Top FREE Genealogy Websites

When searching the internet for Genealogy topics, the top item searched had to do with “Free Genealogy Sites.” Many of our members in our group, Genealogy Addicts Anonymous (GAA), have asked this same question, so I conducted a survey in the group to get their opinion. Thank you to all the addicts who participated. So here it is. The links of the Top Free Genealogy Sites recommended by you, our lovely addicts. If you have any sites you would like to add, please leave a comment below. These sites are for general genealogy research. Links for research outside the US are below the US links.

 *Special Recommendation: Check your local libraries what they offer through their websites. Some offer free use of certain databases through their websites such as Heritage Quest, Newspapers.com, Ancestry, and other databases that may be specifically for your area.


For Research Inside the US 

• Family Search https://www.familysearch.org/en/
• Find a Grave https://www.findagrave.com/ 
•  Google https://www.google.com/ 
• Google books https://books.google.com/ 
• Google Images https://www.google.com/imghp?hl=en 
• Google News Archive https://news.google.com/newspapers 
•  Library of Congress - Chronicling America https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ 
•  Internet Archive https://archive.org/index.php 
•  Ancestry https://www.ancestry.com/
   *While you need a subscription to view some databases, there are still some free that you can view, and don’t forget about the forums. 
• The US Gen Web Project https://www.usgenweb.org/ 
•  JewishGen https://www.jewishgen.org/ 
•  Facebook https://www.facebook.com/
   *There are special groups for specific areas of research that can lead you to different sites that can be helpful. There are also groups for families and surnames. 
• Fold 3 https://www.fold3.com/
   *This is a paid site like Ancestry, again also has some free databases 
• RootsWeb https://home.rootsweb.com/ 
• WorldCat https://www.worldcat.org/ 
• Southern Campaigns Revolutionary War Pension Statements https://revwarapps.org/ 
• We Relate https://www.werelate.org/wiki/Main_Page 
• WikiTree https://www.wikitree.com/ 
• FamilyTreeNow https://www.familytreenow.com/ 
• Dead Fred - Genealogy Photo Archive http://www.deadfred.com/ 
• Ellis Island www.libertyellisfoundation.org/passenger 
• The Ancestor Hunt http://www.theancestorhunt.com/ 
• Fulton NY Post Cards http://www.fultonhistory.com 
• Fulton Search - Newspapers https://fultonsearch.org/ 
• Geni https://www.geni.com/ 
• GenDisasters http://gendisasters.com/ 
• Link Pendium http://www.linkpendium.com/ 
• Death Indexes https://www.deathindexes.com/
   *Provides links, but some links lead to paid sites 
• County & Town histories http://www.learnwebskills.com/patriot/countyhistories1.htm 
• Guild of one-name studies https://one-name.org/ 
• Olive Tree Genealogy https://www.olivetreegenealogy.com/index.shtml 
• One-Step Webpages by Steve Morse https://stevemorse.org/
   *Some links provided are paid sites 
• Digital Public Library of America https://dp.la/ 
• Genealogy Trails http://www.genealogytrails.com/ 
• Map of US https://www.mapofus.org/ 
• Historic Newspaper Search https://elephind.com/ 
• Italian Records in US www.italiangen.org/databases 
• Genealogy Specialists Forum https://genealogy-specialists.com/ 

For Research Outside the US

• General Register Office (GRO) UK www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/ 
• Free Reg - UK www.freereg.org.uk 
• Trove Australia trove.nla.gov.au/ 
•  FreeBMD - UK www.freebmd.org.uk 
• UK BMD www.ukbmd.org.uk 
• Irish Genealogy www.irishgenealogy.ie/en 
• Netherlands - will need to translate page https://www.delpher.nl/ 
• Norwegian - will need to translate page https://www.digitalarkivet.no/ 
• List of Canadian Newspapers http://www.theancestorhunt.com/blog/canada-online-historical-newspaper-links 
• New Zealand Newspaper Search https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers 
• Groninger Archives - Netherlands http://allegroningers.nl/ 
• Drenthe Archives - Netherlands http://alledrenten.nl/ 
• Netherlands www.wiewaswie.nl/en/ 
• UK National Archives http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ 
• Swedish Archives - will need to translate page https://sok.riksarkivet.se/ 
• Swedish Map https://kartor.eniro.se/ 
• Swedish Research https://www.rotter.se/ 
• Polish Research http://www.basia.famula.pl/en 
• Polish Genealogy Group Aid https://sites.google.com/view/polishgenealogygroup/ 
• Bas-Rhin Archives - France http://archives.bas-rhin.fr/
  *Will need to translate this page 
• Baden-Wurtteberg Archives - Germany https://www.landesarchiv-bw.de/web/46734
  *Will need to translate this page 
• Canada Archives http://www.canadiana.ca/
• Library and Archives Canada - https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/search/Pages/ancestors-search.aspx