Bring Genealogy
to VS Code Copilot
Create your Vinkius account to connect FamilySearch API to VS Code Copilot and start using all 6 AI tools in minutes. Fully managed, enterprise secure, and ready to use without writing a single line of code. No hosting, no server setup — just connect and start using.
GDPR Free for SubscribersCompatible with every major AI agent and IDE
Gemini
What is the FamilySearch API MCP Server?
Empower your AI agent to orchestrate your entire genealogical research and ancestry auditing workflow with the FamilySearch API, the world's largest platform for family history. By connecting FamilySearch to your agent, you transform complex ancestor searches into a natural conversation. Your agent can instantly retrieve person details, audit pedigree charts, and query historical record collections without you ever touching a genealogy portal. Whether you are building your family tree or conducting deep-dive historical audits, your agent acts as a real-time genealogical consultant, ensuring your data is always verified and precise.
What you can do
- Person Auditing — Search for millions of persons in the FamilySearch global tree and retrieve detailed metadata, including lifespans and birth/death places.
- Pedigree Oversight — Audit the ancestry charts for specific individuals to maintain a clear view of lineage distribution and scale.
- Memories Discovery — Retrieve photos, stories, and documents associated with specific persons to identify relevant assets instantly.
- Record Intelligence — List available historical record collections to understand the organizational reach of global archives.
- Metadata Intelligence — Retrieve unique identifiers and display names for any genealogical record to assist in deep-dive classification.
How it works
- Subscribe to this server
- Enter your FamilySearch Access Token
- Start managing your ancestry intelligence through Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-compatible client
Who is this for?
- Genealogists & Historians — monitor ancestry data and retrieve official metadata straight from your workflow.
- Family Researchers — verify person details and audit lineage patterns without manual searching.
- Librarians & Archivists — perform rapid audits of historical collections and identify relevant records through natural language.
- Operations Leads — automate genealogical data querying to orchestrate cross-functional educational teams smoothly.
Built-in capabilities (6)
Check if the FamilySearch API is operational
Get full details for a specific person in the family tree by ID
Get memories (photos, stories) associated with a person
Get the ancestry (pedigree) for a specific person
List historical record collections available on FamilySearch
Search for persons in the FamilySearch Family Tree
Why VS Code Copilot?
GitHub Copilot Agent mode brings FamilySearch API data directly into your VS Code workflow. With a project-scoped config, the entire team shares access to 6 tools. Copilot queries live data, generates typed code, and writes tests from actual API responses, all without leaving the editor.
- —
VS Code is used by over 70% of developers. adding MCP tools to Copilot means your team can leverage external data without leaving their primary editor
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Project-scoped MCP configs (
.vscode/mcp.json) let you commit server configurations to your repository, ensuring the entire team shares the same tool access - —
Copilot's Agent mode integrates MCP tools seamlessly with file editing, terminal commands, and workspace search in a single agentic loop
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GitHub's enterprise compliance and audit features extend to MCP tool usage, providing visibility into how AI interacts with external services
FamilySearch API in VS Code Copilot
Why run FamilySearch API with Vinkius?
The FamilySearch API connection runs on our fully managed, secure cloud infrastructure. We handle the hosting, maintenance, and security so you don't have to deal with servers or code. All 6 tools are ready to work instantly without any complex setup.
You stay in complete control of your data. Your AI only accesses the information you approve, keeping your sensitive passwords and private details completely safe. Plus, with automatic optimizations, your AI works faster and more efficiently.
* Every connection is hosted and maintained by Vinkius. We handle the security, updates, and infrastructure so you don't have to write code or manage servers. See our infrastructure
Over 4,000 integrations ready for AI agents
Explore a vast library of pre-built integrations, optimized and ready to deploy.
Connect securely in under 30 seconds
Generate tokens to authenticate and link external services in a single step.
Complete visibility into every agent action
Audit live requests, latency, success rates, and active security compliance policies.
Optimize spending and track token ROI
Analyze real-time token consumption and cost metrics detailed by connection.
Explore our live AI Agents Analytics dashboard to see it all working
This dashboard is included when you connect FamilySearch API using Vinkius. You will never be left in the dark about what your AI agents are doing with your tools.
FamilySearch API and 4,000+ other AI tools. No hosting, no code, ready to use.
Professionals who connect FamilySearch API to VS Code Copilot through Vinkius don't need to write code, manage servers, or worry about security. Everything is pre-configured, secure, and runs automatically in the background.
Raw MCP | Vinkius | |
|---|---|---|
| Ready-to-use MCPs | Find and configure each manually | 4,000+ MCPs ready to use |
| Connection Setup | Manual coding & server setup | 1-click instant connection |
| Server Hosting | You host it yourself (needs 24/7 uptime) | 100% hosted & managed by Vinkius |
| Security & Privacy | Stored in plaintext config files | Bank-grade encrypted vault |
| Activity Visibility | Blind execution (no logs or tracking) | Live dashboard with real-time logs |
| Cost Control | Runaway AI token spend risk | Automatic budget limits |
| Revoking Access | Must delete files or code to stop | 1-click disconnect button |
How Vinkius secures
FamilySearch API for VS Code Copilot
Every request between VS Code Copilot and FamilySearch API is protected by our secure gateway. We automatically keep your sensitive data private, prevent unauthorized access, and let you disconnect instantly at any time.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find my FamilySearch Access Token?
Log in to the FamilySearch Developer portal, and you can generate a Personal Access Token or use the OAuth flow to obtain one. Copy and paste it below.
Can the agent show my family tree?
Yes. Use the get_person_pedigree tool providing a starting person ID. Your agent will return the ancestry chart metadata instantly.
Are photos and stories included?
Yes. The get_person_memories tool retrieves any photos, stories, and documents (memories) associated with a specified person in the tree.
Which VS Code version supports MCP?
MCP support requires VS Code 1.99 or later with the GitHub Copilot extension. Ensure both are updated to the latest version. Older versions of Copilot may not expose the Agent mode toggle.
How do I switch to Agent mode?
Open the Copilot Chat panel and look for two mode options: "Ask" and "Agent". Click "Agent" to enable autonomous tool calling. In Ask mode, Copilot provides conversational answers but cannot invoke MCP tools.
Can I restrict which MCP tools Copilot can access?
Yes. VS Code shows a tool consent dialog before any MCP tool is invoked for the first time. You can also configure tool access policies at the organization level through GitHub Copilot settings.
Does MCP work in VS Code Remote or Codespaces?
Yes. MCP servers configured via .vscode/mcp.json work in Remote SSH, WSL, and GitHub Codespaces environments. The MCP connection is established from the remote host, so ensure the server URL is accessible from that environment.
MCP tools not available
Ensure you are in Agent mode in Copilot Chat. MCP tools only appear in Agent mode.
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