Free Genealogy Websites
Using the Internet for Family History Research
NBC's Today Show featured genealogy during the week of August 25, 2008, following the family histories of Today Show anchor journalists and celebrating this growing hobby. Public libraries across the United States certainly would agree, as library patrons increasinly use libraries' public access computers and expanded internet genealogy resource site subscriptions. Some computer internet sites help to keep family history research costs to a minimum.
Before Getting on the World Wide Web
Before doing internet searches genealogists begin with their own information. They start with a basic list of their parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, and include dates and places of birth, residences, and death. If they don't know the answers themselves, then they ask relatives what they remember. If none of the relatives have answers, then genealogists call that point a brick-wall. It's tough to go further when all they've got is a name.
However, with or without these basics in-hand, beginning genealogists can go to the World Wide Web and explore research options. They never know what doors may open unless they knock.
Weeding Through the World Wide Web
Thousands of internet sites claim to provide ancestry search services. That does not mean all are legitimate or reliable. However, genealogists need not be lost or taken as fools. Starting with researching public libraries' subscritions, speaking with genealogist librarians, and participating in the tried and true family history websites' forums with experienced genealogists can be a fast track to reliable information.
Roostweb.com
Roostweb.com's site states they are the oldest and largest free genealogy site on the internet. They have been around for over fifteen years. Message board are supported by professional and volunteers where genealogists can post searches for lsot ancestors or general family history queries. Rootsweb.com is a great way to begin researching any family's history, because genealogists often quickly connect with others researching similar names and places.
USGenWeb.org
The USGenWeb Project's website shows a banner of pride across the homepage top of their dedication to free online genealogy access. It is another stellar genealogical source, organized by state and county with a great corral of dedicated and knowledgable volunteers. It's Kentucky home opened in early 1996 and by that summer spread across the entire United States.
The information from the free USGenWeb Project is copyright protected with permission for personal use only. This copyright law applies to many of the genealogical internet sites, so genealogists should take note and abide by the law. Publishing, in print or on internt websites, without prior written permission from the original contributor is strictly prohibited. Bear in mind that when anything is posted publicly, it is considered published, even if no payment is received.
FindaGrave.com
Find-a-Grave accidentally threw their hat onto the family history tree over a decade ago, and has been gaining in popularity ever since. Jim Tipton founded the site because of his personal hobby of visiting famous graves. Genealogists quickly discovered the free site and have been posting ancestors birth, death, and burial records consistently to the point that membership has grown to nearly a half million. Not all members are genealogists, but all share in the idea that everyone deserves to be remembered, contributing millions and millions of people's memorials.
Searching for names is easy and findagrave.com offers detailed guidelines, FAQ's, message boards, support for those in mourning, and more. There is even a section on cemetery preservation with tips on photography and tombstone cleaning. Volunteer contributors and findagrave.com staff are always ready to assist newcomers on the site.
A favorite feature for many Find-a-Grave users is photo requests. It is like taking a virtual visit directly to specific cemeteries. For example, people want to see the grave marker of an ancestor in Vermont but they live in California. They post a photo request on findagrave for the cemetery they know or think those ancestors' remains may be buried. Findagrave users in Vermont see the request, claim it, visit the cemetery, photograph the tombstones and email the photos to the California descendants.
The Wise Genealogists
The wise genealogists never underestimate the value of what seems be a vague clue. Possibile leads and the questions that arise because of the hunches they come across are carefully noted in their own "puzzles" catagory.
Another free website not to miss is www.census-online.com. When genealogists know a general county area that a family resided, a patient combing through census information can be revealing on many levels. Depending on the census year, census data shows occupations, exact street addresses, literacy, ages and names of all household occupants, whether residence is owned or rented and its value, and even parents' birthplaces and languages spoken. More notable website are highlighted in the Suite101 article, Beginning Genealogy with the Best Resources.
Some worthy sites charge subscription fees, but before spending money on any website services the savvy genealogists are wise to ask other genealogists for recommendations. Checking with the reference librarians at the closest public libraries and Family History Centers affiliated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints can also save the wise genealogists much time and money.
Build Family Trees with Free Web Searches
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JamesMcGuire B:1858 maybe VA-web search continues
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