where can i search for my ancesters for free?

Question

I want tosearch for my family tree but every sight i go on costs money to look at documents. This is getting really annoying as i cant get to a big library to look please help.....

Answer 1

The Mormon church

Answer 2

I am assuming you are just beginning your quest for your ancestors.

You really don't need to go to a "big library" and really don't want to.

I am going to suggest that you look in your phone book, under Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, for a local Family History Center. These centers are staffed by volunteers who generally have years of genealogical experience. I have worked in a center for 15 years and teach a variety of classes on internet uses for genealogy and German Research. You will find very friendly people there that will take you step by step through the process, answer your questions and point you in the direction you need to go.

These centers also have access to over 2.5 million rolls of microfilmes records from all over the world. Microfilms that can be orderd and read at the center for a small rental fee of about $5.00. Not exactly free, but for original documents very close to it.

Good Luck. Oh yes, you don't have to be Mormon to use the centers.

Answer 3

You are going to end up paying for much of the information that you will want/need anyway, might as well find a good site like ancestry.com and pay the yearly fee. It is well worth it.

The LDS has a site that you can search, but as someone mentioned, it helps if you have already done quite a bit of the research already, and - in my experience - is mostly focused on the US. I am sure that they have some European records, but so far, not what I am looking for.

If you go the free route, you will still have to pay for copies of records (birth, marriage, death) and good luck getting census records (free on most pay sites).

Don't get me wrong, I have used the LDS site with some success, but have had better success with sites that I subscribe to. You will get what you pay for most of the time.

Answer 4

I'm afraid if you're serious about genealogy you will have to part with your cash in some way, sometime. Have you done the first and most important thing of asking the oldest person in your family all they can remember of people, names, adresses, dates (birth, marriage, death), stories. Have you seen their old photos. This is the first thing to do before they pop off.

WWW.familysearch.org, the site of the mormons (church of jesus christ and latter day saints) is only useful if you've gone back earlier than the mid 1800's already.

Answer 5

Go to the research library and ask to look at the Mormon lists.
If you know what area your family came from you can search the local public records library.

Answer 6

The best way is simply to start with your own family. If you want to do it on the computer, you can download PAF (Personal Ancestral File), which is free genealogy software at http://www.familysearch.org under Order/Download Products. I imagine you can pick it up pretty quick because it is very user-friendly. Then talk to your parents (and grandparents if still alive) and get as much information as you can from them including names, dates, and places.

Here are a few online resources for you to use:

http://www.familysearch.org - Probably the best free online resource.

http://www.ancestry.com is one of the best but has a hefty subscription fee (for most of its databases).

Also, you can check the surname message boards for your surname at:

http://genforum.genealogy.com
http://boards.ancestry.com

For links to helpful sites, you will want to take a look at:

http://www.cyndislist.com

And finally for a lot of different resources:

http://www.rootsweb.com

For grave records:

http://www.findagrave.com

It won't all be free but it's worth it.

Good luck,
Dave
--
Create a family tree website at http://www.familyinhistory.com

Answer 7

If you can't get to a library, you can always chat to a librarian online on 'Enquire' at www.peoplesnetwork.gov.uk.

An experienced information worker will be able to forward you a comprehensive list of free resources available online such as www.familysearch.org and http://freebmd.rootsweb.com/

Answer 8

Enter .lds.org genealogy,,, the latter day saints encourage people to use thier free web sights,, log in at this address its free. they have the biggest centre in the world at utah (usa) YOU DO NOT HAVE TO PART WITH CASH,,,also try these they are free as far as i know
www.cynislist.com www.genuk.org.uk www.freebmd.rootsweb.com
ive not used these but i do use the lds one they also have the 2nd biggest genealogy centre in the world in london
ive doing mine and have been back to 900ad i have some freee leaflets to help gat you startred so if you want to get in touch go for it but how??????

Answer 9

http://www.rootsweb.com is one of the oldest, largest online genealogy search areas. They joined with ancestry.com a few years ago and promote that webstie that you have to pay for. It is true, though, to find very much information you will have to pay no matter where you go and all sites are limited as to how much information you have unless you are lucky and find someone on the web who happens to have the information you're looking for.

Answer 10

you can try to goto ellisisland.com ... depending on your heritage & where you ancestors came from they might of came to a popular landing spot for immigrant called ellis island in new york. you can search names, dates and other stuff at that website, they will give you information such as birthdate and deathdate, and the year they came over, what boat they were on, & where they came from...they also might not be listed. good luck!

Answer 11

Godfreya is correct, log onto churchoflatterdaysaints.