Im looking for a site where I can trace my family.....?

Question

Like a geneology site or something..
But I can't find a site where I don't have to join up or use a free trial and then pay later or jun like that.Is this possible?
I'd really like to know more about my family history.
Can anyone help?

Answer 1

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. Many of them, however, have subtle ads for Ancestry.com in them - ads that ask for a name, then offer a trial subscription. Watch out for those advertisements.

http://www.cyndislist.com/
(240,000+ links, all cross-indexed. If you want Welsh 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.

Answer 2

If you have a date of birth and where she was born, you might want to try Familysearch,org. They had an extremely large amount of resources and are free. You could also try a Family History Center if there is one near you. I have had little success in contacting an embassy for Genealogical information, but there are researchers all over the world and family search has informaiton on that as well

Answer 3

familysearch.com is the latter-day saints online library of records. literally millions of records from across the world, and further information on how to trace your family lines. they also have compiled myriads of microfilm records from around the world that can be ordered at your nearest family history library for further research.
I'm not a mormon, but have found this site invaluable. :)

Answer 4

dont have the site...but my sister had a great deal of luck with the Mormon Church records(we aren't Mormon)..they record everything...and I don't remember her ever getting charged for it....also..if you know some details..you can check on US census info..again..don't think this cost anything either...get googling! my sister found really interesting things out about of family...hope you do too..

Answer 5

do a gogle search on the church of jesus christ of later day saints (the mormons) they keep track of everyones family, for a fee they will help you track down yours.............

Answer 6

well I know a place that you just put your last and first name and give where you get the name and where it comes from.

www.Ancestry.com