Welcome
Hi, I’m Anita Phillips, a professional genealogist with more than 50 years of experience helping individuals and families discover, understand, and verify their family history.
I offer research, digital tree cleanup, name review, DNA-assisted research, and ancestor story writing — all with a warm, compassionate approach.
If family history feels overwhelming or you’re not sure where to begin, I would love to help.
What I Can Help With
🌿 Family Tree Research
Bring clarity to confusing, missing, or hard-to-find ancestors.
🗂 Digital Tree Cleanup
Fix duplicates, incorrect merges, wrong ancestors, and unorganized lines in digital trees such as Ancestry and Family Search.
🔎 Ancestor Verification
Review and confirm relationships with accurate documents and sources.
🧬 DNA-Assisted Genealogy
Make sense of DNA matches and use them to support your research.
📄 Record Lookups and Document Gathering
Obituaries, census records, vital records, cemetery information, and more
🖋 Ancestor Life Story Writing
Beautifully written summaries that bring your ancestors to life.
💬 Budget-Friendly Mini Services
Small tasks such as quick tree reviews, one question answered, or a simple lookup.
🌍 Worldwide Research
U.S., Canada, Mexico, and international records.
🔖 Name Reviews
Ensure the right people are placed in the right families.
What Clients Say
“You are INCREDIBLE! I was overwhelmed with such detailed reports and records — I never imagined that information existed.”
“Thank you so much! You were able to find an obituary for my maternal grandfather and connect me with my birth family. You were so kind and respectful. I am forever grateful.”
“Thank you for finding my Jewish ancestors in New York and Poland. I can’t believe you located a 200-year-old headstone. I truly enjoyed receiving answers about my heritage.”
“Thank you for cleaning up my digital family tree — you found errors no one else noticed! I was able to complete important work with confidence.”
Scholarly Recognition
My research work has been formally presented and endorsed by an international genealogical archive in Madrid, Spain.
About Anita
I discovered genealogy as a teenager, long before I knew it would become a lifelong passion. Growing up adopted, I always wondered about where I came from. When my grandmother introduced me to family history, I quickly realized that every name I found gave me a deeper sense of belonging. At fourteen, I was already spending my babysitting money on birth certificates just to learn more about my story.
As an adult, I used DNA research and professional methods to locate my birth family—and was amazed to learn I had ten siblings. Finding them brought a completeness I had long hoped for, and it continues to inspire my work today.
Over the decades, I’ve researched families across the United States, Canada, Mexico, and beyond. I hold a Family History Research Certificate from Brigham Young University–Idaho and stay current through conferences like RootsTech. I am also a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists, JewishGen, and the New Mexico Genealogical Society. Staying current with methods and new technology is important to me, and I continue to attend trainings and conferences to strengthen my research skills.
One of the most meaningful moments in my career came in 2023, when my genealogical work was accepted as irrefutable proof of Sephardic Jewish descent for a client seeking Spanish citizenship. My research was evaluated by legal scholars and used as the foundation of the case—a reminder of how deeply genealogy can impact lives.
Today, I specialize in helping adoptees find biological family, untangling incorrect or confusing family lines, and researching Sephardic Jewish ancestry. I also volunteer at a local Family History Center, where I help individuals discover their ancestors and prepare names for temple work. Over the years, I have submitted thousands of names from my own family lines to FamilySearch.
Originally from Idaho, I now live in New Mexico with my husband and our two dogs. I am grateful every day for the opportunity to help others discover the stories that shaped their families—just as I discovered my own.
🌟 PRICING
Clear, simple options—so you know exactly what to expect.
At It’s All About Family History LLC, my goal is to make quality genealogy accessible, whether you need help with a single family line, a DNA match, temple-ready names, or a full research project. Below are my most popular service options.
💼 HOURLY RESEARCH SERVICES
$45 per hour
Ideal for:
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Tracing ancestors
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Record searches in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and beyond
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Correcting or “untangling” incorrect family lines
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Document gathering (obituaries, death certificates, census, military, etc.)
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FamilySearch clean-up and verification
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DNA-assisted family research
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Adoptee search support
Includes:
✔ Detailed notes
✔ Source citations
✔ Organized findings
✔ Recommendations for next steps
Minimum: 2 hours
Most clients begin with 2–5 hours, depending on the complexity of the question.
🌿 TEMPLE-READY NAME PREPARATION
$99 Flat Rate Packet
For individuals and families preparing accurate names for temple ordinances.
Your temple-ready packet includes:
✔ Verified relationships
✔ Corrected and sourced information
✔ Ordinance status check
✔ Ensuring no duplicates or errors
✔ Names organized and ready to submit
Gentle guidance included:
I prepare everything accurately, but you receive instructions, so it still feels like you are submitting your family names.
🔍 DNA CONSULTATION & MATCH ANALYSIS
$45 per hour
Perfect for those who want to understand:
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DNA matches
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Unknown parents or grandparents
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Biological family connections
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Surname clusters
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Shared cM interpretation
This can be combined with traditional research
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✨ BUDGET-FRIENDLY MINI SERVICES
$30 per session
A great option when you want quick, focused help.
Mini sessions include:
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Help fix one FamilySearch line
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Simple lookups
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Finding a specific record
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Clarifying one research question
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Beginner DNA guidance
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Advice on where to search next
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Fast, affordable, and very popular.
📚 ANCESTOR LIFE STORY WRITING
Starting at $75
For clients who want a warm, narrative-style biography of an ancestor, based on the documents we find.
A beautiful gift for children, grandchildren, or personal keepsakes.
Includes:
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A written story (1–2 pages)
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Key events
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Maps or timeline (optional)
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Clean formatting for printing
🌎 WORLDWIDE RESEARCH PROJECTS
Custom Quotes Available
For larger or international projects—such as Sephardic Jewish ancestry, multi-line research, Spanish citizenship cases, or multi-generational reports—pricing will be tailored to the scope of your project.
I provide an estimate before any work begins.
💬 FREE 10-MINUTE CONSULTATION
If you’re unsure where to begin, I’m happy to talk through your goals and recommend the best starting point.
📩 READY TO BEGIN?
Use the Contact Me button below to start your project or ask any questions.
🌟 No contracts. No hidden fees. You only pay for the time and services you choose.