Best Genealogy Websites Part 1
19Jul
There are many resources available nowadays that help make researching your genealogy much easier. Among these resources are websites that you can access right from home. There are literally thousands of them. Stay tuned for a multiple-part breakdown of our very favorite genealogy websites.
About.com offers many how-to’s about researching, using online tools, and share your findings. You won’t be conducting actual research on this free site, however, you’ll be able to learn loads of information. About.com offers many articles that are hyperlinked to one another, so it’s easy to get going down a rabbit hole. Try using the 3 main tabs, “Learn How,” “Search Online,” and “ Share and Preserve,” to help keep yourself on track.
This website offers many tools and how-to’s for beginning genealogists. Lots of the content is free, some is not; buying a membership gives you access to even more. This site provides helpful cheat sheets and forms that you’ll need throughout your family history journey. Be sure to use their keyword search tool for finding articles quickly in their large archives.
This free websites gives you access to ancestor’s rural information and lets you search by individual or cemetery name. Those that use this site are encouraged to upload their own tombstone photos and submit biographical information. This site allows you to create virtual cemeteries that connect family and friends that are buried in various places.
GenealogyBank is one of the leading online newspaper archives and resources dating back to 1690. Use GenealogyBank to help you find birth, marriage and engagement announcements, obituaries, books, pamphlets, military records, government documents and more. This website offers an unlimited 30-day trial, continued use requires paid membership.
National Archives - Resources for Genealogists
This is your free online access to the United States repository for almost all records dealing with the federal military, immigration, census, and more. You can read descriptions of and order copies of these records and search their how-to articles.
This website is perfect for beginners and is budget friendly (membership required). Use their interactive map to find digitized and indexed data from all over the world. Use this website to find censuses, military records, newspaper articles and more.
Archives provide access to United States vital records, censuses, and old newspaper articles. It also has some UK records, as well. Use the Help Center to get answers to basic questions you may have. Be sure to use their how-to articles and video tutorial to expand your knowledge. Paid membership is required, however, it comes with a two-week free trial and is a great beginner option.
This website offers all-access memberships or a la carte memberships which is great for beginners or pros alike. Use the Get Started section to try out the user-friendly research guide, the Learn More section to read the in-depth how-to’s, or search their records collections (tons of info for the UK and growing the US info). You can use their site to build your own family tree.
Stay tuned for more next week!