents a significant shift in how genealogists can discover relatives and collaborate. Here are some broader impacts and potentials of this tool on the genealogy world:
- Connecting researchers globally: MyHeritage is used by people all over the world. With Cousin Finder, you might find that you have cousins in countries you never imagined. Perhaps your great-granduncle emigrated to South America – now one of his grandchildren shows up as a match. These global connections mean genealogical research is no longer bounded by who in your immediate family has done a DNA test or who you happen to know. It casts a wide net and brings together distant family members. Users have been “delightfully surprised by how many of their cousins are already using MyHeritage, and they had no idea,” That awareness itself is huge – it turns out your extended family has been out there researching alongside you unknown to each other, and now you can join forces. The feature has facilitated international family reunions via video chat and fostered a sense of a worldwide family network among those who use it.
- Lowering the barrier to discovery: Before tools like this, finding distant cousins required either a lot of research, lucky online forum encounters, or DNA testing. Now, no DNA test is needed to make what we might call “DNA-like discoveries.” This lowers the cost and accessibility barrier. People who are hesitant to take DNA tests (due to privacy, cost, or other reasons) can still uncover new relatives through documentation. It’s making genealogy more inclusive – as long as you have built a family tree, even a modest one, you can benefit. This is particularly helpful for communities where DNA testing uptake is low; Cousin Finder can surface connections in regions or groups that are underrepresented in genetic databases. In the words of one genealogy blogger, “a great new tool for discovering blood relatives without even taking a DNA test.” That means more people can participate in the thrill of discovery without prerequisites.
- Immediate context for relationships: One pain point for genealogists has been what to do after you find a new relative. DNA might tell you “you have a 3% match with John Doe, likely 3rd–4th cousin,” but you then have to determine the common ancestor yourself. Cousin Finder flips that around: it identifies the common ancestor first (via the trees) and presents the relationship up front. This precision in relationships is a game-changer. This not only saves time but also provides confidence when reaching out to people. You can say, “We share so-and-so as a great-grandparent,” which often elicits a much warmer and more productive response than “I think we might be related somehow.” It turns vague leads into concrete leads.
- Enhanced collaboration and knowledge sharing: When relatives connect through Cousin Finder, it’s not just two individuals linking up – it can lead to entire networks of family researchers forming. You might connect with Cousin A and Cousin B separately, and later realize they are also related to each other through the same line. Now three distant branches of the family are in communication. Multiply that, and you get a whole crowd of cousins who can potentially share research in an online group, divide up family lines to study, or contribute to a communal family tree. This crowd-sourced approach can unearth information that any one person might not find alone. It also helps preserve family knowledge: stories from one branch can be shared with others, creating a richer picture of ancestors that no single branch had before. Cousin Finder encourages people to not just accumulate data, but to engage with living relatives, which is really the spirit of genealogy – connecting past and present.
- Focusing and accelerating research: The laser-focused nature of Cousin Finder (zeroing in on common ancestors and cousins) can dramatically accelerate the research process. Instead of combing through thousands of Smart Matches or record hints aimlessly, you get a distilled list of where to pay attention. By looking beyond traditional methods (like solely searching historical records or relying only on DNA), Cousin Finder “opens new avenues for collaboration and discovery.” This sentiment has been echoed by many in the genealogy community: it’s an innovative blend of technology and collaborative research. The feature was fine-tuned by MyHeritage’s team specifically to make it as helpful as possible – the company’s founder and CTO personally contributed to brainstorming it. So it’s built with genealogists’ needs in mind.
- Ethical and privacy considerations: It’s worth noting the careful balance Cousin Finder strikes regarding privacy. It only works based on information people have chosen to put in their trees and the matching that users have allowed (via Smart Matches settings). No one’s private data is exposed without consent – if a user has a private tree or has opted out of matching, they won’t show up on others’ Cousin Finder lists. This means that when you do see a cousin listed, you know they have a public-facing tree or are open to communication. In effect, Cousin Finder connects willing participants in the genealogy community, which generally results in positive interactions. As always, when contacting any match, one should be respectful and understanding if someone doesn’t respond or isn’t interested. But overall, the feature has been received positively, with users praising MyHeritage for continually adding such improvements.
