Where can I search for my ancestors without paying any money at all???

Question

I am searching for the History of my family, particularly Mr George Paton McGLashan, who the Arbroath Harbour master in 1875, however I do not have a credit card so cannot register for many of the sites I would like to know if there are any sites that allow you to search all the records for FREE?

Answer 1

ancestry.com does have some free areas but mostly they charge. there is also www.genealogy.com, www.familysearch.org, www.genweb.com and also try using the local or state genealogy research sites...for example if know your family was from ohio then do a web search for 'ohio genealogy' and it will show you lots of sites.

Answer 2

First you need to gather all the information from your family that they know. Names, birth dates, death dates, places associated with them. Then go to FamilySearch, the LDS site. Search their site with every name you have listed, they have the 1880 census. Ancestry.com is having free access to immigration records till Dec 31. Each state has their own Genweb, some states are better than others. But go through all the states that you have ancestors that lived there and find what you can there. Cyndi's List is another site that can give you information.
If where you live, there is a local historical society, they have lots of information, books, microfilm, some online sites that they are signed up with, and they can also give you leads where to look for more information. They could also tell you if there is a close LDS library where you can get films, books, from Salt Lake City.
I hope you have a good printer, cause you will want to print off all the information you find on your family.
Watch out though, looking for information on your ancestors can become addicting, but it is so much fun. Not everyone understands it, but others that enjoy genealogy. Enjoy your adventure.

Answer 3

In the UK (if that is where you are - go to the local records office they all have a family records department the staff there will be happy to help you trace your ancestry (as far as they can) then to the Registry Office to look up births, deaths, marriages etc, to the National Records Office in London they will do the same. The Imperial War Museum has lists of service men and women and their war and service records. The county courts will have records of criminal activities and sentances - only released after 100 years have elapsed.
That about covers it.

Answer 4

There are lots of good sites but iinformation in family trees on any website, free or paid, must be taken as clues not as fact. The information is submitted by folks like you and me. Even when you see the same information over and over by many different submitters that is no guarantee at all it is correct. Most of the information is not documented or it is poorly documented. A lot of people copy without verifying. Good documentation is not someone else's URL. Also if it comes from a book, look for the documentation in the book. Ancestry.Com, I believe, is best for its records. Your public library might have a subscription to it. They have all the U. S. censuses through 1930. The 1940 and later are not available to the public yet. A Family History Center at a Latter Day Saints (Mormon) Church has records on people all over the world, not just Mormons. They are free to use but you need to call and find out their hours for the general public. In Salt Lake City, they have the world's largest genealogical collection. Their Family History Centers can order microfilm for you to view at a nominal fee. I have never had them to try and convert me or send their missionaries by to ring my doorbell, nor have I ever heard of them doing that to anyone else that has used their resources. The first thing you should do is get as much information from living family as possible, particularly your senior members. Tape them if they will let you. It might be they are confused on some things but what might seem to be insignificant story telling might turn out to be very significant. Ask if any family has any old family bibles. Also ask to see and make copies of birth, marriage and death certificates and depending on the religious faith, baptismal, first communion, confirmation and marriage certificates with their church can be very helpful. Don't expect it all to be free. There is a big big difference between collecting a lot of names and doing quality research. Actually if a person has Family Tree Maker and a subscription to Genealogy.Com, for instance, they can merge other people's trees into theirs. Then they upload the merged tree into various websites. That is just name collecting. So, if you find some of your family lines are shown to be related to every royal or noble house in Europe, don't get overly excited. You possibly could be but what you see might just be someone's speculation. Also I understand there are some people who put a lot of stuff in their family tree for fun just to see how many people will copy. Genealogy is not a cheap hobby. Eventually you will have to do some traveling to courthouses, cemeteries, libraries etc. You need copies of vital records, wills, deeds etc etc. Don't expect to find it all on the internet.

Answer 5

If you are able to, go to the local library and look at their files in either local history or the genealogy department. You can also go to the Mormon's church aka Latter Day Saints, and see if they have any information. Look to see if their website shows anything about family history that you can search for free.

Answer 6

Go to your local records office, it holds most Church records for baptisms, marriages and burials, and some hold local census records. I've gone back to 1778, I'm now struggling to understand the old handwriting, but it is still interesting

Answer 7

If you live in England, go to your local library and use their computer. Many councils have a local studies library, and you should be able to use ancestry.com at the library for free. However if you need birth certificates, they cost £7 each.

Answer 8

Have you tried going to a LDS/ Mormon church in your community? There is usually someone there one day a week that works with the genealogy. They have their own website--do a search LDS genealogy and see what you can find. Good luck.

Answer 9

Go to local library or go to the registration office in london where the keep records of all people dead, alive , born, married, divorced etc..

Answer 10

D'ya wanna borrow my tardis?