Where is the best place to trace your ethnic ancestry?

Question

Where is the best place (website or an actual place) to look up your ancestry?

As far as I know, I'm Filipino-American (born in the US), and the past two generations (my mother's and my grandmother's) have been strictly Filipino. Beyond that, I don't really know anything. Sure, my mom does have a Spanish surname which I now use as a middle name, but that doesn't really indicate anything because such Spanish names were, in short, implemented during the older times. To make matters more confusing, the only trace of my father's last name I could locate was at a little city in Africa with the same name.

For the most part, I do look the part (of a filipino), other than my unusually shaped (for a filipino) long nose and I'm oddly more hairy than the typical filipino - which, again, can mean nothing for such traits can manifest in those who are strictly filipino. Unusual, but possible.

Anyway, back to the main question, where's the best place to accurately research my ancestry?

Answer 1

I am assuming your family is in the U.S. If it isn't then disregard my answer.

First, ancestry.com does have a 14 day free trial-BUT you must cancel before the end of 14 days or they will charge your credit card. Also, don't be suprised if they ask you to put your cancellation in writing and fax it to them. I have had friends tell me that they had to do it this way to cancel.

Here is a list of some of the free ones.

www.rootsweb.com -This is a good one that is free. It is run by Ancestry.com but shouldn't be confused with Ancestry.com- the pay site.

www.cyndislist.com

www.familysearch.org website for the Church of the Later Day Saints.

www.genforum.com This is a site that is full of individual message boards. You can search and post by last name, state, country, or county. This is a great one. Simply post your question on the respective board, and when people answer you will get a notification on your E-mail. I have had a LOT of success on GenForum.

I must say, however, that a good genealogy query, doesn't just say. " I need information on John Smith" Try to provide as many dates, places, and details as possible. One little thing can make the difference as to the answer you get.

a good query has

1) the persons name
2) all of the biographical information you know to date and
3) asks a specific question

The reason it is so specific is because people won't waste your time and theirs telling you what you already know. Also, by providing ALL of your known information (for example, the childrens names) it gives people alternate people to research to help arrive at your answer.

http://www.usgenweb.org/ -When you get to the main page, you can get to the state and individual locality pages by clicking on the appropriate links. Keep in mind that some towns are going to have more information than some smaller obscure towns. It all depends on what kinds of volunteers contribute information to their sites. Genealogy is very much a hobby that depends on people.

Check your LOCAL LIBRARY. Many libraries have subscriptions to Ancestry.com or hertiage quest that you can Access from home with your library card number. Heritage Quest is geared mostly toward the US records.

www.interment.net or www.findagrave.com These are cemetery sites that have grown by leaps and bounds.

http://ssdi.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-b...

This is the link to the Social Security Death index. This is a very helpful resource to finding death dates of people who died in recent years (since about the 60's)

If your family immigrated to the US in the last 100-125 years you can try
www.ellisisland.org
This one is cool because you can actually have a look at the ships manifests!!

Good luck in your search. It is a satisfying and rewarding hobby with lots of twist and turns. Remember, you are not going to just find your entire genealogy in one search. It is an ongoing puzzle. I tell people, if you can find one thing every time you are searching, you are doing GREAT. If you find any more than that at any given time you are LUCKY!! Blessings.

Answer 2

For starters... ancestry and ethnicity are apples and oranges. And I won't even throw citizenship in there. Tracing your ancestry is a matter of identifying the individuals, who may have come from any number of places.
People assume that there are places where you can simply type in your name, and there is some master file of your family. That only happens if someone else has done the research AND posted it online. For the most part, information on living persons (assuming your parents are still alive) is restricted for privacy reasons. That doesn't mean there are none.
I'd reccommend two places- www.cyndislist.com is a massive collection of genealogy resources. That includes tutorials on how to. Second favorite would be www.rootsweb.com. For finding Phillipine information, go to the mailing list section and join one of those lists.
Trying to "jump" back too far is the most common mistake for beginners. If available, work to document your father's father fully; then move to his father, so forth. Every generation you go back, the rules and resources will change.
Warning... it can be addictive. Like a never ending crossword puzzle.

Answer 3

DNA tests are being used for genealogical purposes now. They can tell you a lot about your ethnic origins. Costs vary, based on the type of test, desired specificity of the results, and which company performs the test. Try search terms: "genealogy" and "DNA."

To trace your family person-by-person, the Mormon Church (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) is probably the best place to start. I'm not a Mormon, but I'm told that they believe they can baptize their dead ancestors into the church. Regardless of whether that is actually the reason, the Mormon Church has the largest repository of genealogical information in the world. Try search terms: "Latter Day Saints" and "genealogy."

Answer 4

Firstly never take anything your read online at face value, check and cross check everything you find.

This site (my fav one) is worth a look. Should get you started.

http://free-genealogy-info.zoomshare.com/

Good luck.

Answer 5

I'll paste my standard answer with links below, but a warning - you will probably not find as much for your Filipino side as you will your American side. People in the USA have been adding to the genealogical data on the web for 10 years. People in the Phillipines haven't; not as many people there have Internet access, and they got it later, on average, than people in the USA did.


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.

In the USA, some public libraries have census image subscriptions. Many Family History Centers do too. FHC's are small rooms in Mormon churches. They welcome anyone interested in genealogy, not just fellow Mormons. They have resources on CD's and volunteers who are friendly. They don't try to convert you; in fact, they don't mention their religion unless you ask a question about it.


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 best way to get started is to ask your oldest living relatives about themselves and their parents. You may find great-grandpa's death date and burial place on the web, but only his children, your grandfather and grandaunt, can tell you what sort of man he was.

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.

This is a general hint. Even though you go in through YA Canada, YA Australia, YA UK or YA USA, all of the questions go into one big "pot" and get read by everyone in the world who speaks English. Most of the people here are in the UK and USA, but you sometimes get questions and answers from people who worry about kangaroos eating their roses. So - put a nation, or, better yet, if you are asking about a specific individual, a nation and a state / province in all of your questions. It will help people help you.

Answer 6

hope this site helps you!

Answer 7

Try one of these:


http://www.ancestry.com
http://www.genealogy.com
http://www.rootsweb.com
http://www.genforum.com
http://www.cyndislist.com
http://www.familysearch.org

Answer 8

A DNA lab?