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10 Free Genealogy Websites To Find Your Family Tree
National Archives
National Archives is usually the first stop for someone looking for genealogy information. You can visit any local office of the National Archives and gain access to the entire national database since it is centralized electronically.
Also, you can access several subscription-based websites for free from a computer in a National Archives location. This can save you a lot of money, as it gets you the information you would have to pay for otherwise.
Payment OptionsFree*Paid SearchWhat’s IncludedAccess to subscription-based genealogy websites like Ancestry.com, fold3.com, etc. Access to the CIA research tool (CREST)Everything in Free, plus: Specialized researcher who will browse the archives for you. Copies of documents in the archivesPrice£0.00£116.88 per hour (min. £29.22)
*National Archives is a UK-based genealogy search partner and as such all prices indicated are British pounds (£). For more details on pricing as well as how costs are calculated, visit National Archives and review their fee regulations.
National Archives Pros
You access subscription-based websites for free from a National Archives computer
You can access documents that are not available online
National Archives Cons
You can’t do everything from home, you have to travel to one of the locations and be aware of the opening hours
Family Search
Owned and founded by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Family Search provides plenty of free information regarding family history, even if you don’t belong to the church.
Users can edit family trees of others, and they are encouraged to work together to find more information and possibly exchange things that they wouldn’t find out themselves.
Family Search is completely free to use for all members of the public regardless of religion. You can use this time to build as much as you can and collect information from other users.
Family Search Pros
A contributor-based service, it is permanently enriched by those using the service
It is completely free
It has over 5,000 physical centers where you can go and research
Family Search Cons
Users can edit the family trees of others
You can only have one family tree per account
It doesn’t provide DNA research
MyHeritage
MyHeritage is one of the first online family tree building services in the world, as its founder discovered that there’s a demand for such websites. MyHeritage also partnered with Family Search to connect the American lineage to the European one.
MyHeritage has a free 14-days trial, but afterward, you have to pay to browse through its billions of records. It also has services that allow you to edit family pictures, animate them, colorize them, etc. The basic services allow you to build a limited family tree. Once you go premium, the features increase.
MyHeritage Pros
It has one of the best customer services on the market
Good for those with European ancestry
It has faster DNA tests, compared to others (3-4 weeks versus 2 months)
MyHeritage Cons
It does not provide information on the health of relatives
Ancestry.com
Ancestry.com allows you to build your family tree only using your browser, by creating or uploading a standard family tree file. You can discover trees started by other family members and you get suggestions through the website.
Ancestry.com offers a 14-days free trial with a credit card provided on initial sign-up. Once the free trial is complete, the following payment plan options are available:
Payment PlanU.S DiscoveryWorld ExplorerAll AccessWhat’s IncludedGrow family tree with exclusive search tools. Connect family members. Access to 15+billion US recordsEverything in U.S. Discovery, plus: Expanded search with additional 3+ billion worldwide recordsEverything in World Explorer, plus: Access to 142+million stories from pages in Newspapers.com (Basic). 537+million military records on Fold3.com. Premium support with dedicated 1-800 numberPrice$24.99 per month$39.99 per month$49.99 per month
Ancestry.com provides options for monthly, semi-monthly, and annually. For more information, visit Ancestry.com and search through their plan comparison.
Ancestry.com Pros
No third-party service that you need to go through to get your family tree hints
It also offers Ancestry DNA, which you can use to track down your family ancestor and even find a migration path that they used
Ancestry.com Cons
Monthly subscriptions can get expensive, especially if you get caught up in it
FindAGrave
FindAGrave publishes memorials of family members, allowing you to submit listings and upload photos. It is based on cemetery records.
FindAGrave is a free service, as it was when it was founded.
FindAGrave Pros
It has a huge database of burial information, with millions of records
FindAGrave Cons
Too many ads occupy most of the space
The second version of the website received overwhelmingly negative reviews
Customer service does not respond to complaints
The site sometimes freezes
USGenWeb
One of the oldest and most prestigious genealogy websites in the US, USGenWeb is committed to keeping its services free and building a solid database of family trees and historical information.
