Want to find records about your ancestors to help with your research? Well, there are several genealogy search websites online that can help you.
With them, you can start building your tree straight away, find information about your family’s past and maybe connect you with a distant cousin.
These kinds of websites can offer many different options that can help you.
So, what can you at least expect from them?
I’ll cover the basics of the tools, features, and everything else within this helpful guide.
Popular Genealogy Search Sites
Ancestry
By far the most well-known and popular genealogy search website that you can visit and learn about your ancestors.
I have personally learned a lot about my ancestry through this site.
FamilySearch
Another impressive site that offers millions of records. The best thing about this site compared to Ancestry is that it is completely free to access.
FindMyPast
In my mind, this site is on a par with Ancestry. I have also used this site to learn about my ancestors and I have learned a lot from this valuable resource.
Genes Reunited
This is a U.K. resource where you can discover your British roots. There is a ton of useful records that you can access from this site.
MyHeritage
Not far behind Ancestry and FindMyPast is MyHeritage where again you can access vital records.
This resource offers so much, so it is a site that you will have to check out.
RootsWeb
This site is brought to you by Ancestry. It offers a platform where you can get advice and support about everything genealogy.
At the moment though it is currently offline.
Please note!
You will need to pay a subscription to join these sites to get the most from their services, (exception FamilySearch).
They will though offer a trial version so that you can try it out first.
Once you have got a taste as to what they have to offer then you may be able to select from several packages.
Most of them offer you the option to pay monthly, or you can go for the yearly option.
Going for years will be cheaper for you in the long run. So it is worth considering.
In this article, I will discuss what records are available to you and the many services that you can benefit from. When considering joining a genealogy site it is best to consider the following features.
Further Help!
When you have finished checking this guide why not check out my The Best Sites For Your Family History Research.
And then after that, you can head on over to Top Ten Reviews, where they showcase the top ten genealogy search websites that you can use.
Express Your Thoughts Below!
I would love to hear from you.
Searching for Records
All of the top genealogy search websites will allow you to search for birth, marriage, and death certificates. These certificates will include useful information such as your ancestor’s full name, place of birth, and their parents’ names.
By obtaining these records you will be able to trace your family tree further back. The clues that are contained in these documents can give you vital information that you can use.
For example, locating a birth or marriage certificate will give your ancestor’s parents’ name. So you now can trace your ancestry a generation further back.
Accessing an image or index!
When you are searching for your ancestors you may be confronted with an actual image of the record. From this, you will be able to get vital information that can be instrumental to tracking your ancestry further back.
You may though instead be presented with an index that will give you details on how to obtain the full record. At a fee of course!
But before you do go ahead and purchase a document make sure that you have found your ancestor.
There is nothing worse than spending money on a certificate only to find out that it is not even your ancestor at all. It’s just someone with the same name. What a waste of money!
Worst still if you do not realize this mistake then you might act upon the information that the certificate/record contains. You are therefore compounding on errors on your family tree.
Tips when searching for your ancestors:
Use an estimated birth year.
You can use a date from a Census or any other record that you may have. Adjusting a tolerance between 1 and 40 years is also possible.
This will mean you can search for records that may be before or after 40 years of the estimated birth year you have entered.
Finding marriage records.
To find the marriage record for your ancestors tries searching a year or two before the birth of the first child.
If you are not successful with this method then try checking further back.
When did your ancestor die?
If you are unsure about when your ancestor died you can first check the Censuses. From there you can see whether your ancestor was listed as a widow or widower.
After this, you can check directories year by year to see when and where the death took place.
Enter what you have found.
When you have found a record that matches then add this information to your family tree.
You will need to cite your information to make sure you are thorough and check details again in the future.
So, what genealogy records are available?
Besides the usual birth, marriage, and death certificates there are other records that you may be able to find for your ancestors. These records are divided into six other categories:
- Census and voter lists
- Immigration and travel
- Military
- Schools, directories, and church histories
- Convict, criminal, land, and wills
- Reference, directories, and almanacs
Finding your ancestor listed within any of these records will surely add more depth to your genealogy research. You will be able to expand on your ancestor’s stories through these records.
Dig deeper into your ancestry!
When I first started my research I looked at the usual certificates and censuses as well. But there are other types of records that you can use for your genealogy research.
So once you have learned the basics of your family and also know around these sites then why not dig a little deeper.
Look at other records that will help you fill in the gaps in your knowledge about your ancestors. It will give you a bigger picture of their life.
Take the Hint!
The advantage of using an online genealogy site that stores your genealogy research is that it can show you hints.
The hints feature will go by a different name on varying sites, but they will all act in the same way.
Linking to your ancestors’ records!
A hint is a link between your family tree and records within a genealogy site’s database. This feature makes the user’s site experience more interactive.
These records will match your ancestor’s name and the details that you have entered.
This type of research though is hit and miss but it may prove successful for you. You can trace your family tree with this feature or use the search option that is provided on the respected site.
You can look at records and the information that they contain. This as I have said before can help you backtrack further through your family tree. But sometimes the signs are not there for you to see
Sometimes you do not know where to look. So, having this feature is a great advantage for you.
It will show you up front where you can look next for clues about your ancestors.
A Community of Members
Another useful feature of these genealogy sites is that you have access to other members’ family trees that they have built.
Here you may be able to find a connection between you and another member.
Comparing the information in members’ trees!
