Top Family History Resources
Updated
These are the websites and tools we’d point a friend to today. We’ve marked each one Free, Subscription, or Free + paid, so you know what to expect before you click. New to all of this? Start with our free course, Your Family Story.
Start with the big two
Almost every family history project ends up using one or both of these. If you only try two sites, try these.
FamilySearch
The largest free genealogy site in the world, run as a nonprofit by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A free account is all you need.
- Billions of names in historical records, many with images of the originals
- One shared, free Family Tree that relatives can build together
- The Research Wiki: how-to guides for every state and country
- Free help at thousands of FamilySearch Centers and the library in Salt Lake City
Ancestry
The biggest subscription site, with billions of records, helpful “hints,” and the largest consumer DNA database (AncestryDNA).
- Building a family tree is free; searching most records needs a subscription or free trial
- Strong U.S. census, military, immigration and newspaper collections
- Also owns Newspapers.com, Fold3 and Find a Grave
- Many public libraries offer Ancestry Library Edition free on site
More places to search records
MyHeritage
Especially strong for European records and international families. Also offers DNA testing and photo-enhancing tools.
Findmypast
The go-to site for British and Irish records: parish registers, censuses and newspapers.
Fold3
Military records from the Revolutionary War onward, including service and pension files. (Formerly Footnote.com.)
Newspapers.com
One of the largest archives of scanned newspapers. Great for obituaries, weddings and small-town news.
GenealogyBank
Another big newspaper and obituary archive, with some papers you won’t find elsewhere.
Chronicling America
The Library of Congress’s free collection of digitized American newspapers from the 1700s to the 1960s.
National Archives
Census, immigration, military and land records held by the U.S. government, with guides on how to use them.
Find a Grave
Volunteer-created memorials for cemeteries around the world, often with headstone photos and family links.
BLM General Land Office Records
Federal land patents: the first title to land in the public-land states, with images of the original documents.
Internet Archive
Millions of free scanned books, including county histories, city directories and old family histories.
FamilySearch Digital Library
Hundreds of thousands of digitized family and local histories you can read online.
DNA testing
DNA can confirm relationships, break through brick walls and connect you with cousins you didn’t know you had. Read each company’s privacy settings before you test, and talk with close family if surprises are possible.
AncestryDNA
The largest DNA database, so usually the most cousin matches. Works best alongside an Ancestry family tree.
MyHeritage DNA
Large international database, especially useful for European and Israeli ancestry.
FamilyTreeDNA
The main source for Y-DNA (direct father’s line) and mitochondrial DNA (direct mother’s line) tests, plus surname projects.
DNA Painter
Free tools for making sense of your matches, including the Shared cM Project chart that estimates how you’re related.
Family tree software and online trees
FamilySearch Family Tree
One shared tree for the whole world. Add what you know, attach sources, and collaborate with relatives.
Family Tree Maker
Popular desktop software from Software MacKiev that can sync with your Ancestry tree. One-time purchase.
RootsMagic
Well-loved desktop software for Windows and Mac, with a free version and a full-featured paid version.
Legacy Family Tree
Detailed Windows software with free and paid editions, plus a large library of how-to webinars.
Learn how to research
FamilySearch Research Wiki
Step-by-step guides for every U.S. state and most countries: what records exist, where they are, and how to search them.
Cyndi’s List
A huge, organized directory of genealogy links by topic and place, maintained since 1996.
The Genealogy Guys Podcast
One of the longest-running genealogy podcasts: news, listener questions and research tips.
Amy Johnson Crow
Friendly how-to articles and the Generations Cafe podcast. Home of the “52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks” challenge.
Genealogy Gems
Lisa Louise Cooke’s podcast and blog, especially good on Google tools and technology.
Genea-Musings
Randy Seaver’s long-running blog, full of practical tips and “Saturday Night Genealogy Fun” prompts.
Preserve and share what you find
FamilySearch Memories
Upload photos, documents, stories and audio, and attach them to people in the shared Family Tree.
Google Photos
Easy backup and shared albums for family photos, with face grouping and search.
Storyworth
Emails a parent or grandparent a question each week, then binds their answers into a book.
Looking for something specific to one state? See Genealogy Resources by State.