FamilySearch is a nonprofit genealogy organization operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Its roots trace to 1894, when the church established the Genealogical Society of Utah in Salt Lake City to gather, preserve, and share genealogical records worldwide.[1] The FamilySearch.org website launched in May 1999, and the organization has since become one of the largest free genealogy platforms in the world.[2]
Design and History
FamilySearch retired its long-standing blue tree logo in March 2013, when president and CEO Dennis Brimhall unveiled a new mark at the close of his keynote address at the RootsTech conference in Salt Lake City.[3] The new logo debuted alongside a redesigned FamilySearch.org website that launched on April 16, 2013, featuring collaborative family tree tools, photo and story sharing, and social media integration.[4]
The current logo pairs a “mosaic tree” symbol with a custom slab serif logotype, according to FamilySearch’s own brand standards documentation.[5] The mosaic tree can also be used on its own as a standalone icon when space is limited, and in that configuration it contains seven mosaic frames.[5]
Meaning and Symbolism
FamilySearch’s brand guidelines describe the intended meaning behind the logo’s components. The tree represents connection, family history, and growth, while the mosaic frames represent photos, stories, and stability.[5] The green color is described as fresh and is associated with harmony, life, and endurance.[5]
The 2013 redesign reflected a shift in FamilySearch’s emphasis toward photos and stories, not just records. The animation shown during Brimhall’s presentation suggested the logo represented this new focus, as photographs from a story about his father morphed into the shape of the tree logo.[3] The redesigned website was explicitly built to appeal to people who do not consider themselves researchers or genealogists, especially younger users comfortable with social media.[6]
Typography and Design
The FamilySearch wordmark uses a custom slab serif typeface that the organization’s brand guidelines describe as “inviting and warm, yet quite stately.”[5] Because the type is custom-designed for the logo, it is not a standard commercially available font.[7]
FamilySearch and the FamilySearch logo are trademarks of Intellectual Reserve, Inc.[5]
Logo Index is an independent educational archive covering logos, visual identities and graphic design history. All trademarks and brand assets remain the property of their respective owners.
