This article is outdated. Please see our free genealogy section for updated information on this topic.
Genealogy research can be challenging enough, but moving beyond the borders of your own country to discover records in other nations can feel downright impossible at times. If you have European ancestry, one of the greatest challenges can simply be locating quality databases and resources that are affordable.
That’s why we’ve taken the time to build our free genealogy site finder, doGenealogy. doGenealogy lists dozens of places where you can search for your ancestors online without signing up for free trials or paying a membership fee. Many of these no-cost sites have been created by government institutions for the public good, or by dedicated volunteers, and offer record collections found nowhere else.
Below you will find 30 of these resources, providing access to free genealogy records and helpful information for various locations in Europe. After the main list you will also find these resources, and others, sorted by country. Not all European countries are included, only those we currently have several sites for in our database.
Some sites in the list may provide records and information for various locations and some resources for researching your ancestors post emigration are also included. Each link points to a full description of the site on doGenealogy. From there, you can easily visit the site or save it to your Research List. We hope this collection will help you locate your European ancestors. Good luck!
30 Free Genealogy Sites for Researching Your European Ancestry
1. Gjenvick-Gjønvik Archives
2. Scottish BMD Exchange
3. LitvakSIG
4. The National Archives of Ireland
5. Avotaynu
6. EastEuropeGenWeb
7. German Genealogy Server
8. FreeREG
9. GeneaFrance
10. Dos Bundesarchiv
11. National Archives Censuses of Iceland
12. IrishGenealogy.ie
13. Släktdata
14. WorldGenWeb Project
15. Danish Family Search
16. Fichier Origine
17. British Library, India Office
18. The All Galicia Database
19. Ireland & United KingdomGenWeb
20. RomanyGenes
21. Italian Genealogical Group
22. Welsh Genealogy
23. BritRoyals
24. GENUKI
25. Genealogia W Archiwach
26. Commonwealth War Graves Commission
27. WieWasWie
28. German Genealogy Group
29. National German Grave Registration
30. UK National Archives
If you need more help with your European genealogy research check out our online course, which includes help on finding and using European and foreign language resources through simple lessons, activities and discussions.
Free European Genealogy Sites by Country
- Polish Genealogy
- Lithuanian Genealogy
- Norwegian Genealogy
- Welsh Genealogy
- Scottish Genealogy
- Swedish Genealogy
- English Genealogy
- Dutch Genealogy
- Finnish Genealogy
- Italian Genealogy
- Irish Genealogy
- German Genealogy
- French Genealogy
You might also enjoy:
- Free Genealogy Sites for Researching Ancestors in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland
- Millions of Irish Birth, Marriage and Death Records are Now Online for Free
- Beginner’s Guide to UK and Irish Research
Image: A late 16th century copy of the 1525 Kitab-ı Bahriye (Book of Navigation) by Piri Reis. Wikimedia Commons
I am excited about all that you have presented to me about all the websites.
THANK YOU
No Swiss sites?
The links seem to be broken. After clicking I end up neither on the external resource nor on a page dedicated to it, but on a generic page with articles filtered by some tag.
my fathers parents came to Canada Feb 1927 along with my father and his sister sometime just before WW2 his parents and sister and brother born in Canada went back to europe can you find when they left and where or what country they went to I understand my grandmother (fathers mother) and sister and brother ended up in a concentration camp Stefan Zimmer Elisabeth Zimmer children Mary and Joe — born in Canada Fathers name Peter Joseph nicknamed Bob father did not return to Europe
Dear Sirs,
I’m Brazilian and I’m looking for the City in Portugal in wich my granfather was born, in December 18, 1920.
He was called José Fernandes do Amaral, his father name was Manoel Fernandes do Amaral and his mother name was Maria Moniz.
He married my grandmother in july 14, 1924, here in Rio de Janeiro/Brazil.
He came to Brazil in 1920, and died here in January 10, 1959, when he was 58 years old.
Can you help me in my reaearch please.
Looking foward hearing from you,
Sincerely.
Lucia Helena S..Rocha