Keep a simple back-catalogue of who appears in old photos using a spreadsheet that links a photo’s filename to the names of the people in it, since this is far more reliable long-term than relying on memory, and it means the knowledge isn’t lost if the person who remembers passes away.
What you need
- A spreadsheet app (Google Sheets or Excel both work well)
- Family members who can help identify people in older photos, especially older relatives
- Your organised photo collection, ideally already named or numbered consistently
Worth doing while relatives are around
This is worth prioritising while older family members who remember faces from decades ago are still around to help — their knowledge is often the only source for identifying people in the oldest photos. Set up a simple format before you start: filename, names of people identified, and a note if you’re unsure.
How to build the back-catalogue
- Create a spreadsheet called something like ‘Who’s Who in Family Photos’.
- Set up columns for: photo filename (or folder path), names of people in the photo, and any notes (like relationship, or ‘not certain’).
- Go through your photo collection, ideally with a family member who can help identify people, and add an entry for each photo where you can name someone.
- For group photos, list all identifiable people, noting their position if it helps avoid confusion (e.g. ‘back row, second from left’).
- Mark uncertain identifications clearly, such as ‘possibly Uncle Jim, unconfirmed’, rather than guessing and presenting it as fact.
- Keep the spreadsheet backed up along with your photos, and update it as you identify more people or as new information comes to light.
Check names are attached to the right photos
Open the spreadsheet and check that a reasonable number of your photos, especially the older or more significant ones, have people identified. Spot-check a few entries with a family member to confirm the identifications are accurate.
If no one remembers who’s in a photo
If you don’t have anyone left who can identify people in the oldest photos, check whether any relatives, even distant ones, might still remember — sharing photos in a family group chat sometimes turns up someone with knowledge you didn’t expect. It’s fine to leave some photos as ‘unidentified’ rather than guessing, since incorrect information can cause confusion for future generations.
Next step
Once you have a back-catalogue of names, cross-referencing it with your organised timeline or folder structure makes your family photo collection much more meaningful and useful for future generations.
Sources and date checked
Researched from general published guidance on family history record-keeping, not a hands-on test performed for this article. Date checked: 22 September 2026.