| As you build your family tree, you will be amazed | | | | order the certificates from the General Records |
| at the sheer number and scope of database | | | | Offices. Canadian records needed? Check on to |
| companies on the Internet. Commercial database | | | | search for details including copies of the censuses |
| companies, volunteer database sites, | | | | directly from the Canada Library & Archives |
| single-person-hosted databases, free sites, | | | | site. Ship arrivals? will provide you with details of |
| pay-per-view sites, university archive sites, and | | | | passenger lists and much more, free. And these |
| more. There are many different kinds of | | | | are only a fraction of free databases to help you |
| databases available for searching for details of | | | | in your searches. |
| your ancestors, and that is exciting - but also | | | | - CYNDI'S LIST: This is one of the very first sites |
| overwhelming to most beginners. | | | | you should check out. For over 10 years, Cyndi |
| Most of us are thrilled that "someone" has | | | | (yes, she is a person) has developed, maintained, |
| transcribed or scanned so much material and | | | | and uploaded over 70,000 website addresses on |
| digitized it for us to search. We recognize that a | | | | various genealogy topics. From where to find sites |
| great deal of work has gone into making a | | | | if you have Swiss or Russian ancestors, to |
| database searchable by name or place, so we are | | | | information on specific places or events, you will |
| generally happy to pay a fee for searching at | | | | find details on her site, All sites and information is |
| several particularly useful sites. Here's what most | | | | categorized and cross-referenced as well, and she |
| of us have done BEFORE we spent any money | | | | spends hours making sure sites are updated as |
| on fees or memberships. | | | | quickly as is humanly possible! Check out her lists |
| - SURNAMES: Search first to see if several of | | | | of information for beginners, as well as other |
| your surnames already have published/researched | | | | topics of interest to you. |
| genealogies available. These may be on Surname | | | | - TRIAL MEMBERSHIPS: Many sites will offer |
| Family Associations, or through the Guild of | | | | short-term memberships for 7 days, or one |
| One-Name Studies. You will need to verify | | | | month, or will allow a certain number of views or |
| information, but it could be that your surname | | | | "hits" for a low fee or free. This will allow you to |
| already has detailed genealogies up to your great | | | | do thorough searches on the site, seeing what is |
| grandparents, available with a small fee | | | | available, finding out which databases they offer, |
| membership in an association. | | | | how to save your information, and more. Evaluate |
| - RESIDENCES: Review your family details of | | | | how easy it is to search, find information, and |
| probable residences. Until we have at least a few | | | | copy/print it out. You may find that several |
| generations of our ancestors listed and detailed | | | | companies offer the very same databases for |
| (birth, marriage, death, burial), we may not be | | | | similar fees, but one is easier for you to search |
| certain which specific database may be most | | | | and keep information. |
| useful for our searches. For example, I found that | | | | - CONTROL YOUR CREDIT CARD: Since 'trial' |
| many of my ancestors on my mother's side | | | | memberships - and most all memberships - in |
| came from north-eastern United States such as | | | | database companies online use your credit card |
| Connecticut, Maine and New York. Hmmm. Which | | | | for automatic renewals, it is very important for |
| database has details of that area in the early | | | | you to control your credit card information. |
| 1800s and even earlier? Several lines of my | | | | Theoretically they are supposed to provide you |
| father's ancestors came from England - again, | | | | an email information that your membership will be |
| which databases may have details of the 1800s? | | | | renewed shortly, but sometimes that doesn't |
| Another line came from Germany in the 1700s - | | | | happen. Keep a record of what you have signed |
| where would that information be found? Make a | | | | up for, the date, the site, and the length of time. |
| list of states or provinces, or specific countries | | | | Go back in to those sites, and remove your |
| that seem to be your ancestors' birthplaces. | | | | credit card information so it is impossible for them |
| - MISSING DETAILS: Review and list missing | | | | to do an automatic renewal. Instead, if you like |
| details and documents. Are you searching for birth | | | | the site, call up the database company and see if |
| certificates, or military service? Are you missing | | | | you can get a "special" price for membership. Or, |
| burial information on several family lines? What | | | | ask if they will perhaps include something special, |
| specifically are you looking for? What years are | | | | a software program, or a CD of genealogy |
| you searching for - 1900s or 1800s or earlier? If | | | | information etc. Since commercial companies |
| later 1800s and 1900s you may find information in | | | | frequently have such special sales online, this is a |
| newspaper archives, with obituaries and more | | | | very legitimate request of yours, so take the |
| details published. Some newspaper archives are | | | | time to get exactly what you want, once you |
| available at local museums or universities, and | | | | have decided on a specific company. |
| therefore are free to search; others are being | | | | - CHECK WITH YOUR GENEALOGY SOCIETY: |
| digitized or scanned into a database each day, and | | | | Remember that you local genealogy society may |
| listed on fee-based web sites. Check out what is | | | | have a library and access to other databases |
| online free to search in those specific areas. | | | | available to you. In addition, once you attend |
| - FREE SERVICES AND DATABASES: Have you | | | | meetings and read their journals, you may find |
| checked with your library to find out if they have | | | | others who will answer your questions about the |
| commercial databases available free to patrons | | | | pros and cons of various commercial databases. |
| with a library card? For example, my local library | | | | Other members who are researching ancestors |
| has the Ancestry Library version of available - a | | | | are often very helpful to beginners, and can |
| tremendous benefit! Other libraries, such as in the | | | | answer your questions. |
| United States, have available Heritage Quest as | | | | More questions? Use a simple yet very practical |
| well. is one of the largest databases of genealogy | | | | guide found at to help you get started. Packed |
| information in the world, and their site is freely | | | | with tips and strategies, the RootsBasic booklet |
| available - plus they have extremely good help | | | | will help you be proud of your family tree |
| and support available. Their local Family History | | | | research. The 16 handy forms included provide |
| Centers provide access to the full database | | | | practical methods for you to keep track of your |
| collection, plus videos on how to do genealogy | | | | research, your specific ancestors, sources, |
| searching and more; one is likely available near to | | | | correspondence, and more. Whether you are a |
| your area. For British roots, a group of dedicated | | | | first-time family tree researcher, or have been |
| volunteers provide birth, death, and marriage | | | | building your tree for some time, you will find |
| details at FreeBMD.com; once you have the | | | | information you can use immediately to help |
| volume and page numbers, you can then go on to | | | | move your ancestor research forward. |