You can then compare the family tree that they have uploaded. You can also look at their sources of information, and you can also contact members as well.
Please be careful though when you are referring to these trees. Some of them will contain errors. This is due to poor research skills by the member.
I know because I have seen plenty of these while researching my family tree.
Meet your cousins too!
By joining a genealogy search website and its’ community you can meet newly discovered cousins. You can then share information and stories which will help you further your research.
It is a great feeling when you make these unexpected connections. This is something that I found most rewarding.
Not only have you met someone you did not know even existed but you can fill in gaps in your knowledge from your cousin.
Another feature of genealogy search websites is the included forum or message boards. Here you can interact with other members and help your fellow researchers.
Advice gained by this method may either be tips on searching for your ancestors or how to navigate the website and get the most out of it.
So, it can be a great tool for you to use when you join such a site.
Help and Support
If you have a query about finding your ancestors or if you are struggling with the site then you will be offered support through several forms.
This can be through online guides covering various topics. Videos may also be provided that can also help you.
Get professional help!
The best genealogy sites offer the services of a professional genealogist. They will be able to give you tips, chase up leads or even carry out research and build your family tree.
Sometimes you may want to take a back seat. You may have become tired of all the research that you have done so far.
You may have hit a brick wall and want some help.
Or, you may not have any time to carry on your research and want a professional to help you continue your genealogy research.
Requesting help may be carried out through many different methods. These can include an online form, email address, telephone, or even a live chat. So if you do get stuck please use this service.
There is no point in suffering in silence. Your research will only stall as a result.
What Do The Best Genealogy Search Websites Offer?
The best website will be the one where you CAN find your ancestors’ records.
Genealogy websites these days will offer millions of records to you which you can easily search. You should be able to also easily and quickly create your family tree on their website.
Support through members and staff is a must for you to get the most out of your online experience. Research tips to make connections with living relatives are the main benefits of any genealogy search website.
So, when you have exhausted all avenues of research then why not take the next step and join such a site. Or you may be starting on your family history journey and are contemplating joining.
Either way, becoming a member of one of these sites will further your research. And as I have mentioned before you may even meet a distant cousin that you didn’t even know existed.
My Recommendation!
I just want to finish off this guide by offering my recommendation. I would have to say that Ancestry is the best site that you can use.
Well, it was in my case.
Credit: Ancestry
It was the first genealogy search site that I was introduced to, probably thanks to the many TV ads that I saw.
But there was good reason for using this site as it had billions of records for me to sift through.
What do you think?
If you decide to subscribe to any of these genealogy sites then please come back and let me know what you think. I would love to hear from you.
Thank You and Please Leave A Comment
I hope you enjoyed this guide to what do genealogy search websites offer. If you have any questions or comments then please leave a comment below.
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Hi, Owain,
Thank you for the interesting article. Wow! I did not even know there are such Genealogy Search Websites. Are they similar to Geni? Because I have used that one to build the genealogy tree.
The second question is this: Do these genealogy search sites allow to search sertificates, etc in every country in the world or only US (or English speaking world)?
Greetings,
Egon
They are similar to Geni. These genealogy search websites not only allow you to build your family tree but you can search for certificates and records. At the moment it is only the English speaking world, but in time I’m sure this will change. These sites are adding new records all the time, so you never know what may be added next
Thanks for this information. I actually used Ancestry and felt they were the most informative BUT they do have tiers of information that you can receive and the price goes up depending on how far back and how deep you want to research. Still, an online search is better than spending time and money to travel to different records office trying to piece the info yourself.
It sure would save you a lot of travel and expense. Thanks for sharing your experience
This is a great website, and I have visited and commented in the past. It is very interesting to find out about ones past and find relatives in the woodwork that you never knew that you had.
The only thing is it can get expensive to get everyone’s records if you have to pay for each and every certificate.
Do the subscription based services offer the records for free or do you still pay extra?
Thank you for stopping by and commenting again. Unfortunately this is what happens with these types of sites. You pay for the subscription and then pay on top for the certificates you want. My advice is make sure you have the right person before you order. Otherwise you have wasted your money on the wrong certificate.
Genealogy has become a very interesting topic to a lot of people, and your website has a lot of useful information on where and how to get started. Thanks for sharing. It’s fun to see where we actually come from using one of these services. Sometimes it’s not at all what we thought.
It is an interesting topic that quite a lot of people are into lately. I am glad that you find the site has a lot of useful information :-). When you research your family history you don’t know what you will find. And that is especially true with these websites
Really informative site. I have often thought about tracing my heritage, but thought it might be a bit tricky as both my mothers parents past away when she was very young. My parents were born in Guyana South America and I am intrigued to find out about where I originated from.
I think this site could be a good way of finding out!
That is sad that they have both passed away. I hope that I can be of service and provide you with some useful guides and tips. That is the purpose of the site.
I’m actually curious who my ancestors are. I’m now interested in trying one of the service providers you recommended .
Glad I could be of service. This is just a rundown of what you can expect from genealogy search websites. All the best with your family history research.
Nice job, your post was filed with very thorough investigative research. I had no idea there were that many sites dedicated to searching someone’s ancestry. You broke it down in a very useful, straightforward way and I appreciate the information. I am definitely going to go on one of the websites you suggested to find out where I came from. Thanks again.
Glenn
There are more sites available but those are the main ones. I am glad that the information was broken down in a straightforward way. I spent a while on it getting it right 🙂
All the best with your family history research,
Owai