2006-10-26 02:03:28 · 13 answers · asked by ifeelsacky 1 in Family & Relationships ➔ Family
Before I paste my stock answer, I have to say - "Best" and "Cheapest" are almost always mutually exclusive. Most of us do it ourselves. The "Best" way would be the most exspensive - hire a professional to work for a month at $50 per hour and write a report.
Here is the stock answer.
I hope you'll accept a general answer. These questions come up every day:
Where can I find my family tree for free?
Does anyone know the {Surname} family?
What are good sites for ancestors / genealogy?
They are all about tracing your family tree on the Internet. The fourth time I typed in my favorite beginner's links I realized I should save them in a text file and paste them in. This is long and general. Because it is general, not all the links will apply to every question or questioner.
These may help get you started. They are large and free.
http://www.cyndislist.com/
(240,000+ links, all cross-indexed. If you want Welch or Pennsylvania Dutch or Oregon or any other region, ethnic group or surname, chances are she has links for it.)
http://www.familysearch.com
(Mormon's mega-site. Click on "Search")
http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi
(460,000,000+ entries, of varying quality)
http://www.ancestry.com/learn/facts/default.aspx?ln=
Surname meanings and origins
http://www.tedpack.org/begingen.html
My own site: "How to Begin"
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" You may find your grandparents.)
http://find.person.superpages.com/
(US Phone book, for looking up distant cousins)
United Kingdom Only:
http://www.genuki.org.uk/
(Biggest site for United Kingdom & Ireland)
http://www.freebmd.org.uk/
(Free Birth, Marriage & Death Records)
(If you posted your question in Genealogy, ignore this paragraph. If you posted it in the "Family" category, read on.)
Tracing your family tree is called genealogy. YA has a category for genealogy,
Home > Arts & Humanities > Genealogy
There are hundreds of more links in the resolved answers there.
Notes:
You usually have to do some research. Sometimes you get lucky. Don't give up if your Great grandfather with your surname isn't there. Try all eight great-grandparents.
You won't find living people on any of the sites except the phone book one. You won't find many people born after 1920 on any of the sites except the SSDI one. Genealogists hide the birth dates, birth places and other facts of living people to protect their privacy. 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. Many people complain about advertisements. Please don't. They bring you the "free" sites. There's no such thing as a free lunch.
If you get serious you'll need a genealogy program. They are to family research what "Word" is to writing a novel. 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.
2006-10-26 02:41:16 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The "best " way is to talk with as many of the oldest family members you can, pick their brains right now, because when they are gone too much information is lost. Write down as many names as you can. Next, look up names in the Death Index's. Most all "Later Day Saints" ( Mormon ) Churches have Genealogy centers where you can look up family history and names. This is the "cheapest" and most informative way I have found. The people at these centers are incredibly helpful and polite. They have an incredible amount of information and resources. I was able to trace my family back to the 1500's.
2006-10-26 02:15:29 · answer #2 · answered by twostories 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Try ancestry.com. If you are in the uk you can access the 1881 and 1901 for free.I've managed to work out a fair bit of my family tree this way but I now need the other census' so will have to pay for a membership.
I also use family search.com and have got christening and birth records that I couldn't get from ancestry but their sources are a bit limited.
Ancestry.com offer a free 14 day trial but be aware that they ask for credit card details and after the 14 day period is up they charge you for a years membership automaticaly.
2006-10-26 02:12:11 · answer #3 · answered by kerrie h 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The cheapest way is look online, use www.familysearch.com, a superb site..thank you LDS church. then you can use rootsweb on www.rootsweb.com where people worldwide share their family trees and other useful info. Then I tried www.genesreunited.com paid 9 quid and it has been fantastic!
Using just these resources I have manage to find 600 ancestors in 10 months..Good Luck and remember it is great fun too!
2006-10-26 02:23:04 · answer #4 · answered by twinkletoes 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You can try genes reunited or friends reunited have a link on there to build you family tree, you can also post messages and there are millions of members registered mine took a little while to research but was worth it in the end.
2006-10-26 02:16:13 · answer #5 · answered by xlaurapupx 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
first of all you need to gather up enough information about your family by asking relatives. then once you've done that you can search on the internet for different websites that are about family trees. The best ones would be ancestry.com and genesreunited.com. you have to sign up for both of these but the registeration is free and once you have done that you can search your relatives and find records on them. now some records on ancestry.com are locked but you can sign up for a 14 day free trial where you can look at the proper records of your family. it also allows you to make a family tree there as well.
hoped i helped xxxx
2006-10-26 02:22:56 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have found Friends Reunited great and they are linked to Genes United. I have been able to trace quite a few of my family this way and have only paid £7 per annum.
2006-10-26 02:08:10 · answer #7 · answered by SYJ 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes the public library in the archives section, they have all the information you will need and can help you with anything you need to know and put you on the right track to finding out more information at other sources, good luck.
2006-10-26 04:30:14 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hate to say it since it is religious based but the best place is:
http://www.familysearch.org/
If there is one thing the Mormons can do....it's genealogy.
2006-10-26 02:06:43 · answer #9 · answered by Judy the Wench 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Visit www.ancestry.com. Fabulous website with live operators and they will help you find out your roots.
2006-10-26 02:13:38 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