How to Delete Your Ancestry Account
How to permanently delete your Ancestry account and all associated data. Cancelling a subscription and deleting an account are two different things — here's how to do both.
How to delete your Ancestry account
- 1
Cancel your subscription first
Before deleting, cancel your active subscription to avoid being charged after account deletion. See full cancellation guide →
- 2
Export your data
Download any content, history, or data you want to keep before proceeding. Most services offer a data export option in account settings.
- 3
Find the account deletion option
Go to Ancestry account settings (https://www.ancestry.com/account/subscription) and look for "Delete account", "Close account", or "Deactivate".
- 4
Confirm deletion
Ancestry will ask you to confirm. You may need to enter your password or verify via email. Once confirmed, the deletion is permanent.
Ancestry-specific note
Will my family tree be deleted if I cancel?
No. Your family tree, photos, and uploaded documents are saved in your account. You can still view your tree on the free plan but lose access to Ancestry's historical record database.
If you can't find the delete option, contact Ancestry support directly and request account deletion. Under GDPR (EU) and CCPA (California), you have a legal right to request deletion of your personal data.
More guides for Ancestry