Records tell the facts.
History tells the story.
Family history done differently.
Professional genealogy research from Written Roots, brought to life by a historian.
Services That Bring Your History to Life
Whether you're beginning your family history journey, solving a family mystery, or ready to tell your family's story, there's a place to begin.
Signature Services
For the families ready to know the whole story, not just the names and dates.
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A meaningful first look at one branch of your family tree. Trace three to four generations along one family line, with documented research, a PDF report, and historical context that helps you understand what the records really say.
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Go beyond a single family line to uncover a fuller picture of your family's history. I'll research four to five generations across multiple family members and branches, connecting records and relationships to understand not only who they were, but how they lived. You'll receive a detailed PDF report with a full historical narrative that brings the people, places, and events in your family's past together.
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Preserve your family's history for generations to come. Through comprehensive research across multiple family lines, I'll uncover the records, relationships, places, and historical context that shaped your family's story. The research is woven into a polished, fully written narrative and presented in a hardcover keepsake book designed to be read, shared, and passed down.
Research Services
Sometimes you don't need an entire family history. You just need someone to follow the clues.
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Looking for one specific record? I'll search for the document you need, whether it's a birth, marriage, death, census, probate, land, military, immigration, or other historical record. I’ll provide the record along with the details needed to understand what you've found.
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Sometimes one question is all you need answered. I'll conduct targeted research into a focused family-history question, such as where an ancestor came from, when a family moved, or whether two people were related. I’ll provide a concise findings report explaining the evidence and what it tells us.
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Stuck on a problem you haven't been able to solve? I'll investigate one challenging genealogy question, such as an unknown parent, an unconfirmed relationship, or a missing record. You'll receive a clear account of the evidence, findings, and recommended next steps.
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Already have a family tree but aren't sure everything is correct? I'll review your existing research for errors, duplicates, unsupported relationships, missing citations, and gaps in the evidence, then organize the sources and provide recommendations for where your research should go next.
The Historian Behind Written Roots
Dr. Fiona Holter
Historian & Genealogist
Written Roots was built on a simple belief: your family's records deserve more than a list of names and dates.
With a PhD in History and nearly two decades of genealogical research experience, I approach each family with the same care I bring to historical research—following the evidence, working with primary sources, and placing the people I find within the world in which they lived.
Every Written Roots project is researched and written personally by me. No outsourcing. No junior researchers. Just one historian working closely with you, from the first record to the finished story.
How it Works
Whether you need one answer or your family's whole story, we'll help you find the right place to begin.
Tell Me What You Need
Send an inquiry and tell me what you're hoping to discover: a specific record, a focused question, a stubborn research problem, or a deeper family history project. I'll help you determine the right place to begin.
Research Begins
Once your project is confirmed and the 50% deposit is received, research begins. I'll work directly with primary and historical sources to follow the evidence, verify the details, and uncover what the records can tell us about your family.
Receive Your Results
When the research is complete, you'll receive the finished work for your project, from a specific record or focused findings report to a detailed family history or finished heirloom book.
Ready to uncover your family's story?
Every family has questions waiting to be answered. Let's start with yours.