Founded by a group of genealogists in 1996, it is thriving as one of the most reliable sources when building a family tree. Its services are supported and maintained by a team of volunteers.
USGenWeb Pros
No registration is needed
Services are completely free and you don’t have to buy a license to see the data
USGenWeb Cons
It only has records from the US, but it is a US-focused service
AfriGeneas
AfriGeneas is a heritage-specialized family history website that provides information on African-American heritage. The website also reunites those searching for family history on forums where they can exchange information and help each other untangle the past.
AfriGeneas is a free project and it takes donations to support the volunteers working on the project. You have tons of support from the community and the administrators of the website.
AfriGeneas Pros
It’s one of the most highly specialized free genealogy websites
You get plenty of support with your research and with navigating the website
They provide tutorials on how to research as a beginner
AfriGeneas Cons
The website is relatively outdated and hard to navigate the first time you visit it
Jewish Gen
Dedicated to amateur and professional genealogists interested in finding out about Jewish heritage genealogy, JewishGen is the most prestigious tool in its class. It is an affiliate of the New York City Museum of Jewish Heritage.
It has plenty of resources worldwide to track down Jewish ancestors in Europe and all over the world. It works with huge databases on Holocaust victims and survivors, Jewish census worldwide, publications, etc.
It’s a free service but accepts donations to support the people volunteering to keep the project at its high standard.
JewishGen Pros
For genealogists creating family trees with Jewish heritage, this resource is incomparable.
It has a beginners’ guide explaining how to navigate the available resources.
JewishGen Cons
If you want to access original records, you will have to put in extra effort or hire a professional genealogist, as they are not always available.
Dead Fred
Another of the top free genealogy websites you can find online is Dead Fred, a project that started in 1998 as a family history website. It’s built by volunteers and keeps on growing its database.
Dead Fred Pros
Free of charge
It has a Quick Search feature that can save you a lot of time
Detailed Search for pinpoint precision
Dead Fred Cons
Navigating the site can be counterintuitive
Olive Tree Genealogy
Named amongst the “Best Genealogy Websites of 2021”, Olive Tree Genealogy has offered family history services and data since its creation in 1996.
Olive Tree Genealogy is one of the few free online resources for family tree building. The paid packages will buy you research service from the founder of the website, Lorine.
The 3-hour package is $150.00
The 5-hour package is $225.00
10-hour package is $475.00
Other paid services include checking the Abstract Indexes to Deeds ($50.00 per entry) and checking the Ontario Land Record Index ($15.00 per entry). It makes the research faster, of course, but could give you access to documents you wouldn’t personally be able to get.
Olive Tree Genealogy Pros
It has a beginner’s section for those who are just starting to research their family history
It offers records on heritage groups and less familiar ones
Olive Tree Genealogy Cons
The design of the website is a bit outdated, but it’s easily navigable
How Can I Find My Family Tree Without Paying?
Before the internet, finding information about your ancestors and building your family tree took a lot of research. You would have to go through archives and most probably travel in your ancestors’ footsteps to find what you need. Not only is this difficult to manage financially for some, but it’s also inconvenient and time-consuming.
Today, several online family tree websites use impressive databases of official archive documents and also collect personal items added by users.
Most of these websites have a free version or offer a free trial of their services. Additionally, they provide the ability to speak with dedicated researchers who have experience in locating, reviewing, and translating important family history facts and other information.
Tips for Using Free Genealogy Websites
Genealogy websites also allow you to import data from one another or centralize your information in a separate palace, putting together bits and pieces as you discover them. It can save you some money as you might switch in between genealogy search platforms.
Another good tip for getting genealogic information online is to see if the website you use allows you to return the record you viewed after a short time, without paying any fee. It often happens and saves you a lot of money.
Building a family tree does take time, though, even when technology drastically reduces it. It is an ongoing process and you need many edits along the way.
The reward, however, far outweighs the journey as not only do you find answers to your heritage, but you also made new family connections, solve the mystery of where you come from, and find valuable genealogical and historical information for the future.