Major Free Genealogical Sites on the World Wide Web
Genealogical research is well represented on the Internet. Following are some of the most important free or partially free sites for genealogy, as well as those often available at libraries. Remember that, as with printed sources, you shouldn’t assume that everything you see is completely accurate.
AfriGeneas: African Ancestored Genealogy
http://www.afrigeneas.com/
A mail list, message boards, information guides, articles, links, etc., to those interested in African-American genealogy.
Ancestry.com
http://www.ancestry.com/
Although the full database is fee-based, there are some files that can be searched free of charge, including the Social Security Death Index (almost 60 million records), and the Ancestry World Tree, a compilation of family trees contributed by individuals. Locally, Ancestry.com is available at both branches of the Williamsburg Regional Library.
Christine’s Genealogy Web Site
http://ccharity.com/
Major site that provides information and links to African-American genealogy.
Cyndi’s List of Genealogy Sites on the Internet
http://www.cyndislist.com/
The largest collection of genealogy links on the web. Over 263,000 links to sites, arranged in more than 180 categories. Compiled by Cyndi Howells, an amateur genealogist.
FamilySearch
http://www.familysearch.org/
Maintained by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. You can search its Ancestral File; International Genealogical Index (over 300 million records of birth, christening, and marriage information); Source Guide (an automated collection of over 150 publications from the Family History Library); list of web sites; and the Family History Library Catalog.
Genealogists/Family Historians (National Archives and Records Administration)
http://www.archives.gov/genealogy/genindex.html
Describes its records holdings and guides on using them, lists of links and research facilities, publications available from NARA, and the Soundex Machine. The Soundex is an index that is based on how a name sounds, not how it is spelled. It can be searched to obtain a code that makes using NARA’s census microfilm from 1880-1930 much easier.
Genealogy Gateway
http://www.gengateway.com/
An award-winning site that allows searches by family surname. Features gateways to ethnic, international, surname, military, obituary, and other resources. Daily updates. Well organized, with many online tutorials.
Genealogy Home Page
http://www.genhomepage.com/
A large site sponsored by FamilyTreeMaker Online. Organized by country (and, within the U.S., by state), with a list of links to genealogy helps and guides.
Genealogy Resources on the Internet
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~cgaunt/gen_int1.html
There are numerous links to other web sites. Organization is by location: state-wide resources, followed by county and city sites.
Helm’s Genealogy Toolbox
Begun in 1994, this site provides information and links to thousands of web sites.
HeritageQuest Online
http://www.heritagequestonline.com/hqoweb/library/do/index
A subscription database available locally at both branches of the Williamsburg Regional Library. Full federal census information from 1790-1930, index of 22,000 family and local history books, index of over 2 million genealogical articles (PERSI), selected records from the Revolutionary War and the Freedman’s Bank etc., all searchable by place or personal name.
ProGenealogists: United States Genealogy Sleuth
http://www.progenealogists.com/genealogysleuthb.htm
Produced by the Family History Research Group, a private group of professional genealogists, this is a major clearinghouse for genealogical information. Well organized.
RootsWeb
http://www.rootsweb.com/
The web’s oldest genealogy site is free, but users are asked to contribute financially to the project, and some databases are restricted to subscribers. Includes links to thousands of web sites; offers lists of new books, software, and reference materials; provides email and discussion lists, etc.
United States Census Bureau: Genealogy
http://www.census.gov/genealogy/www/
Information and frequently asked questions.
United States GenWeb Project
http://www.usgenweb.org/
A volunteer effort to supply genealogical information at the county level. Access is by state, then by county. The county focus is very useful, and researchers are able to post queries on each county page. Since each page or database is maintained by an individual, there is variety in format and contents. Some local records have been digitized by GenWeb participants.
United States Vital Records Information
http://www.vitalrec.com/
The most comprehensive resource for locating vital records.
Virginia Heritage Project
http://www.lib.virginia.edu/small/vhp/index.html
The Virginia Heritage Database, created by the Virginia Heritage Project Task Force of the Virtual Library of Virginia (VIVA) and funded in part by a grant by the National Endowment for the Humanities, is a union database of finding aids to archival collections in Virginia. Currently, over twenty institutions, including the College of William and Mary, are contributing to the database. The contents of the database represent only a small percentage of each institution's holdings. Follow the link to see a list of the participants and to find out more about the Virginia Heritage Project. William and Mary's holdings in this database include most of our collections with African-American resources.
