The following announcement was written by FamilySearch:

Nonprofit FamilySearch published its 8 billionth free searchable name from its worldwide historic record collections online. The milestone is even more astounding when you think that each name is someone’s ancestor—8 billion family connections just waiting to be discovered. Explore the free databases at FamilySearch.org.

It’s an incredible feat when you realize that just 1 billion seconds ago, it was 1988, or 1 billion minutes ago the Roman Empire was thriving and Christianity was just beginning to spread.

“To digitally preserve and make so many names freely searchable online is impressive, but it’s the personal family connections that matter most,” said David Rencher, FamilySearch’s chief genealogical officer. “With each new record, there’s the possibility to find a missing link in the family tree. And that is soul-satisfying.” FamilySearch adds over 1 million new records each day.

“Every human being who comes to this earth is the product of generations of parents. We have a natural yearning to connect with our ancestors. This desire dwells in our hearts, regardless of age,” said Russell M. Nelson, President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the sponsoring organization of FamilySearch. “When our hearts turn to our ancestors, something changes inside us. We feel part of something greater than ourselves.”

Rencher says finding even one extra hint from a record can make a difference. This is evidenced by the comments that pour in from FamilySearch’s millions of users.

“I have found my Nana’s marriage certificate.” Maureen

“I found that my great-great-grandfather was in the civil war. They took his land…I am very proud of him.” S. Briggs

“Resources are really helping me find people or make corrections and unite families.” M. Thurgood

“I am finding endless Ukrainian immigrant families who pioneered settlements of the Prairies of Canada.” Larry

“This milestone is just the tip of the iceberg. FamilySearch won’t quit until we’ve accounted for everyone possible from the world’s available records,” said Rencher. “With over 8 billion searchable names and growing, the odds of growing the branches of your family tree each time you visit keep getting better all the time.”

Growth is in the roots of FamilySearch. It began 125 years ago (See FamilySearch Celebrates 125th Anniversary) as the Genealogical Society of Utah, with a mere 300 hundred books of family records on its shelves. Now FamilySearch has 3.2 billion digital images, 490,000 digital books, and a Family Tree with over a billion more user-contributed records available online. And it adds over 1 million new records every day.

Seven billion names from almost every country have been added in just the last 10 years. And efforts have been amplified to increase access to even more of the world’s genealogically relevant records. FamilySearch largely credits this remarkable accomplishment to its dedicated online volunteers, innovative technologies, and growing partnerships with other organizations.

It’s never been easier to search for your family lines and connect your own story with your ancestors. What new records will you find? Discover your roots today for free at FamilySearch.