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8 Websites With Free Ancestry Search
FamilySearch
FamilySearch has changed the way people search for their ancestors. With over 8 billion names, this website has a track record that goes back ages. It is run by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, whose Family History Department dates back to 1894. Users can access digital images and indexes of many genealogical records.
The website contains historical family names, their activities as well as old family portraits. FamilySearch uses information mainly from the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. This giant library is home to genealogical data from over 110 countries. It also holds a glut of microfilmed records, books, serials, and periodicals.
What Databases Does It Use?
On FamilySearch, volunteers can create searchable indexes, thanks to the FamilySearch Indexing program. To ensure the integrity of the data, each batch of records is double-checked by a team of even more experienced indexers. The website uses a unified database that it calls the FamilySearch FamilyTree (FSFT).
This repository gathers data from countless sources. These range from military, immigration, and church records, as well as passenger lists.
As of February 2021, the FSFT contains over 1.3 billion individuals.
FamilySearch Pros
A vast database containing a diverse set of records
Simple and easy-to-use tools
Family Search Cons
No user message boards
No documents dedicated to Native Americans as well as other ethnicities
FamilySearch Pricing
FamilySearch is free for everyone to use. Although the website is affiliated with a religious organization, it is accessible to all members of the public regardless of religion.
AccessGenealogy
AccessGenealogy is dedicated to helping genealogy enthusiasts unearth their heritage. The website pulls up records from all over the world and makes them easily accessible to the public.
AccessGenealogy keeps an extensive collection of records. These include birth, death, marriage, church, court, and military records. It also contains digital excerpts of historical newspapers. What makes AccessGenealogy stand out is its focus on Native American genealogy.
AccessGenealogy uses plenty of resources organized by different states. One of the most important ones is DNA testing. On the site, you get detailed instructions on how to do the test and join the genetic genealogy community
What Databases Does It Use?
AccessGenealogy relies on several databases to provide information. One of them is the Madison County Alabama Cemetery Database. This database holds records of over 45,000 internments from Alabama from 1800 to today.
Other databases used on AccessGenealogy include the Wayne County Indiana Marriage Records (1811-1903), Baker County, Oregon Marriages (1862-1980), and Wallowa County Oregon Marriages (1887-1983)
AccessGenealogy Pros
Dedicated Native American research
Ability to integrate new databases with current data
AccessGenealogy Cons
A lot of the search database is from Ancestry.com, which requires a subscription fee
No instructions on how to conduct ancestor searches
Some states have fewer records than others
AccessGenealogy Pricing
AccessGenealogy is free to use. However, users may need a subscription to Ancestry.com to access some databases.
Olive Tree Genealogy
Olive Tree Genealogy was founded in 1996 by professional genealogist Lorine McGinnis Schulze. The site’s 1900 pages of records provide access to old Palatine land and immigration records.
It also has data on Huguenot settlers and the Mennonite community. If you’re looking for rare photo albums from the Civil War period, this is also the place to go.
What Databases Does It Use?
Olive Tree Genealogy has carefully curated data from census records, land records, and ships passenger lists. It also gathers data from state naturalization records, passport registers, and census records. It also makes use of genealogical data from the Canadian Military Heritage Project.
Olive Tree Genealogy Pros
Beginner-friendly
A rich collection of rare documents and records
Olive Tree Genealogy Cons
The design is a little disorganized and uninviting
Some of the resources have paid content
Olive Tree Genealogy Pricing
Olive Tree Genealogy is mostly free to use. But to squeeze the most out of it, one needs to purchase a package. The packages are for 3, 5, or 10 hours of research. The 3-hour package is $150. The 5-hour package is $225 while the 10-hour package is $475.
USGenWeb
The USGenWeb was founded by a team of genealogists that wanted to give the world free access to family records. What started as online text is now a vast network of over 3000 linked websites.
The USGenWeb accommodates about 7,000 transcribed sources of information, including censuses, vital records, probates, military records, and even maps.
The USGenWeb Project is essentially a collaborative network of genealogical websites. It is sponsored by state and local genealogical societies in the United States. The goal of this project is to bring volunteers together to provide free genealogy websites for genealogical research.
What Databases Does It Use?
On USGenWeb, there are over 50 databases with a wide range of content, including family history records, birth, marriage, death records, historical newspapers, and military records.
