The pursuit of genealogical information often involves locating specific historical records, such as census data, vital statistics, and immigration manifests. According to the provided source material, there are numerous free online databases and volunteer-run initiatives designed to assist researchers in these efforts. These resources range from government archives to community-driven transcription projects, offering access to valuable data without subscription fees.
Key Free Genealogy Databases and Websites
Several websites are highlighted in the source material as primary resources for free genealogical data. These platforms are maintained by governmental bodies, non-profit organizations, or individual volunteers.
- CensusDiggins: Described as a resource not limited to census data, this site offers free genealogy record databases. These include census records, marriage databases, Civil War soldier records, Civil War prisons, tax lists, and death records. It also provides genealogy freebies, search engines, and links.
- USGenWeb Census Project: This is a volunteer-driven effort to transcribe U.S. census records by county. It is part of the larger USGenWeb project, which features individual pages for every U.S. county maintained by volunteers.
- The Olive Tree: This site is noted for hosting more than 500 free databases.
- Census Online: This serves as a directory linking to various census sites on the web.
- Census Finder: A resource providing links to all free census records available online.
- GeneaSearch: A specific site listed among free online data resources.
- GenCircles: Another database listed for free online data.
- GeneaLinks: Noted for providing access to 25,000 marriage records.
- Family Search: The online search portal for LDS (Mormon) archives. It offers a free genealogy software called Personal Ancestral File and allows users to order a Dutch Genealogy word list.
- Ellis Island: Operated by The Statue Of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, Inc., this site provides access to the American Family Immigration History Center database of immigration records.
- Social Security Death Index (SSDI): A free index of social security death records, though it may not include every deceased American with a social security number.
- Ancestral Findings: Offers one free search per day and other content.
- Geneanet: Provides a free research database index with 12 million entries, searchable by country.
- Bureau of Land Management (BLM) - Federal Land Patents: Accessible via glorecords.blm.gov, this is a government resource for land patents.
Government and State Archives
Governmental agencies have increasingly made historical data available through free, searchable online databases. These sources are generally considered authoritative.
- Illinois State Archives: Maintained by the Illinois Secretary of State, this archive offers 14 different databases including death indexes, land transactions, marriage records, and military records.
- Missouri Secretary of State: Offers an online abstract of birth, stillbirth, and death records recorded before 1909, available on microfilm at the Missouri State Archives.
- National Archives & Records Administration (NARA): Located in Washington D.C., NARA provides access to various historical records and information.
- Ancestry.com: While often a paid service, the source material mentions it as having "a ton of stuff," implying it is a major repository of data, though specific free offerings are not detailed in the provided text.
Volunteer-Run Initiatives and Community Resources
The source material emphasizes the critical role of volunteers in making free data available. These initiatives often rely on the "kindness and hard work" of individuals.
- Headstone Hunter: A service connecting researchers with volunteers (numbering over 5,500) who can perform lookups at distant cemeteries. Individuals can also volunteer to assist others in their local area.
- USGenWeb: A massive volunteer-run project with pages for every U.S. county. "Goodies" vary by county but often include transcriptions of Bibles, wills, census records, and tax records.
- Belgium-Roots Mailing List: Maintained by Georges Picavet, this mailing list focuses on Belgian genealogy. To subscribe, one sends an email with "subscribe" in the subject to [email protected]. The list generates significant mail but is described as interesting and helpful.
Specific Types of Records Available
Researchers can locate various types of records through these free resources.
- Census Records: The first U.S. Census was in 1790, occurring every ten years since. These records provide names of family members, years of birth, location of birth, and profession.
- Vital Records: These include birth, death, and marriage records. The Illinois State Archives and Missouri Secretary of State provide such records.
- Obituaries: Specific sources mentioned include Times Record Obituaries, Arkansas Newspaper Obituaries, and the Arkansas Obituary Project.
- Land Records: The Bureau of Land Management provides federal land patents.
- Military Records: Available through the Illinois State Archives.
- Immigration Records: The Ellis Island database is a primary source for American immigration history.
Tools and Calculators
- Birthdate Calculator: A tool to calculate a birthdate when the death date and exact age (in years, months, and days) are known. This information is often found on tombstones.
Search Strategies
For researchers trying to locate specific free databases, the source material suggests using search engines with specific queries.
- Search Terms: Use varied terms such as "Kentucky deaths," "Kentucky death index," or "Kentucky databases" to locate specific records.
- Search Engines: Google is explicitly mentioned as a tool for finding indexes, such as an index of Maine marriages from 1892 to 1996.
Genealogy Freebies
The term "Genealogy Freebies" appears in the source material. Specific items listed as freebies include: * Free charts * Free forms * Free software (e.g., Personal Ancestral File) * Free lessons * Free cliparts
Websites mentioned as offering genealogy freebies include Searchforancestors.com, Censusdiggins.com, 1stopfreeshop.com, Carolinacuzins.org, Genealogysearch.org, and genealogypages.org.
Conclusion
The landscape of free genealogical resources is vast, supported by a combination of government transparency, volunteer transcription efforts, and community-driven data sharing. From comprehensive census projects to specific state archives and volunteer cemetery lookups, U.S. consumers and researchers have access to a wide array of tools and data at no cost. Utilizing search engines effectively and exploring the specific websites listed can yield significant results for family history research.