Free Genealogy Sites and Software for Ancestry Research
Yes, free genealogy research is possible. Here’s how to avoid spending money on your ancestry research without limiting your family tree.
Genealogy Resource Guides
The 1950 Census for Family History: When, Where and How to Access It
The 1950 United States Federal Census is set to be released by the National Archives and Records Administration on April 1, 2022. Use this guide to discover how to find and use these fascinating records in your family history research.
How to View Thousands of Free Records on Ancestry Without a Subscription
When most of us think of Ancestry.com, we think of paid resources. And, of course, the vast majority of Ancestry’s billions of records are behind a paywall. However, you might be surprised to hear that the site does offer a relatively large assortment of completely free collections–and they are 100% searchable. When you attempt to locate a record …
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Having Trouble Researching Your Female Ancestors? Here’s Some Help
By Alice Plouchard Stelzer The dictionary tells us that being invisible is being inconspicuous, unobtrusive, and unnoticeable. From a researcher’s point of view, tracing the life movements of invisible women creates many challenges. In the Preface to Notable American Women, editors Janet and Edward James said, “Biographies of women, especially little-known ones, pose special problems …
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Did Your Ancestors Come Through Ellis Island? Here’s How to Find Out
The Ellis Island records website has long been a great place to find free ancestry information. Providing instant access to more than 50 million immigration records, it’s a vital resource for anyone with US immigrant ancestry from the late 19th and early 20th centuries (earlier records can be found here). A couple of years ago Ellis …
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Why Weren’t Your Ancestors Smiling in Those Old Photos? The Reason Revealed
Thank you to the family history research site Crestleaf for sharing this fun take on why people didn’t smile in old photographs. Ever wonder why your ancestors aren’t grinning from ear to ear in those faded black and white family portraits? Though there are many speculations and theories as to why people donned such serious …
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Access Paid Genealogy Databases for Free With This Simple Trick
Looking for a totally free way to access a variety of paid genealogy records, like those provided by Ancestry or MyHeritage, from your own computer? Well there’s good news, you most likely can. And you might be surprised to hear that the solution is probably only a few clicks away. An increasing number of libraries are now providing …
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Explore the Past With These 3 Free Newspaper Archives
Whether you’re looking for an elusive obituary or a family scandal, free newspaper archives are an excellent resource for filling out your family tree. In fact, many online archives make it so easy to search decades of ‘dusty’ old papers, you might find that it’s awfully easy to lose yourself in the past. We’ve gathered together a …
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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.
Millions of Free Records on FamilySearch Can Not Be Found via Search: Here’s How to Access Them
It’s an often overlooked fact that a vast amount of FamilySearch’s collections can not be found via the search on their site. Millions of free family history records are waiting to be discovered but have not yet been indexed and are, therefore, somewhat hard to find. These records are invaluable tools for genealogists and cover a wide range …