Genealogist
Snapshot
Genealogists trace history and lineages of families. The results of their effort are displayed in a table of the descent from person to person which forms a family tree or they are written as narratives. Genealogists use analysis of public records, informal interviews, genetic analysis, and other methods to gain input information.
Genealogists are historical detectives, dedicated to researching and documenting family histories. Their work involves meticulously examining a wide range of sources to construct accurate family trees and narratives. This often requires analytical thinking, attention to detail, and strong communication skills to present findings clearly and engagingly.
- • Analyzing public records (birth, marriage, death certificates, census data, land deeds) to identify family members and relationships.
- • Conducting informal interviews with family members to gather oral histories and anecdotal information.
- • Utilizing genetic analysis (when appropriate and with consent) to confirm or expand genealogical findings.
Where this occupation is in demand
Reported labour shortages and surpluses, by year. Published for occupation groups, not for individual job titles.
Figures cover Legal, social and cultural professionals — 186 jobs including this one.
In shortage: Malta.
Select a place on the map to see its figures.
About this source›
Source: ELA/EURES labour shortages and surpluses. Readings are published at occupation-group level, and cover Europe. Editions differ in annex layout and country coverage, so a change between years does not always mean the labour market changed. Countries in grey were not reported, which is not the same as being in balance.
What these words mean
The four things this section reports
- Reported demand
- Whether employers report needing people in this job — a judgement published by a national or EU body, not a count.
- Where it is heading
- Which way employment in this job is expected to move over the coming years, from an official projection.
- Openings
- Roughly how many openings arise — from growth and from people leaving the job.
- Typical pay
- What people in this job typically earn where the source publishes it. Blank does not mean unpaid; it means nobody publishes it for that place.
A measure is left out when nobody publishes it for that place, rather than shown as zero.
Which way the market leans for you
- In your favour
- More openings than people looking — employers are competing for candidates.
- Balanced
- Openings and candidates are roughly matched.
- Competitive
- More people looking than openings — expect to compete.
- Mixed evidence
- Sources disagree, or the same occupation group is short in one part and oversupplied in another.
Every source resolves to one of these four, so there is a single vocabulary to learn. What differs is the evidence behind it, which is printed underneath each verdict — a measured ratio of openings to jobseekers, or an assessment published by a national body.
How this job compares with other jobs in the same country
- Strong
- Among the strongest in that country
- Good
- Stronger than most jobs in that country
- Mixed
- About typical for that country
- Weak
- Weaker than most jobs in that country
This is a rank within one country, not a score you can carry across borders — the registers behind two countries count different people, so the same number means different things in each. It is also why a job can be among the strongest in a country and still show as Competitive: it leads the field in a market that is crowded overall.
Where these come from
Every figure is published by a national statistics office, a public employment service or an EU body, and each card names its source and the period it covers. Some places are counted monthly, others assessed once or twice a year, so two places on the same map can be describing different moments — the date is always shown.
None of this predicts one person’s chances. It describes a market.
Reported demand · Typical pay · Where it is heading (United States, Ireland, Australia, Malta)
| Reported demand | Typical pay | Where it is heading | |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Not reported | $76,750 2025-05 | +2.2% 2024–2034 · BLS 2024-2034 |
| Ireland | Not reported | — | +15.9% 2023–2035 · Cedefop 2026 * |
| Australia | Assessed as balanced Jobs and Skills Australia 2025 * | — | — |
| Malta | Shortage reported ELA/EURES 2024 * | — | — |
* Published for occupation groups, not for individual job titles.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS)
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Future Outlook for genealogist
The outlook for genealogist reflects a balanced mix of automation exposure and durable, human-led work.
How are these scores calculated?
The Resilience Score (0–100) estimates how structurally protected this occupation is from automation and AI disruption, based on task-level analysis. Higher scores mean more human-judgment-intensive tasks. AI Exposure shows the estimated percentage of task hours that current AI capabilities could affect. These are model-derived structural indicators, not predictions about individual job security.
How could genealogist change as AI adoption grows?
Several task areas may shift toward AI-assisted workflows, so reskilling becomes more important.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
Several task areas may shift toward AI-assisted workflows, so reskilling becomes more important.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
Model-based estimate. Use it as a planning signal, not a guarantee.
Compare this to your profile
How AI may change this role
Deterministic, model-based interpretation of current role signals — not a guarantee of replacement.
