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Friday Family History: Favorite Web Sites

Have you ever gotten overwhelmed with the thought of family history research?  You'd like to start, but you don't know where, or you seem to have hit a dead end?  Sometimes ancestors' records hide like the proverbial needle in the haystack, but I usually can find something by searching on the following websites (and no, I'm not being compensated in any way by recommending these):

Ancestry.com:  The biggest downside to this is that you need a paid subscription.  But I like the fact that there are so many records in one place, and it is super simple to connect records to your trees, which makes documentation a breeze.  For me, it is worth it.

Familysearch.org:  This site, provided by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, contains "billions of names across hundreds of collections", and is provided at no charge.  A must-visit.

Findagrave.com:  The name says it all.  This site has 81 million grave records.  Sometimes, there are even photos of the headstones and links to other relatives.  Another free site.

Deadfred.com:  OK, I haven't been as successful here, but it is still fun to look.  This site is simply a collection of old photos that have been submitted.  You might be able to put a face with a name, if you're lucky.  Again, a free site.

State digital archives:  I don't think every state offers this service, but some states keep public records online, and you can search for birth, marriage, and death records, among others.  Just google the state you are interested in, with "archives" or "digital archives." I can't speak for all states, but I know the ones I have looked at are free.

That is just a tiny, tiny list of family history websites, but they are the ones I most frequently visit.

What sites do you find most helpful in family history research?  If you haven't started, how can I help?

Thankful thought:  Thanks for the fascinating lives of those who have gone before us.

Comments

  1. Connie Kresin CampbellJune 14, 2012 at 11:21 PM

    Thank you for the different links! I have only done a little searching but these will be handy to have!

    ReplyDelete

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