How can you trace your ancestory back......?

Question

WITHOUT having to pay any money

Answer 1

Here are some large free sites. Bill, Diana and I agree on Cyndi's list and US Gen Web.

http://www.cyndislist.com/
(240,000+ links, all cross-indexed.)

http://www.familysearch.com
(Mormon's mega-site)

http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.c...
(450,000,000+ entries, of varying quality)

http://www.ancestry.com/learn/facts/defa...
Surname meanings and origins; no specific individuals, but fun.


These are for the USA only:

http://www.usgenweb.net/
(Subdivided into state sites, which all have county sites.)

http://ssdi.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-b...
(Social Security Death index - click on "Advanced".)

http://find.person.superpages.com/...
(US Phone book, for looking up distant cousins)


If you get serious, you should probably buy a genealogy program. I like Roots Magic. Family Tree Maker is very popular. Both are $29, but you can sometimes find old versions in discount bins at software stores.

If you are serious about free data, contact the person who keeps the US Gen Web site for your county. They can always use transcription help.

Answer 2

Star with your immediate family by getting dates of birth,death,marriages adoptions if any,grandparents great grands etc,then while you start with them to add to your history study find out what they did,where they grew up,were born,died etc, YOu can always find out immediate family first and then talk to as many realatives as possible to get info then the money part comes in but you can try to go like to a library where a family member lived or write them if it is far away and ask if its possible to borrow the microfilm from thier library ,some libraries will loan it to other,That way you can look up info that way... Get a cool librarian that will help you ,Some are really helpful!! Good luck but like I said try the verbal approach to as many relatives as you can! Hope all goes well!

Answer 3

Write out what you KNOW first, talk to family memebers second, and honestly whether you are a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints or not someone there would LOVE to help you do your geneaology. They have the most information in the world and most of it you can get to online or through their libraries. If you have a hard time starting and learning, they train people to help you...I had an excellent experience using them for my geneaology.. I was helped by members and non-members AT the chruch building I went to.

Answer 4

Start by interviewing living relatives. Ask about birthdates, churches attended as kids(because churches tend to keep records forever), towns they grew up in, and any relatives they remember from days gone by. That will give you a start.

Answer 5

You can go to the courthouse and check the records, or to the Historical Society, you can check cemetaries. Sometimes you can ask around. Some people have records I have several family histories myself.

Answer 6

You might want to go to the Mormon Church's genealogy web page. I really hate promoting the church, but that's definitely the way to start looking into your geneaolgy. I think the website is www.lds.org

Answer 7

Check out the following sites:

http://www.usgenweb.org/research/starting.shtml

http://www.cyndislist.com/howto.htm

My best to you

Bill