Genealogy sites????

[Ziona]

I need to find a good genealogy site where i can obviously look up my family...cant be TO expensive though....any good sites?

[Shirley T]

There are tons of sites. Cyndi'slist.com has a multitude of them.

However, just going to a website is not the best thing to do right off. Actually, you shouldn't take as absolute fact everything you see in family trees on ANY website, free or paid. The information is user submitted and mostly not documented or poorly documented. The people who operate the websites have no way of checking all the info to make sure it is correct and could care less. Even when you see the same info repeatedly by many different subscribers that is no guarantee at all it is correct. A lot of people copy without verifying. The information is useful as clues as to where to get the documentation.

Your public library might have a subscription to Ancestry.Com which has lots of records. They have all the U. S. censuses through 1930. The 1940 and later are not available to the public yet. They have U. K. censuses also.

But first, start with your living family and get as much information from them as possible, particularly your senior members. Tape them if they will let you. It might turn out they are confused on some things but what might seem to be insignificant story telling might be very significant. Find out if any of your family has any old family bibles.
Also ask to see and make copies of birth, marriage and death certificates. Depending on the faith, baptismal, first communion, confirmation and marriage records can be helpful.

A Family History Center at a Latter Day Saints(Mormon) Church has records on people all over the world, not just Mormons.
However, you need to find out their hours for the general public. In Salt Lake City, they have the world's largest genealogical collection. Their Family History Centers can order microfilm for you to view at a nominal fee.

I have never had them to try and convert me or send their missionaries by to ring my doorbell. I haven't heard of them doing that to anyone else that has used their resources.

At the library and Family History Center you will probably have an excellent opportunity to talk with other genealogist and that is how a lot of people learn, sharing ideas and experiences.

Don't expect to find info on living people in genealogy sites. There is too much risk for identity theft.

[Dmp W]

Great advice from ShirleyT!
Remember-- Genealogy is NOT just looking up people's family trees on a website. Every day, people copy and recopy people's incorrect work and post it again, online.

And unfortunately, people's memories are unreliable as to dates, etc.

Just because you see something on multiple sources on the internet, it does not make it "TRUE". Look at approved sources-- or ones that are documented impeccably!

Some people and sites also have a poor reputation because they often post (and repost) information that is inaccurate or even not possible.

Try the sites listed by ShirleyT. Cyndislist dot com is a great place to start, with many sites. RootsWeb is still free. HeritageQuest Online will give you access to things like a census. State archives (often found online) will allow you to look up actual documents like birth, marriage and death records. Ancestry dot com is good, but you will have to find a place that subscribes.

Oh! One more thing-- each major city has one branch that functions as the depository for information on Genealogy. Just call your local library and ask.

Have fun!