Record Research
Census, vital, land, church, newspaper, probate, and other historical records that help document people and relationships.
Discover • Preserve • Honor
South Dakota-based genealogy & family history research
Every family has a story.
Let’s uncover yours.
Dakota Roots Genealogy turns scattered records, old names, and family stories into clear, source-focused family histories you can understand, keep, and pass down.
✓ Source-focused research✓ Clear evidence notes✓ Personal family service✓ Shareable reports
Family History Report
Your Family Story
Great-Grandparents
Grandfather
Grandmother
Historical mapsMilitary recordsCemetery research
Evidence FirstFindings tied to available records
Clear ConclusionsConfirmed, probable & unresolved separated
Family FocusedResearch explained in plain language
Built to KeepReports designed to preserve and share
More than names and dates
Your ancestors lived real lives.
We research the records behind your family tree and add the historical context that brings your ancestors to life—where they lived, what they did, how they moved, and what the evidence can actually support.
Genealogy research services
What we can help you discover
Start with one family mystery or build a broader family history project across multiple generations and locations.
Military History
Service records, units, conflicts, pensions, draft cards, and context that helps explain an ancestor’s military experience.
Cemetery Research
Burial locations, gravestones, cemetery records, obituaries, memorials, and family connections.
Maps & Migration
Historical maps, land locations, county history, and the movement of families across states, counties, and generations.
A history you can hold onto
We turn research into a family story—not a pile of screenshots.
Your final report can include ancestor profiles, family-tree charts, timelines, record summaries, historical maps, military details, cemetery information, and explanations of conflicting evidence.
- Clear distinction between confirmed, probable, and unresolved findings
- Source notes so you know where information came from
- Historical context that makes the names meaningful
- Beautiful PDF reports designed to keep and share with family
Simple starting prices
Choose your research package
Every family is different. These packages provide a starting point, and custom projects are available when your question does not fit neatly into a tier.
Starter
$99
A focused introduction to your family history.
- Up to 3 generations
- Basic record research
- Family tree chart
- Written summary report
Most Popular
Heritage
$249
A deeper, more contextual family story.
- Up to 5 generations
- In-depth record research
- Timelines & family charts
- Military & cemetery research
- Historical context
- Illustrated PDF report
Legacy
$449+
For a broader family legacy project.
- 5+ generations
- Multiple family lines
- Maps, photos & documents
- Military & migration history
- Illustrated family-history book
- Source citations
Historical research depends on the records that survive and are accessible. No package guarantees that every question can be answered or every relationship proven.
How it works
From your question to your family story
1
Tell us what you know
Share names, dates, places, photos, records, family stories, and the questions you most want answered.
2
We shape the research plan
We identify the strongest available record sets and sources for your family and research goal.
3
We investigate the evidence
Records are compared, conflicts are noted, and family relationships are evaluated carefully.
4
You receive the story
Your findings are organized into a clear, attractive report designed to understand, keep, and share.
About Dakota Roots
A South Dakota family helping other families find answers.
Dakota Roots Genealogy is owned by Bryan Olson and Abigail Olson. We both grew up in South Dakota and are raising our three children here. Family is at the center of our lives, and our own interest in genealogy showed us how meaningful it can be to discover where you came from and finally find answers to questions passed down for generations.
We created Dakota Roots Genealogy to help other families uncover their history, evaluate family connections, understand the people who came before them, and preserve those discoveries for children and grandchildren. Our approach is to be clear about what the records support, what is probable, and what remains unresolved.
Based in South Dakota, researching beyond South Dakota.
Your family story may cross county, state, and national borders. We follow the evidence wherever the available records lead.
Your family story may cross county, state, and national borders. We follow the evidence wherever the available records lead.
Genealogical research is historical research and does not constitute legal advice or legal proof of inheritance, citizenship, tribal enrollment, or property ownership.
“
We know how meaningful it is to finally find an answer about your family. Our goal is to help you discover those answers and preserve them for the generations that come after you.
Bryan & Abigail OlsonDakota Roots Genealogy
Common questions
Before we start your search
Genealogy is evidence-based work, and every family starts with a different set of clues.
What information do I need to start?
Whatever you have. Names, approximate dates, places, photos, obituaries, family stories, screenshots, or old documents can all provide useful starting clues.
Can you guarantee you will solve my family mystery?
No. Records can be incomplete, conflicting, restricted, or missing. We will tell you what the evidence supports and clearly identify questions that remain unresolved.
Do you only research South Dakota families?
No. Dakota Roots is based in South Dakota and has a special connection to the region, but projects can follow families across the United States and beyond when useful records are available.
What will I receive when the project is finished?
Deliverables depend on the package and findings, but may include family-tree charts, ancestor profiles, timelines, source notes, maps, military or cemetery findings, and a written or illustrated family history report.
What if records disagree with each other?
Conflicting records are common in genealogy. We compare dates, places, names, relationships, and source quality, then explain the conflict rather than hiding it.
Start your search
What would you like to learn about your family?
Send the basics below and we’ll have what we need to begin discussing a research plan with you.
Please avoid sending Social Security numbers, financial information, passwords, or other highly sensitive personal information through email or text.