Best FREE Family History Websites & Ones Worth Paying For - Professional Genealogy Secrets
Published 2022-01-18
If you want to build your family tree you need to know where to find information. These 25+ websites are my most frequently used websites (other than county-specific websites) as a professional researcher. Most are free, but some do cost. Here I'll explain why those which do have a cost may be worth the money and also provide some alternatives that are at no cost to you. This video quickly discusses these fantastic genealogy websites. Hope they help you in your family history research!
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The websites included below are FREE unless otherwise noted with ($):
0:00 Intro
1:30 Ancestry www.ancestry.com/ - to purchase a membership through my affiliate link: amzn.to/3IbDv4L
2:57 Familysearch - www.familysearch.org/en/
4:14 Familysearch Catalog
5:40 Familysearch Wiki
7:16 Newspapers.com - $ - www.newspapers.com/
7:34 Chronicling America (Library of Congress) - chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/
8:11 Fold3 - $ - but lots of libraries offer it free - www.fold3.com/
9:25 Social Security Administration - Freedom of Information Act – SS-5 – request a copy of a deceased person’s original application for a Social Security Card - www.ssa.gov/foia/request.html
10:47 National Archives Military records (pension files) - www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records
11:26 National Archives - Other records / images – can be hard to navigate - search www.archives.gov/research/catalog or helps to find digitally available records www.archives.gov/research/electronic-records/acces…
11:41 Google searches - www.google.com/
12:05 Goggle Books and other book sites (Hathitrust and Internet Archive)
books.google.com/ or www.hathitrust.org/ or archive.org/ NOTE: Internet archive has lots of other photographs and music, etc.
14:18 Google Maps www.google.com/maps?entry=yt
14:53 Google Translate - translate.google.com/
15:07 Black’s Law Dictionary – 4th edition – that’s important as later editions don’t include the old legal terms which is the reason for my interest. – download at heimatundrecht.de/sites/default/files/dokumente/Bl…
15:44 Census enumerator instructions - usa.ipums.org/usa/voliii/tEnumInstr.shtml
16:06 GenealogyBank - $ - but lots of libraries offer it free - www.genealogybank.com/’
16:35 Stephen P. Morse – lots or great things, particularly information on passenger lists - stevemorse.org/
16:50 ArchiveGrid (Find Archives Near You) - researchworks.oclc.org/archivegrid/
17:22 Behind The Name – etymology and history of first names - www.behindthename.com/
17:51 Bureau of Land Management records – land patents - glorecords.blm.gov/
18:44 Map of US – historical map boundaries - www.mapofus.org/
19:48 David Rumsey Map Collection - www.davidrumsey.com/
20:27 What was There - www.whatwasthere.com/
20:36 Blaine Bettinger’s DNA Relationship Chart - thegeneticgenealogist.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/…
21:11 DNA Painter - dnapainter.com/
To build a tree on your computer rather than use a website, check out FamilyTreeMaker ($) - www.mackiev.com/ftm/ or Rootsmagic - www.rootsmagic.com/
Visit my site ancestryconsultingbyaimee.com/..
Opening music "Something Elated" by Broke for Free.
freemusicarchive.org/music/Broke_For_Free/Somethin…
All Comments (21)
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Holy smokes! I've been researching my family history for more than 10 years and this has to be the most helpful resources video I have ever watched. Thank you so very much!
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In family search a lot of the records have the key symbol which indicates that one needs to go to an FHC or affliliate to view the record. But a lot of the time a record with the key symbol will actually open up for you anyway. Always click on it just in case it does open for you remotely from home.
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Absolutely the best list I’ve seen! You have given me so many more rabbit holes to fall into 😆
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congrats on your first viral video! i've been enjoying your ancestry suggestions since you started and am glad one of your vids has hit a trend! can't wait to watch this one and the other newer ones too... (but back to grading until the weekend lol)
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Glad I stumbled on your video! So much I didn’t know that I will now check out. Thanks so much!
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This is GREAT! Thank you for all of these leads!
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Thank you for sharing! Ancestry and Family Search are two of my main go-to’s but you’ve given me more to explore!
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Aimee, you are easy to understand and so personable. Your calm friendly demeanor makes it a pleasure to learn from you. Thanks bundles.
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Wow, this is truly an information video. Loads of resources, and many that I new absolutely nothing about. Fantastic. You are great.
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Thanks for posting this video with such helpful information!
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Thank you for the information. I have been utilizing some of these sites already during my search. I definitely subscribed right away. Thank you again. 😊
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I just found you and subscribed. I can't wait to get to work on furthering my searches.
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Thanks for sharing this valuable information. I cant afford Ancestry right now but being able to go to my local library, as I've checked and utilize their Ancestry account is a great benefit.
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Thank you Aimee.....I knew about half of them, but you have me a few new ones to check out. 😃
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Thank you for a fantastic list! There are several I had not heard of before.
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Lots of great information. Thank you for the video and all of the links!
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I’ve been researching for a while and Aimee has helped me tremendously!
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Brand new to the topic and I’m gobsmacked at the trove of information shared here. Thank you!
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Just started researching and your info will help me out, I hope. Your sweet for making video thank you
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Thank you for sharing all of this wonderful information!! Brava!!!!
