Free genealogy research guide
Free, step-by-step guides for every level, research guides for all 50 states and D.C., and a curated directory of the best genealogy resources on the web.
51 state guides · 360+ curated links · 100% free
New to genealogy? Start here: the habits and records every tree is built on.
Browse beginner guides →IntermediatePast the census? Learn the courthouse, church and land records that go further back.
Browse intermediate guides →AdvancedBrick walls, proof arguments and genetic genealogy.
Browse advanced guides →French-Canadian families can often be traced to the 1600s through some of the best church records in North America. How to use Quebec's parish registers, Canadian censuses and the tools built for this research.
British records are rich, well indexed and often free to search. How to use civil registration, the 1841–1921 censuses and parish registers in England, Wales and Scotland.
Norwegian, Swedish and Danish records are among the best in the world, and many are free online. How patronymic surnames and farm names work, and where to find church books, censuses and emigration records.
The largest free genealogy site: billions of indexed records, a shared family tree, and the Research Wiki.
The largest commercial collection of records and user trees, with exclusive census, military and immigration indexes.
Census, military, immigration, land and naturalization records held by NARA.
Federal land patents for the 30 public-land states, with images.
Over 200 million volunteer-contributed memorials, often with photos and family links.
Library of Congress collection of digitized U.S. newspapers, 1770–1963.