USGenWeb Pros
No registration required
Free to use
USGenWeb Cons
No tools available to assist you in creating a family path
USGenWeb Pricing
USGenWeb is completely free to use.
HeritageQuest Online
HeritageQuest is a rich source of American historical data. It holds local and family data from as far as 1700. On this site, users can access historical documents photos, transcriptions, and maps.
What Databases Does It Use?
HeritageQuest is maintained by a community of volunteers who manage a collection of over 3000 linked websites. There are over 50 databases with a wide range of content, including family history records, birth, marriage, death records, historical newspapers, and military records
HeritageQuest Pros
Free of charge
Clear and straightforward interface
Free notebook tool for keeping track of your queries
HeritageQuest Cons
Only the father of family indexes
No Soundex, as well as wildcard lookup options, are available
HeritageQuest Pricing
HeritageQuest is free to use, but not in every sense of it. You will need access in form of a card from an authorized institution such as your local public library.
RootsWeb
RootsWeb had been around for a while before it was bought by Ancestry.com in 2000. Its message boards, mailing lists, genealogy websites, and family trees are some of the features that remain active today. You can find details such as addresses, names, dates, and places of birth and marriage, and family history.
The site retrieves information from extensive official records, including birth information/location, marital status, death certificates, and census.
What Databases Does It Use?
RootsWeb is a meta-search engine, combining other genealogical catalogs and databases in the Rootsweb site family tree. Ancestry.com generates the RootWeb databases.
RootsWeb Pros
Open source code ensures privacy, security, and accessibility
Global search interface
RootsWeb Cons
It takes a while for newcomers to get to know their way around the site
RootsWeb Pricing
RootsWeb is one of the largest completely free ancestry search websites for genealogists.
MyHeritage
With 93 Million users, MyHeritage is a software solution that includes a family tree builder and a photo gallery, among other features. MyHeritage provides information about shared ethnicities and ancestral places.
It requires users to take a DNA test for the most accurate results. Thereafter, one gets their ethnicity percentage estimates plus ethnic origins on a map. This site uses DNA matching technology to trace family history back to five generations.
What Databases Does It Use?
MyHeritage holds extensive genealogical records, ranging from census to death and birth data. It also includes historical newspapers and yearbooks.
MyHeritage Pros
Plenty of samples from the Ashkenazi Jewish population
High accuracy for European populations
MyHeritage Cons
Many significant features of family lineage searches require a subscription
Requires a yearly subscription
Some users report inconsistency of ethnic searches compared to other services
MyHeritage Pricing
Signing up to MyHeritage is free However, the site charges $79 for an ancestry test. In addition, the Enhanced family tree subscription comes in two packages – Premium at $79 per year and PremiumPlus at $129 per year. A subscription to access all services costs $299 per year.
Ancestry.com
Ancestry.com was founded in 1996 by Michael Kinnison and Paul Allen. Their vision was simple – to have everyone discover their family history. Since then, it has gone on to become the world’s largest for-profit genealogy company.
You can look at original hand-written documents, surnames, and birth locations of your ancestors. The website makes good use of census, birth, marriage, death, immigration records, and family trees created by other members of Ancestry.
What Databases Does It Use?
The Ancestry.com search engine scours through its network of genealogical, historical, and genealogy websites to deliver ancestral information.
Ancestry.com Pros
Has a tool that compiles your family tree into an entertaining pictorial tale.
Provides tips, tricks, hints, and advice on using their site
Ancestry.com Cons
Ancestry.com Pricing
Payment PlanU.S DiscoveryWorld ExplorerAll AccessWhat’s IncludedGrow family tree with exclusive search tools Connect family members Access to 15+billion US recordsEverything in U.S. Discovery, plus: Expanded search with additional 3+ billion worldwide recordsEverything in World Explorer, plus: Access to 142+million stories from pages in Newspapers.com (Basic) 537+million military records on Fold3.com Premium support with dedicated 1-800 numberPrice$24.99 per month$39.99 per month$49.99 per month
Free Ancestry Search: What Is Genealogy Research?
Genealogy research is the tracing of families, family history, and the tracing of their lineages. There are many free ancestry search tools available that you can use to do genealogy research and to find out more about your family history and bloodline for free.