What still depends on people
Most tasks here are AI-assistable rather than purely human-led.
Where AI may become a co-pilot
- analyse recorded sources
- analyse legislation
- inspect data
Tasks most exposed to automation
- consult information sources
- write work-related reports
Vital Signs & AI Vectors
AI Exposure Vectors
0-100%Exposure to AI-assisted analysis, pattern recognition, and predictive modelling tasks
Exposure to content generation, creative augmentation, and large language model tools
Exposure to workflow automation, decision-support software, and process digitisation
Exposure to physical automation, robotics, and sensor-driven task displacement
Technical Details
NexFuture v3.0 estimates automation exposure natively from ESCO essential-skill groups, weighted by skill mass and calibrated against expert anchors. Scores are probabilistic estimates, not guarantees. See the NexFuture Methodology White Paper for full details.
Measures automation exposure. It does not measure pay, demand, or how many jobs exist near you.
What people in this role usually do
Healthcare & Human Services
A typical day as a genealogist
09 09:00 · Morning analyse legislation
10 10:30 · Mid-morning research family histories
12 12:00 · Midday analyse recorded sources
14 14:00 · Afternoon conduct qualitative research
15 15:30 · Late afternoon conduct research interview
17 17:00 · Wrap-up consult information sources
Task order is illustrative. Individual days vary.
What you need to do this work
The skills, knowledge and tools this role calls for — and the traits and rewards that come with it.
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analyse recorded sources
Analyse recorded sources such as government records, newspapers, biographies, and letters in order to uncover and interpret the past.
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analyse legislation
Analyse the existing legislation from a national or local government in order to assess which improvements could be made and which items of legislation could be proposed.
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inspect data
Analyse, transform and model data in order to discover useful information and to support decision-making.
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research family histories
Determine history of a family and its family tree by researching into existing genealogical databases, conducting interviews and performing qualitative research into reliable sources.
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conduct qualitative research
Gather relevant information by applying systematic methods, such as interviews, focus groups, text analysis, observations and case studies.
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consult information sources
Consult relevant information sources to find inspiration, to educate yourself on certain topics and to acquire background information.
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conduct research interview
Use professional researching and interviewing methods and techniques to gather relevant data, facts or information, to gain new insights and to fully comprehend the message of the interviewee.
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write work-related reports
Compose work-related reports that support effective relationship management and a high standard of documentation and record keeping. Write and present results and conclusions in a clear and intelligible way so they are comprehensible to a non-expert audience.
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interpret pedigree charts
Construct and interpret diagrams that show the occurrence and appearance of a particular gene and its ancestors from one generation to the next.
genomics
The field of study in relation to whole genomes of organisms, as well as their genetic or epigenetic sequence of information. It aims to provide knowledge about the downstream of biological products and the analysis of the structure and function of these sequences through employing recombinant DNA and bioinformatics approaches.
- investigation research methods
- copyright legislation
- family law
- history
- interview techniques
- research design
- social sciences
- transcription methods
Path to become a genealogist
What it typically takes to qualify: education level, where it is a regulated profession, and where to study.
Bachelor's or equivalent level
14 programmes in 10 countries teach the core skills of this job. Plus 89 short courses that build single skills.
A few examples, taught in the language of this page:
Diploma in Genealogy
University College Cork · Ireland
Master of Social Research (Advanced)
Australian National University · Australia
These are 5 of 103.
Sources
- 1. Source: Europass Qualification Dataset Register (European Commission)
- 2. Source: Commonwealth of Australia (Department of Education), CRICOS, data.gov.au, CC BY 2.5 AU. Data as at 30/09/2026. Adapted by NexPath.
- 3. Irish course data from Qualifax (qualifax.ie), run by Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI).
Growth Pathways & Similar Roles
Explore typical career progression paths, adjacent skills, and similar roles to plan your next transition.
Where does genealogist fit?
Similarity scores based on skill overlap from ESCO data.
For organisations
The data on this page, working for your students, clients and staff.
Frequently asked questions
What skills are most important for a genealogist?
Can I work as a genealogist without a formal degree?
What types of clients do genealogists typically work with?
How much does Genealogist pay in the United States?
Sources: ESCO O*NET ELA/EURES Cedefop BLS Data updated October 19, 2026 About our data