is anyone else researching their family tree?

Question

I'm searching for family info.
does anyone know where you can get free info online?
I'm sick of websites that lead you on, then want to charge you for any useful info.
If I paid for all of these websites, I'd have to hock my PC.
I'm looking for census info, birth, marriage records, military service records or anything i can find. Is there an online community where people share info based on family names? My family has ancestors from the US, Canada and England. Any help or pointers would be appreciated. This diversity makes it difficult.
Thanks.

Answer 1

I am doing my family tree.

My personal favorite fee sites:
http://www.rootsweb.com/
http://www.census-online.com/links/
http://www.familysearch.org/ENG/default.asp
http://www.gencircles.com/
http://www.usgenweb.com/
http://www.cyndislist.com/

RootsWeb has extensive databases and user contributed information. Browse around, don't just do a search from the main page. Also go to the web pages tab and check to see if your state, county, country, has a page. Anything that is listed will be free.

That's not a large diversity to start with. Each generation is X2 when you add ancestors. You (1), your parents (2), your grandparents (4), your great-grandparents(4), and so forth.

Start with a free simple program to start a family tree. Add as much information as you can, and as many people as you can.
Like this one:
http://www.download.com/GedLink-Editor/3000-2127_4-10199071.html?tag=lst-0-4

Once you've added as much as you can from your own knowledge, talk to your parents, grandparents, and any older living family member. Take notes about what they have to say. Even general stories may contain information that can put you on the right track.

Most of the site that direct you elsewhere, lead you to ancestry.com. That's the absolute best genealogy site there is, also the most expensive. They have, however, the free sign up as a guest user that allows access to bacis information that you can use to help you on your journey. It also allows you to post questions on the boards where you may find people searching for the same family as you are.

Good Luck!

Answer 2

It has gotten lots greater elementary and lots speedier with the internet. There was once relatives tree magazines with pages of commercials, "finding for connections to John Smith, m. Malinda McCorkle, Pocatello Idaho 1888; appropriate lines Jones, Brown, Miller, Johnson and Rabinowitz". you will possibly deliver the advertiser what you had and a SASE, she might deliver you returned what she had, you're able to make a connection, you will possibly no longer. The magazines got here out as quickly as a month. The submit took a minimum of a week the two techniques. you may now verify 5 surname bulletin boards and a county one in 10 minutes. you ought to use the surname / substantial different mixture in RWWC to make connections too. To study a census you used to might desire to borrow the microfilm from a FHL (2 - 6 week wait), bypass to a very great library that had an index, scroll in the process the microfilm, discover it WASN'T your grandfather John, borrow yet another reel . . . Now, at a FHC or a library or in the privateness of your place, you may zip to the website you % in a minute or 2. on the different hand, all those rumors of GGGGrandma being a Cherokee princess and GGGP being exiled for poaching the King's pastime have taken wing. people will have self belief something they see on the pc. (some will, a minimum of.)