graciemae

What are the Truly FREE websites to start searching your family heritage?. Every website I go to states free but then when you click on it, you have to pay or it is only free for 7 days. I'm frustrated already and I haven't even gotten started. Any help would be greatly appreaciated!!!

Murphy

My brother works on the geneology for our family and he uses Ancestery.com. Not free. I don't believe any are free. Public records are free and many of these can be looked up on line. Just start somewhere and follow the road.

Vicki W

Don't get frustrated. Start with the information you know, your parents, grandparent.

https://familysearch.org/]https://familysearch.org/[/url] is free and is ran by the Mormon church.

You will find county/state websites that are free. Some things are free on ancestry.com as well.

Genealogy is a fascinating journey but not something that you do one or two days and have it complete

harrold48

Welcome to the world of genealogy....find one piece of the puzzle and then hit a dozen brick walls. :) they do say that genealogy is for those who love doing puzzles.
Do try and get family members to record their memories of their childhood. Older family might be able to fill you in on past history. You will need to verify the facts cause sometimes non factual stories are handed down over the years. Join an online genealogy group that is researching the district /country that your descendants came from. Happy hunting.

oksewglad

Try http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/ This is the free information from ancestry.com The message boards can help.

Also try these two organizations

http://usgenweb.org/

http://www.worldgenweb.org/


If you know who you are looking for and where they lived sometimes you can put that info in a Google search and get some info. It is how I found DH's GGF and his family connections in Illinois.

Lisanne

If any of your ancestors came to America through Ellis Island, you can check their records for free: http://www.ellisisland.org/

If you're anywhere near a National Archives office, you can go there for free and access census records and other info for free from that office. Here's a list of the locations: http://www.archives.gov/locations/
The website has some free info on it, but not searchable census records, for example.

Also, some public libraries have free access to some genealogy websites (that you'd otherwise have to pay for), so check with your local library.

blueangel

I use Family Search. It's free.

Jim

Make sure and use your FREE public library...they have great resourses and people there to help

barking-rabbit

Findagrave.com

ptquilts

to actually build your family tree, once you have the info, use Geni.com - very easy to use, and other people can add in their info as well.