How to Search for Family History Records Online: Cheap Genealogy
The Internet is a cheap and easy way to further your research of your family history, though you do need to be cautious about checking sources and verifying details with paper copies of documents. You should be able to access indexes for births, deaths, marriages and divorces; the Social Security death index; military, property, graveyard, school and census records; photos; newspaper archives; and family Web pages. Be patient and keep track of what you find.
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Instructions
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Gather information you have: birth and death certificates or other legal documents, the family Bible, old letters and cards, and photos noted with names and other information. You may want to download and print blank pedigree (family tree) charts or use genealogy software. Both show a snapshot of what you know and what you want to find out.
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Decide which branch of your family to work on first. Researching everyone all at once can be overwhelming. Decide who to start with. It's easiest to start as recently as possible and work backward through time. Start with someone you know something about, such as where she was born or resided.
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Write down what you know of this ancestor's life: Where was she born? Was he in the military? Was this person prominent in the community, meaning they might have been in the newspaper during their lifetime? Did he own a business or property? Would race or nationality be a factor in researching this person? Note any possible avenues of research.
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Search for birth and death information first. Certificates are not online, but online indexes show much of the information. Some are statewide, some are by county. Use a search engine to find an index or check free genealogy sites. Check the Social Security Death Index; it provides name, date of death, state and, often, county. People who never had a Social Security number are not on the index. Try variations of the name in case she used her full name, middle name or initials.
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Search for marriage, divorce and probate record information. Check for marriage and divorce indexes through free genealogy sites. Once you know the places and dates of birth and death, it's easier to branch out in your research. Sometimes libraries have these records. Before calling a courthouse, check the website of the main library branch first. See if it offers records or indexes online. Depending on the library, a librarian may look up the information and send you a hard copy.
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Research other avenues of legal documents now that you have the vital statistics: military records can offer a lot of information, depending on the time and the branch of service. Use a search engine or genealogy indexes to find sites on all branches of the military. There are many veteran sites online, including a federal database for Civil War veterans that will provide the regiment once you search using a name. For more specific records, you need to apply to the National Archives for individual military records. Census record information varies. There are many online transcribed census records you can access free.
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Use the location information from the military and the census to research newspaper archives, cemetery transcriptions, school records and yearbooks, photos, church records or biographies on families from the area. Check free archives of cemetery transcriptions, most of which are organized by location.
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Review what other researchers have posted about your family. Use online family trees as a guide only; many are inaccurate but get copied and posted online repeatedly without being verified. There are many free family tree indexes online. Try family web pages where researchers have posted family stories, copies of documents, photographs and other information. Run your family name through a search engine. Most of the more popular genealogy websites offer links to family websites.
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Tips & Warnings
Stay organized.
Trust only what you have verified. Be wary of online family trees. Cheap genealogy takes time: be patient.
Resources
- Photo Credit Thomas Northcut/Photodisc/Getty Images
