Best Websites for Finding Your Ancestry

When it comes to researching your family history, there are a lot of great websites that can aid you in your research. Some of these websites charge a fee for membership, or for accessing documents. Some of these websites charge nothing for their services. If you are researching your family, try one of these sites to aid you in your research.

www.ancestry.com - This site is one of the most popular sites for historical research. They do charge a fee of $19.95 for a single month, but first-time users can sign up for a 14 day free trial. Multiple-month subscriptions decrease in price. The site does not charge you anything to search for a document. You cannot view a free preview - you must subscribe to the site for any information on the document you need.

www.genealogy.com - This site has a large records database, including census records and a family tree wizard. One of the drawbacks to this site is the subscription fee. Subscriptions start at $69.99 per year, and can cost as much as $199.99 per year for access to all of the site's features. Much of the information contained in this site's databases can be obtained elsewhere for much less, or even free.

www.usgenweb.com - This is arguably one of the best websites for researching your family history. The site is broken down into states and counties. Local individuals moderate each section of the site and add new content constantly. This website is entirely free of charge, and is full of invaluable information.

www.footnote.com - This site has a large collection of records, including military records, land transfer records, and vital records from all over the country. It is free to search for the documents you need, and you can see a small preview once you've found a particular document. You can print single documents for $1.95 each, or you can purchase a membership for a minimal fee of $11.95 per month, or $69.95 per year.

www.archives.gov - This site is run by the United States federal government. The site has vast collections of records that are accessible online. This site is somewhat difficult to navigate for beginners, but has a great tutorial section. This site is also free of charge.

Researching your family tree can be a long, time-consuming process, but the information you'll find will be invaluable to you and your descendants. I recently found out that my great-great-great-great-great Grandfather on my mother's side of the family fought two tours in the Revolutionary War. Thanks to the ancestry websites that I was able to access online, I am now eligible for membership in the Daughters of the American Revolution. I also found that my father's ancestors were royalty in Scotland, and owned a beautiful castle. They fled Scotland and came to America to find a new life. There's no telling what you can find about your family - you may be surprised. Happy searching!