Can anybody recommend a good genealogy site for beginners?

Question

I am interested in tracing my family roots - can anyone recommend a good website that will help me get started?

Thank you.

Answer 1

Oh, yes. Also, try these books:

“Mapping Human History: Discovering the Past Through Our Genes” by Steve Olson

"Genealogy 101" by Barbara Renick and

"Trace Your Roots with DNA: Using Genetic Tests to Explore Your Family Tree" by Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak and Ann Turner.

For websites, try:

You should start by asking all your living relatives about family history.  Then, armed with that information, you can go to your public library and check to see if it has a genealogy department.  Most do nowadays; also, don't forget to check at community colleges, universities, etc.  Our public library has both www.ancestry.com and www.heritagequest.com free for anyone to use (no library card required).

Another place to check out is any of the Mormon's Family History Centers.  They allow people to search for their family history (and, NO, they don't try to convert you).

A third option is one of the following websites:

http://www.searchforancestors.com/...

http://www.censusrecords.net/?o_xid=2739...

http://www.usgenweb.com/

http://www.census.gov/

www dot rootsweb dot com/

www dot ukgenweb dot com/

http://www.archives.gov/

http://www.familysearch.org/

http://www.accessgenealogy.com/...

www dot cyndislist dot com/

www dot geni dot com/

Cyndi's has the most links to genealogy websites, whether ship's passenger lists, ancestors from Africa, ancestors from the Philippines, where ever and whatever.

Of course, you may be successful by googling: "john doe, born 1620, plimouth, massachusetts" as an example.

Good luck and have fun!

Check out this article on five great free genealogy websites:

www dot associatedcontent dot com/article...

Then there is the DNA test; if you decide you want to REALLY know where your ancestors came from opt for the DNA test. Besides all the mistakes that officials commonly make, from 10% to 20% of birth certificates list the father wrong; that is, mama was doing the hanky-panky and someone else was the REAL father. That won't show up on the internet or in books; it WILL show up in DNA.

I used www.familytreedna.com which works with the National Geographics Genotype Program.

NOTE: Where it says "dot", just substitute the ".". Yahoo! doesn't recognize "dot" as ".".

“Before the Flood: The Biblical Flood as a Real Event and How it Changed the Course of Civilization” by Ian Wilson

Answer 2

Eh, probably ancestry.com.  

Answer 3

There are some wonderful genealogy sites out there that cater to beginners an d some super free information that you can avail yourself of to help you get started.

also on

http://www.ancestor.com there is a forum and a lot of articles to help get you started in genealogy. and you can ask questions and get them answered or talk to other people about what you're doing or looking for.

I also like roots web and Nara for free information for the genealogist and many of the current census as well as some passenger lists from ships are found online and don't require payment either..

Answer 4

The morman site is very good as is rootsweb.com. Both have lessons on how to begin.

Subscribe to a family search magazine such as Family Tree or go to your library.

Answer 5

Depends on which country you are based or are indeed researching . If in the UK Ancestry .co.uk is probably the most comprehensive although a bit " wobbly " when listing transcriptions ( copied records ) such as the Scottish census returns . Comments  re its high cost need to be qualified . Take out a monthly access which gives unlimited access to all its UK records and a good " belt"  at your FT queries will I am sure prove  prove worthwhile . I you are researching Scottish records , the Government website Scotlandspeople is a cracker . One of the few in the world where you can download birth , marriage , death and old parish records digitised from the original certs .Quite unique !

On a general basis Freecen and FreeBMD are great as is Family Search the LDS ( Mormon ) site . Cyndislist , Genuki and  Rootsweb  are all useful for beginners . Dont forget Genes Reunited where you can download your Tree and find out who are researching the same individuals ( it is now the biggest UK genealogy site ) .  

Answer 6

Ancestry.co.uk but it's expensive.