Doe anyone know of any great family tree websites that are free?

Answer 1

Hi Danny,

Someone asks that question about once a day over at
Arts & Humanities -> Genealogy.

Several of us old genealogists have stock answers. Here is mine. You could look there to see the rest, with different links. The two known as GrayTrees and RustSkipper are very good.

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If you want to type in your name somewhere and get a 12-generation tree, skip the rest of this. I can show you where to dig, but you'll have to buy your own shovel and do the work yourself.

As a side note, before I start, since you are in favor of free sites, contact the US Gen Web administrator for your county (Link below) and offer to help transcribe records. They are in favor of free data too. The more people they have to help, the more data they can put on-line for free.

Buying a shovel: If you get serious you'll need a genealogy program. Trying to do family research without a genealogy program is like trying to write a novel with a pencil and yellow pad, instead of a word processor. I like Roots Magic. Family Tree Maker is the market leader. Both cost around $29. The Mormons will let you download PAF for free. It is clunky, but it is free. You can sometimes find old versions of FTM or Family Origins (FO is the predecessor of RM) in bargin bins at CostCo.

These may help get you started.

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

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

http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi
(450,000,000+ entries, of varying quality)

http://www.ancestry.com/learn/facts/default.aspx?ln=
Surname meanings and origins

United States only:

http://www.usgenweb.net/
(Subdivided into state sites, which all have county sites.)
(The Canadians have Canadian Gen Web, by province)

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

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

Note:

You won't find living people on any of the sites except the phone book one. You will have to find your grandparents' or great grandparents' birth dates and maiden names somewhere besides the Internet.

The free sites are supported by advertising, just like TV. You can't watch the Super Bowl without seeing a beer commercial, and you can't surf for dead relatives without seeing an Ancestry advertisement. Don't complain about advertisements. They bring you the "free" sites. There's no such thing as a free lunch.

Answer 2

When I first started searching there were lots of them, but lately most of them now charge a fee. I use Yahoo search and pick up a lot of family trees by putting in the persons name and state. Also some State & City Librarys have a person that will do look-ups for you. You can contact them through the internet. One lib. had a couple of volunteer Genealogists who e-mailed me and were very helpful. Hope this helps! I just thought of another thing that you could try is the Forums, where people ask and answer Gene. questions.

Answer 3

Ireland is the nation famous for Keeping update for their Family tree.Please go to Ireland site where you will find lot and lots of family trees in the world.

Answer 4

http://www.friendsreunited.co.uk this site has a Genes section too which does charge a small fee at a later stage but you might be lucky in getting what you want straight off, I joined up and it only cost 14.95 I think for a year, it tells you the cost anyway.

Answer 5

I know of one which is okay, it helped me find my little brother and sister.... www.genesreunited.com
You add the details you know and the site then comes up with some "hot matches" it was through these hot matches I found my brother and sister and I have since met them and now have a whole other extension to my family

Answer 6

www.genesreunited.co.uk, is a great site, it also gives you "hotmatches" so if you have a name n date of birth on your tree that matches another member they will let you know thats a possible match or relative!

Answer 7

I would definitely try ancestry.com

Answer 8

www.ancestry.co.uk
THIS ROCKS