'Cheap & Free Ways to Trace Your Ancestry'

AdrianR_2 · 18 March 2009 at 12:39PM

http://www.wishful-thinking.org.uk/genuki/index.html

delambo · 18 March 2009 at 12:55PM

There are loads of free resources available.

Firstly it is amazing just what a google of your family name search can bring up!! Keep searching as new material comes available alsmost daily

http://www.freebmd.org.uk/ is great for searching births deats and marriages but is not always 100% correct and is far from complete.

Likewise http://www.freecen.org.uk/ is from the same peolpe and is even less complete.

As mentioned the church of the latter day saints are a great help with this. I have never visited one of the centres but use the web search facility at http://www.familysearch.org/eng/default.asp

It is worth reistering (for free) with http://www.facebook.com/home.php and contacting all the facebook users with the same name as you to see if they are researching their family tree - then you can share information.

http://members.iinet.net.au/~perthdps/convicts/index.html is good (but disturbing) for finding UK convicts who were sent to Australia.

Go to churches local to where you are researching and ask where their recodes are stored. In Surrey they are at the the surrey history centre in Woking. This is free to visit and use however there are small charges for printing.

Finally you can get a free trial at http://www.ancestry.co.uk/. Use it wisely!!! There is loads of info on there that is not available elsewhere, but lots that can be found for free. Use your free subscription only when you have exhausted all other methods.

If you are looking to spend a small ammout, you could do far worse than joining and paying for http://www.genesreunited.co.uk/home/. Here you can view all the census and BMD info once you have paid, but you can also search other peoples trees for people who appear in your tree and ask to view their trees. Agreat way to quickly grow your tree.

jetcat · 18 March 2009 at 1:01PM

ancestory.com is free to use at my local library - i am sure they said that all libraries have subscribed, but not too sure on that!

Moonflowers · 18 March 2009 at 1:10PM

Another really good site is http://lostcousins.com

You put in your actual ancestors that you have located in specific census returns & it links you up with people who share the same ancestors.

A fantastic way to find relatives & to share & learn more.

B.Inky · 18 March 2009 at 1:46PM

Remember that most libraries and archives are free to use! If you limit yourself to what has been made available on-line, this is only a tiny percentage of what's out there. Many libraries provide access to Ancestry so you can check census returns there. Pre 1837 records are usually only viewable at the local record office. You can look at most parish registers for free, either by looking at the original or a microfilm. Also check the local record office or family history society website to see what they have on-line for free. For example, Cambs family history society have lots of data bases on theirs. I do think it's important to check original sources and this can be costly depending on where you live in relation to where your ancestors lived. Once I went on a research trip for 2 days, travelling from London to Oxford and Berkshire record offices. I did the whole trip for £30, using cheap bus services, a youth hostel and taking food with me.

AdrianR_2 · 18 March 2009 at 1:53PM

maggiebee48 wrote: »

Does anyone know of a free software cd for storing family tree data, please? Compatible with Vista, if poss.
Thanks,

Maggie

http://www.legacyfamilytree.com/Download.asp
PAF
http://www.gensoftreviews.com/index.php?sel=1&new=&lic=free&pla=win&type=full&sort=lrev

A

B.Inky · 18 March 2009 at 2:01PM

PAF, from the family search website is pretty good and free to download.

chanticleer · 18 March 2009 at 2:08PM

Bear in mind that the vast majority of original records are kept in local county archives / record offices. The archivists and staff there will always be able to offer advice - their funding is usually reliant on number of visitors so they actively welcome family historians! Many will offer free access to some of the subscription-based websites like Ancestry as well, though this will vary from county to county. The Archon directory on the National Archives' website is a good place to find your local.

As important as free resources are guides to ensure you know what records are available, how to approach your research and how to work clearly and methodically. I've found the guides on Wiltshire's archives pages very useful in the past few months - they have a great beginners guide which is very instructive on getting started, and an advanced guide for looking prior to 1837.

fatpiggy · 18 March 2009 at 2:32PM

I only have access to the free on-line genealogy stuff myself. But occasionally, if I'm really stuck, I hang a message on the BBC History message board and the very kind fellow tree-growers there usually come up with the goods. Please always remember to ask nicely and say thank you!

fifi29 · 18 March 2009 at 4:36PM

I have found http://www.historicaldirectories.org/hd/ to be a very useful site, loads of scanned directories which are searchable. They can give you an insight into the area, and if you are lucky, have a listing of your ancestor!

'Cheap & Free Ways to Trace Your Ancestry'

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