Free Genealogy Websites

The Internet is a great resource for family tree research, and when you use free genealogy websites, you can complete your family tree without paying a dime. You don't need to empty your wallet to pay for expensive monthly membership fees or costly software. In fact, some people consider genealogy research some of the best free entertainment on the web.

If you're just starting your research, you may be feeling overwhelmed. Even expert Internet researchers sometimes balk at the wealth of information available online. Using the right research sites can help you sort through the mounds of potentially useful data. Here are a few things to look for in a good free genealogy research website:

• It should be easy to search on the site. Expect to find a basic search form, and in some cases, an advanced form. The advanced form will let you further refine your search results by entering additional information.
• The site should include information about sources. Whether the data comes from the United States Census or a family's personal correspondence, you should be able to tell the source.
• Most genealogy sites include advertisements for software or paid memberships, but you should not be required to provide any billing information to access a site that provides free genealogy information.

No matter where you are in your search for your family history, you'll find tons of helpful information on free sites. The following sites represent some of the very best free genealogy resources on the Internet.

Even though RootsWeb.com is related to the paid site Ancestry.com, you'll find a large quantity of free information. You can peruse other people's family trees, discuss surnames and family history on message boards, and search a variety of useful databases.

FamilySearch is a free site maintained by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Here, you'll find powerful tools to search public records, free family history software, and information about beginning your search. You'll also find information of researching African-American family history and Jewish family history.

The USGenWeb Project is a compilation of information gathered by volunteers throughout the country. The goal of the project is to provide comprehensive genealogy information for every state and every county in the United States. To find information about your state, you simply click on the links available on the main page.

If you're looking for a website with ship passenger lists, Canadian genealogy resources, and other useful information, The Olive Tree Genealogy is a great place to start out. In addition to these items, you'll find a helpful guide for beginning your family history research.

Access Genealogy is a great place to look for more unusual genealogical records. Here, you'll find cemetery records, military records, Native American genealogy resources, local histories and biographies, wills, and many other useful resources.

If you're just starting your family history search, you'll find lots of information at the U.S. National Archives website. There are guidelines for researching your family tree, as well as useful search information like naturalization records, land records, and bankruptcy records.

Like the USGenWeb Project, the WorldGenWeb Project is dedicated to connecting people through genealogical research and providing a great resource for useful information. This site is an excellent place to look for records from your ancestors' native countries.

Now that you know where to look, it's easy to start researching your family tree online. Simply compile the information you already have, including birth dates, death dates, marriage dates, and place names. Then use this information as a starting point to begin your research on free genealogy websites. You'll be surprised how easy it is to access the information on many of these sites, and you'll enjoy completing your family tree for free.

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