| There is no denying that some pay-subscription | | | | famous Irish Famine during 1846-1851. You can |
| genealogy databases are truly helpful in your | | | | find information about their immigration into the |
| family history research. The most popular pay | | | | US from Ireland online. This data can be paid for |
| genealogy databases are Ancestry.com, and | | | | through and World Vital Records, but is also |
| World Vital Records. | | | | available for free at Access to Archival Databases |
| But what about the budget-conscious | | | | (aad.archives.gov). |
| genealogists? Is there any way you can find | | | | Many Americans migrated to California during the |
| some of the same information online for free? | | | | famous gold rush of 1849. Their families remained |
| Yes! Many times the "pay" sites get their data | | | | in California for generations. While researching |
| from the same databases that are available via | | | | these people you might want to know if they |
| the free databases. Why pay for data that you | | | | lived and remained (and died) in California. You can |
| can find for free? | | | | find information about people who died in California |
| Here are some of the databases which you can | | | | during the years 1940-1997. The California Death |
| find on pay sites, that are also searchable online | | | | Index from 1940-1997 can be found on |
| for free. | | | | Ancestry.com, or for free at RootsWeb |
| US WWII enlistments information is found on the | | | | (vitals.rootsweb.ancestry.com/ca/death/search.cgi). |
| pay sites and World Vital Records. These are | | | | Canadian census information from 1901, 1906, and |
| records of United States soldiers enlisted during | | | | 1911 is available on or for free at Automated |
| World War II. If you're researching family | | | | Genealogy. Here you can search the records of |
| members who were in the US Armed Services | | | | the Canadian census from these dates close to |
| during this time period you will want this | | | | the turn of the century. If you are researching |
| information. You can find the same information | | | | families or individuals who may have lived in |
| for free at Access to Archival Databases | | | | Canada this is helpful site. |
| (aad.archives.gov). | | | | Before you decide to subscribe to any of the pay |
| The US Social Security Death Index (SSDI) is | | | | sites for genealogy research, consider whether or |
| available through Ancestry.com's subscription site, | | | | not the same information may be available online |
| but is also available for free at RootsWeb, which | | | | for free. In the end, the free sites may be the |
| is a subsidiary of (ssdi.rootsweb.ancestry.com) and | | | | best solution for the budget-strapped researcher! |
| you can also find that information at | | | | On the other hand, as you research on the free |
| FamilySearch.org. This information is a record of all | | | | sites, you may begin to realize that the value the |
| United States citizens with social security numbers | | | | pay subscription sites provide is summarized in |
| who have died. If the person you are searching | | | | this concept: ease-of-use. is a great site with |
| for did not have a US social security number then | | | | dozens of databases available for members to |
| you'll have to use other databases than these. | | | | search through. This means you don't have to go |
| Most Americans have ancestors that immigrated | | | | from one site to another and learn how to |
| into the USA through the famous Ellis Island in | | | | navigate each new site. The learning curve is |
| New York. Passenger lists from 1892 - 1924 are | | | | greatly reduced by doing all your research from |
| available through the pay websites, and World | | | | one site. |
| Vital Records. The same information is also | | | | If you are budget-strapped, you can still find the |
| available for free at EllisIsland.org. Here you can | | | | information you are looking for without breaking |
| find passenger lists of the ships which came | | | | your budget on subscription genealogy sites. Just |
| through Ellis Island as well as the shipss registry | | | | keep in mind that you will end up having to do |
| information from 1892 - 1924. | | | | more work and put in more effort to find what |
| Many Irish-Americans immigrated during the | | | | you're looking for. Good luck! |