Free Genealogy Resources Archives

Why These Draft Cards are Such an Important Addition to Your Family Tree

There are few things more exciting in family history research than stepping beyond names and dates for a moment to record some personal details about an ancestor. Whether it’s an employer’s name, an unknown detail in a will or a fascinating description of military service, personal details help us better understand the story of our ancestors’ lives. One …

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9 Free Military and War Related Record Collections for Genealogy

Most family historians have ancestors who served their country during a time of war or peace. Others may have ancestors who were not members of the military but were nonetheless dramatically impacted by war — such as Japanese internment victims during WWII or freedmen after the Civil War — in either case, some very helpful …

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Fascinating Interactive Map Shows Immigration to the US from 1830 Onwards

A new interactive map from Metrocosm has visualized immigration to the US in a whole new way. This fascinating tool is a great way to gather a quick view of where US immigrants where coming from between the years 1830 and 2013. The helpful map will automatically play through each year on its own — highlighting top countries …

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These Old Passport Applications May Hold the Missing Genealogy Info You Need

Many family historians are not aware of the fact that millions of passport applications were collected by the US Department of State between the years of 1795 and 1925. These applications are kept by the National Archives and Record Administration (NARA) and are packed full of personal information that can help you in your research.

Could You Become a Daughter of the American Revolution? Find Out Here

Do you believe that you may have an American Revolutionary War ancestor? Or perhaps you already know you that you do and would like to connect with others who also have Revolutionary Era roots? If so, you may qualify to become part of one of the most respected membership organizations in the US, The Daughters of the American Revolution. Started …

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This Smart New Tool from Google is the Perfect Genealogy Research Assistant!

Online research is getting better and better every day. With new free websites, databases and research groups popping up everywhere, family historians have a seemingly endless supply of records and resources to help them uncover family details. But with all of the amazing information now available at our fingertips it can be difficult to keep track …

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More Than a Billion American Genealogy Records Are Free Right Now

From the New England Historic Genealogical Society: America’s oldest and largest genealogical society announces a historic event for family historians around the world. From April 6 to April 13, American Ancestors by New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS) is offering FREE access to all of its online records. More than one billion records covering 18 …

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Thousands of 1890 Census Records DO Still Exist: Here’s How to Find Them for Free

Many family historians are fully aware of the fact that the 1890 census, which contained more than 60 million individuals, was destroyed in the early 20th century and is therefore not available for genealogical research. The lack of this valuable resource, one from such an important time in America’s history, has left a huge gap …

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The 11 Million Free Immigration Records You May Have Completely Overlooked

Editor’s Note: The Castle Garden website is no longer in operation. Records are now hosted at FamilySearch, where they are available at no cost – New York Passenger Lists (Castle Garden) 1820–1891. An article from FamilySearch on these records can be found here. See the following databases for later records or read our article about discovering …

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Free Genealogy Sites for Researching Ancestors in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland

Researching ancestors from England, Scotland, Wales or Ireland? Here’s a list of free genealogy sites for the UK and Ireland where you can find everything from census returns and military service records to birth, marriage and death indexes.