Totally free genealogy sites
Finding your ancestors for free seems like an impossible task. Wherever you turn, subscription access seems to be the only way to get the genealogical tree information you so desperately seek. But before you apply for a second mortgage, take some time to explore these totally free genealogy sites. We’ve included Web sites where you can build your genealogical tree, search your records, find genealogy books you can borrow, and contact volunteers who can help you with some of your genealogical research – all for free.
AccessGenealogy
This bag of free genealogical records continues to grow.
Allen County Public Library.
Although this library is located in Indiana, its online capabilities are much more extensive, reflecting its status as the second largest genealogical library in the country.
Ancestry Finds.
This site offers free searches of marriage, birth, death, immigration, land, military and census records in dozens of different resources.
Ancestry Library Publishing
Your local library can offer you access to immigration, census, vital and other Ancestry.com documents through Ancestry Library Edition. The library, of course, has to pay, but it’s free for you as a patron.
Books we own.
The next best thing to having important genealogical resources is to find someone who has what you need and will do a free search for you.
Family Search.
Over 2,000 online collections make this the Internet’s largest home for free genealogical data.
Genealogy Deals.
This site directs thrifty genealogy professionals to online deals ranging from promotions and webinars to discounts on subscriptions and resources.
Gopher Genealogy.
Smart, intuitive searches are the hallmark of a partnership with FamilySearch, which quickly processes 80,000 digitized books.
HathiTrust
To make the most of this digital library, you must log in with the credentials of a participating institution (such as a university). But there’s plenty here for the general public, too.
HeritageQuest Online.
HeritageQuest is free for home computers thanks to a library card through participating institutions. It is now “maintained” (but not owned by) Ancestry.com.
Library of Congress.
The National Library, while not specialized in genealogy, has much to offer online. The library’s genealogical collection began back in 1815 with the purchase of the Thomas Jefferson Library.
Midwest Genealogy Center.
This site from the Mid-Continent Public Library in Independence, Missouri, has one of the largest genealogy collections in the country.
National Archives and Records Administration
Read all about the genealogical treasures at the National Archives, order military and other records, and view historical maps and photographs.
Olive Tree Genealogy.
Since its launch in 1996, this humble Web site has evolved into a useful collection of instructions and databases.
Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness (RAOGC)
For research tasks at a remote library or archive, check out this directory of volunteers and places where they can perform research tasks. (Note that you may be asked to reimburse small expenses such as photocopying or postage.)
RootsWeb
This venerable free site still serves articles with practical tips, U.S. surname and location databases, mailing lists, genealogy files, and more, making it old but useful.
We’re Late.
Here authors collaborate to build a unified genealogical tree with pages for more than 2.8 million people and 400,000 locations. Sign up to add your tree; upload your genealogy tree as GEDCOM; and share documents, photos, and stories.
WorldCat / ArchiveGrid.
Find your family history in the 2 billion items in 10,000 world libraries, then click to see the collections closest to you with WorldCat. (You can also borrow books you discover through interlibrary loan.)
Its ArchiveGrid branch searches more than 4 million archival document descriptions from 1,000 different institutions. Learn about historical documents, personal papers, family histories, and other materials that may mention your ancestors. An interactive map makes it easy to find archives near you.
