One of the most tempting shortcuts in genealogy is the idea of the "master family tree." A single, giant, authoritative tree where everyone is already linked, all the names and dates are correct, and all you have to do is plug your family into the right spot.

You'll hear this myth from new researchers, see it implied in online ads, and sometimes even find it in casual conversations: "Isn't there one big tree somewhere that already has all of this figured out?"

It's a nice idea. Imagine logging in, clicking a few buttons, and instantly tracing your family back ten generations. But here's the truth: a flawless, universal master tree does not exist, and probably never will.

That doesn't mean there aren't shared trees online. It just means they are often riddled with errors, duplications, and contradictions. Today, we'll dig into where the myth came from, how shared trees can be both helpful and dangerous, and what you should do instead to build a reliable family history.

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