- Potential future enhancements: MyHeritage has indicated that Cousin Finder’s initial release is just the beginning. They have plans to add even more functionality – for example, the option to receive email notifications when new cousins are found for you in the future (so you don’t have to keep checking manually). Imagine getting an email saying “We found 3 new cousins for you this week” – that could be really exciting! There may also be tweaks and new filters added as they get user feedback. The development team actively asked for ideas and feedback in the launch announcement, meaning they’re looking to evolve the tool in response to users’ needs. This ongoing improvement will likely further solidify Cousin Finder’s impact in the genealogy field.
In summary, Cousin Finder is poised to significantly influence how people do family history. It bridges the gap between DNA testing and traditional tree research, leveraging the strength of MyHeritage’s massive user base and family tree database. It encourages a more interactive form of genealogy – one where connecting with relatives is front and center. Early users are already unlocking new family stories and solving long-standing mysteries thanks to this feature. It demonstrates the power of technology in genealogy: by automating the discovery of relationships, it frees you to focus on learning about those relatives and ancestors in depth. The broader genealogy community benefits as data is shared and connections are made, bringing us all a bit closer to understanding our roots. As one user happily reported after trying Cousin Finder, “I just found a 2nd cousin I didn’t know about!” – that kind of discovery is now available to anyone with a few clicks, which is indeed a game-changer.
Ready to Try Cousin Finder? – Go Find Your Family!
If reading this has gotten you excited to discover your own cousins, the best next step is to give Cousin Finder a try. It’s easy, free, and you might be amazed at the results. Here’s a quick recap and encouragement to get you started:
- Why you should try it: Cousin Finder can reveal family connections you never knew existed – perhaps relatives who have information, photos, or DNA that can help you complete your family history puzzle. It solves the problem of “I think we’re related, but I’m not sure how” by clearly telling you how you’re related to each match. It’s like having a cheat sheet to your extended family tree, curated just for you. Even if you’re a beginner with only a small family tree online, it can find some connections. And if you’ve been building a tree for a while, the list of cousins might surprise you with its breadth.
- What you need to do: Simply log in to MyHeritage, ensure you have a family tree there (even a basic one), and click the Cousin Finder option under the Discoveries menu. The system does the rest automatically. Within moments, you’ll have a list of cousins to explore. Use the step-by-step tips we covered to examine those cousin cards, see how you’re related, and reach out to say hello.
- What you might discover: You could find cousins in far-flung countries, relatives who are researching the same ancestors, or even close family you lost touch with. You might confirm family lore (“So that is true – Grandma’s cousin moved to Canada, and here’s her grandson!”) or uncover entirely new branches. Every cousin is an open door to stories and data about your family. As MyHeritage puts it, Cousin Finder “provides an easy way to discover and get in touch with other members of MyHeritage who have the same ancestors as you.” Those conversations can lead to exchanging old family photographs, sharing tree files, or collaborating on finding that one elusive ancestor. Some users have even taken it offline – arranging video calls and in-person meetups to get to know their newfound family.
- A final nudge: Many genealogists believe that family history research is part science, part serendipity. Cousin Finder neatly packages some of that serendipity into a feature you can click on. It takes what used to be chances of fate – stumbling across a cousin on a message board, or choosing to test your DNA at the same place – and turns it into a proactive search. As one expert said, “MyHeritage’s Cousin Finder represents a significant advancement in how we connect with fellow family researchers”, opening up new avenues to discover together. In other words, it’s a tool built to help you succeed in your research journey. If you’re serious about uncovering your family’s story (or even just curious), don’t hesitate to use this feature. You have nothing to lose – it’s free and user-friendly – and you have a whole lot of family to win!
So, call to action: Log in to MyHeritage and try Cousin Finder today. See what cousins are waiting to be found. Send a friendly message or two. You never know which connection could be the key to unlocking a treasure trove of family history. Your next big discovery might be just a cousin away. Happy cousin hunting, and happy family history research.