Where can I go to look up my family history?

Question

Don't send me a link to a website that I have to give out my credit card to.

Answer 1

You can try this site which lists free databases:

http://www.searchforancestors.com/

I use:

www.gencircles.com

www.familysearch.org

www.ancestry.com (look for the 14 day free trial)

www.usgenweb.org

www.rootsweb.com

www.genforum.com

http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/

http://www.familytreelegends.com/records... (social security deaths)

Answer 2

I personally like gencircles.com.There's no guarantee that your personal family history is there,but new files are added every day,and it's free.  

Answer 3

i m still looking for 1.... 2

Answer 4

check out ansestory.com  

Answer 5

There are over 400,000 free genealogy sites. I have links to some huge ones, below, but you'll have to wade through some advice and warnings first.

If you didn't mention a country, we can't tell if you are in the USA, UK, Canada or Australia. I'm in the USA and my links are for it.

If you are in the USA,

AND most of your ancestors were in the USA,

AND you can get to a library or FHC with census access,

AND you are white

Then you can get most of your ancestors who were alive in 1850 with 100 - 300 hours of research. You can only get to 1870 if you are black, sadly. Many young people stop reading here and pick another hobby.

No web site is going to tell you how your great grandparents decorated the Christmas tree with ornaments cut from tin foil during the depression, how Great Uncle Elmer wooed his wife with a banjo, or how Uncle John paid his way through college in the 1960's by smuggling herbs. Talk to your living relatives before it is too late.

You won't find living people on genealogy sites. You'll have to get back to people living in 1930 or so by talking to relatives, looking up obituaries and so forth.

Finally, not everything you read on the internet is true. You have to be cautious and look at people's sources. Cross-check and verify.

So much for the warnings. Here is the main link.

http://www.tedpack.org/yagenlinks.html

It has links, plus tips and hints on how to use them, for a dozen huge free sites. Yahoo! now limits the links in an answer to 10. These are the top four, if you'd like to try them without a guide:



http://www.cyndislist.com

http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/f...

http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.c...

Tis one is free, even though it is in Ancestry.com:

http://www.ancestry.com/learn/facts/defa...

If you strike out, go back to my guide page.

Answer 6

If you’re just getting started, before beginning an on-line search, gather up all the information you can from family members about your family history so you can narrow your search.  A great site to help you begin  learning how to research and organize the information you collect and gather is   http://www.findingdulcinea.com/guides/Fa...  

There are many genealogical sites that are free such as:

http://www.familysearch.org/eng/default....  FamilySearch.org is a non-profit service sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  You can also download free software that will help you keep your family tree organized.

http://usgenweb.org/.  This site has been created by a group of volunteers that are committed to keep genealogy free and have provided a website for genealogical research in every county and state in the United States.

http://rwguide.rootsweb.ancestry.com/.  RootsWeb is also a great site.  It’s funded by Ancestry.com.  It provides links to ton’s of additional sites as well.    

http://www.ellisisland.org/genealogy/ind... . Ellis Island Foundation, Inc.  Genealogy Learning Center.  This site has also has some great getting started tips and free downloadable charts and forms.  

http://www.cyndislist.com/.  Cindy’s List has just about everything from A to Z.  I would highly recommend visiting this site.  

http://www.myheritage.com/. Is free, private and secure.  You can create a web site, build and save a family tree, share photos and videos and much more.

http://www.geni.com/home. You can build your family tree and invite others to join via email and expand your tree.  You can add photo’s and video’s.  

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi...  You can search for cemetery records.  Pictures of actual headstones with names and burial dates are available for numerous cemeteries. Additional information is often provided.

Answer 7

Well first you can find out through your living family. Try and find out where they were born, died, married and etc. Get both maiden names and married names. Once you get those you can go to the library and get a pedigree chart or print one from a free website. They its time to start searching. Most cities have a selection of information in the library and you can usually find a lot of your ancesters by checking your local library gen. section and records. Court houses are also a great place to go, because you can look up the marriage and death certificates and copy them. Look at family bibles and pictures and find out where they lived. You can look up name listings online for grave sites throughout the country for free. These are a few ideas on how to start and oh yes Census records! Its a long process but these are a few great areas to start with. Good Luck!

Answer 8

Rootweb is still free: