Project timelines vary based on scope and record availability. A Discovery project (10 hours) typically takes 2–3 weeks. Heritage projects (20 hours) run 4–6 weeks. Legacy-level engagements (50 hours) may take 2–3 months. We provide a timeline estimate in your written proposal before work begins.
Not at all. Many of our best projects start with just a shoebox of old photographs and a few names. We meet you where you are. Your discovery call is specifically designed to help us understand what you know and build a research plan from there.
Every KinshipQuest™ report follows professional genealogical standards. It includes a narrative summary of findings, analysis of each record source, full citations for every document consulted, and digital copies of all records located. Reports range from 5 pages (Discovery) to 40+ pages (Legacy). You can request a sample redacted report through our contact form.
No reputable genealogist can. Records are incomplete, were never created, or have been destroyed — especially before 1850 and for certain communities. What we can guarantee is methodical, professionally-documented research using the Genealogical Proof Standard, and honest reporting of what the evidence does and does not support.
This is one of the most common challenges in genealogy. We're trained to identify substitute records — tax lists, church records, land deeds, cemetery records, and DNA evidence — that can often reconstruct family relationships even when vital records are missing. Many regions and time periods have significant record loss; we specialize in working around it.
Yes. We integrate DNA analysis into research projects as evidence alongside documentary records. We analyze autosomal DNA results, help interpret matches, and use chromosome mapping where appropriate. DNA is particularly powerful for pre-1870 research and for adoptee/unknown parentage cases. We use DNA as one tool among many — not as a shortcut.
KinshipQuest.com is our professional research practice — you hire us to do your genealogy. KinshipQuest.net (the Academy) is where you learn to do it yourself, with structured courses, a podcast, and a researcher community. KinshipQuest.org (Legacy) is our faith-based ministry offering pro-bono research to families who cannot afford professional services.
Applications are accepted through KinshipQuest Legacy at kinshipquest.org. We review every application personally and respond within 14 days. There is no minimum genealogical knowledge required. We assess financial need, research feasibility, and scope before accepting a case.
We work nationwide and internationally. Our practice is methodology-driven rather than tied to one region — we apply the Genealogical Proof Standard across record types and locations wherever the evidence leads. We have particular familiarity with the westward migration corridors out of the original colonies — Virginia, the Carolinas, Tennessee, Kentucky, and the Ohio Valley — and experience with German, Irish, British, and Scandinavian records, with relationships among researchers in those regions.
All projects require a signed research agreement and a 50% deposit before work begins. The balance is due upon delivery of your final report. We accept payment via Stripe (credit/debit card). Subscription services on the Academy are billed monthly or annually with no long-term commitment.
Every project is different. A free 20-minute discovery call costs you nothing and tells you exactly what we can do for your family.