Tier: PLATINUM

Generations Traced: 21

Research Duration: 6 weeks

“The ‘big’ ancestry databases always made me feel uncomfortable, like I'm just sending private information off into the void only to become part of the algorithm. I've also questioned who can see and/or use my personal data. That said, I'm always trying to find and make personal sense of my roots with the limited information about the reservation my birth dad was from. I'm a Native transracial adoptee born in an era of hush, hush closed adoptions and colorblindness. It wasn't until later in life that my birth parents independently contacted me and I had a couple of names to work with. Sapling took what I had and produced an ancestry report in a systematic and objective way that didn't impose any feelings on me or make false claims about what these connections meant. Ultimately, I was provided with a detailed ancestry report spanning many generations with detailed notes from the Indian Census Rolls and other deep archival materials. It's such a thorough accounting of my recent, historical, and emergent ancestral roots that I could spend a decade thinking about it, and I'm grateful for the attention and care that went into the report.”

Tier: GOLD

Generations Traced: 16

Research Duration: 4 weeks

“I got in touch with Sapling, interested in learning more about my background, and I can say they are truly gifted. Sapling traced my family back 16 generations to the year 1520! It was truly a special gift for my family to see our history. We learned so much about our Polish, German, and Slovak ancestry that we would have never known. Couldn’t recommend more highly!”

Tier: GOLD

Generations Traced: 14

Research Duration: 3 weeks

“Sapling not only did a comprehensive job researching my ancestors and compiling a family tree, they also provided insightful descriptions of immigration patterns and their historical context, which helped bring the charts to life. The wealth of information has sparked many conversations among my family members and has fueled my curiosity about my family's origins and the interconnectedness of humans more broadly. Sapling's work brought so much value to my family!”

Tier: SILVER

Generations Traced: 8

Research Duration: 2 weeks

“I never really took into consideration my lineage. The importance of knowing one’s history was completely lost on me. Like many families, mine is secretive. My grandmother, a devout Christian, was not interested in sharing stories of her past. I’m not sure if it was too hurtful, or she just no longer wanted to identify with any of it. Sapling encouraged me to be a little more curious, so I decided it was worth a try. I was shocked that he could go back as far as 1812. I draw a sense of pride every time I look at my report. I frequently share that my family members were landowners and exercised voting privileges. I am proud to let others know that my family was free long before the abolition of slavery. My identity has been rooted in being a descendant of enslaved people for far too long. This is why I never pursued our history. Knowing my family’s history has given me not only a sense of pride and identity but it’s also expanded how I see my place in the world. I show up in the world, standing taller, speaking louder and more assuredly. I possess a timeline that extends far beyond the year I was born. My vision for my future is broader now that I have a greater sense of my history. The report itself was extremely thorough. The names and dates provided paint a story of my past, and I feel connected to more of my family members. I am impressed by the work that Sapling has performed. I am still sharing the report with my family, and every single time that I do, they get back to thank me for showing them who we really are. I encourage more people, especially those who are descendants of African Americans, to get more curious about their origins and discover their lineage.“

Tier: GOLD

Generations Traced: 12

Research Duration: 3 weeks

“Sapling's look into my heritage was a great experience for my family and I. I was able to go through it with my mother and father to hear about some of the things they remembered in more detail. Several things about my family made more sense like where everyone ended up living and even a few great grandparents nicknames when I could track and follow our history on paper. I was able to see my family's movement from Africa to Virginia and onward as they slowly trickled through the US. All of the names, cities, and jokes I had heard in my family began to make sense. Sapling was able to find descriptions of some of my family in WW2 Draft documents and other forms. It made me wonder what similarities I would see if I was standing in a room with all these people, my ancestors!”

Tier: GOLD

Generations Traced: 16

Research Duration: 3 weeks

“I had a fantastic experience with Sapling and would recommend them to anyone interested learning about their ancestry. I was planning to use another service but hesitated for two reasons: the level of effort needed to do the research myself and concern about the accuracy of information. With Sapling, I just gave them a little information about myself, parents, and grandparents and they did all the work. I got a comprehensive package that included details for several generations and also a very helpful written summaries on each part of the family. Sapling was able to validate some family stories and disprove others. For example, there was a story that spelling of my surname had changed over generations. Sapling confirmed that and shared that the changes were likely related to escaping religious persecution. They also confirmed my native american ancestry which had been questioned before. I found so much more depth and complexity to 'where I come from' than I ever could have imagined. So many ancestors each with their own story!”