family tree research?

Question

I would like to go back through my family tree and research past relatives an such . Is there a site that will allow me to do so that is farely simple and free. If you could help me out that would be awsome. thank you

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

ANY time I have used ANCESTRY online there has been a problem, and part of the terms of use is that Ancestry owns what ever is put on the site, Family Tree is owned by Ancestry, I use Legacy, If I want to up load it I can, but it is saved on my own computer and I maintain ownership of my pictures, I do not suggest Master Genealogists either, unless you are an exxperienced researcher

Answer 3

Here are few sites from which you can get information. Search web with these and many other sites.
1. www.familytree.hu ....Specializes in the research of Central and Eastern Europe.
2. www.familytree-research.co.uk - 4k ....specialising in tracing family trees and locating missing ... Family Tree - We will undertake to research your family tree as far and wide as you require. ...
3. www.familytreeexpert.com ...The Family Tree Expert can help you ... brother's fiancé on the family tree chart? ... Family Historian : How to File, Manage, and Protect Your Genealogical ...
4. www.your-familytree.com/genealogy_services.htm....Find family tree members with our family tree research packages | unique gift ... Family Tree Research. Coat of Arms. Scottish Coat of Arms. Irish Coat of Arms ...
5. familytreemaker.genealogy.com/wftonline....Research and view trees online, or download using our quick and easy wizard. ... What does the World Family Tree give you? • See other peoples' success stories.
VR

Answer 4

A good site is ancestry.com. You may also consider software that will help you to search for, store, and share your ancestry data, such as Family Tree Maker.

Answer 5

i know that i you go to www.familytree.org that that may help u a lot but u will probably need some fairly old name's 2 gat u started. there is also a program called PAF that i use 2 do A LOT of geneological recording. u just enter all the info into the program and it saves it and u can view all the names at once or branch off 2 each generation. it's pretty neat. o and btw i got the program from my mormon friend cuz it's a mormon program but u can download it 4 free if u google it. hav fun!

Answer 6

http://www.familysearch.org is free and has lots of info.
http://www.freebmd.org.uk/ is free and great for finding your English ancestors (if you have any).
http://abish.byui.edu/specialCollections/westernStates/search.cfm is also free.

Also try your library--many libraries have subscriptions to ancestry.com or Heritage Quest and you can use them for free.

Answer 7

Yes, here are a few:

http://www.ancestry.com/?o_xid=21860&o_lid=21860

http://www.onegreatfamily.com/Home.aspx?pid=12001&kw=research+family+tree&GCID=S15567x005-search&KEYWORD=research+family+tree&OVRAW=research%20family%20tree&OVKEY=research%20family%20tree&OVMTC=standard

http://www.your-familytree.com/

BTW - You have a very nice picture!