Is there a place online where I can trace my family history for FREE?

Question

I can't afford to pay the for anything on the internet and don't have a credit card. I really want search where and how my family name changed and all about my relatives that I don't know. Is there anywhere online for FREE I can find out this information?

It's kinda something my whole family is eager to know.. but I come from a poor family.

Answer 1

rootsweb.com

familysearch.com

parts of ancestry.com are free

cyndislist.com

Answer 2

First find out from your parents as much information you can about their parents and grandparents.  Most records available on-line are for people born before 1930, so those are really the ones you want to focus on.

Write down the names (include middle names and maiden names),  birth, death and marriage dates (or at least approximate year), country/state/county, city or town where they were born and places they moved to, and date or approximate year of immigration.

You can download free family tree software from familysearch.org   You can also search for records on this site.  Its all free.

http://www.familysearch.org/ (for records search)

http://www.familysearch.org/eng/home/wel... (for software download)

Rootsweb has family trees with over 250 million names and links to useful volunteer-run projects. http://www.rootsweb.com/

Cyndislist is a popular site with extensive links for specific countries and ethnic groups.

http://www.cyndislist.com/

Even though ancestry.com charges a fee, you can still search census records for general details then if you need to, come back here and post a question requesting further infomation for the record you found (or can't find).

You'll find it really interesting, I bet your family will be surprised how much you'll come up with.  Good Luck.

Answer 3

Nothing in life is free. What info you find on the internet you should only use as a tool. Most of the info you find on the websites has not been proven and can be wrong.

The best thing to do is sit down with relatives and talk with them. Work your way backwards. Depending on what state your family comes from you can find certain things on that state's genealogy website. Familysearch.org has now put some new websites on. Like in Ohio you can get old death certificates for free. When they get the project completely done (which will take years) you will be able to get old death certificates from any state. That isn't the case right now.

Visit your local LDS Family history center and get some help there. Just remember that what they have there has been submitted by someone who may or maynot have documented their work. Be very careful as you can go down the wrong road quickly.

Answer 4

If you can afford to join a local Family History Society for the area you think most useful there are lots of people out there who will help you for free, or for the cost of their transport if they need to look something up. The most helpful way  is to find out as much as you can from your own family, neighbours, published books and family documents, first.  It helps if your family are 'hoarders'.  Although there are lots of sites on line now including the Mormon (IGI) you will always need to be aware that mistakes in copying creep in and people assume connections which are incorrect. Also by no means have all Church registers been copied so what you find on line may not be the true answer.

Your local library often has free leaflets on sites.  Beware of family trees on sites; whereas some may be good there are some which are absolute rubbish.  Oh, and always go back from yourself.  

Good Luck. Family Historians are friendly people.