How do I find my family history on the Internet?

There are many places to do family history research on the Internet, some are fee-based and some are free. Among them are FamilySearch.org; Ancestry.com; and GenealogyToday.com. Most genealogy websites have a search feature on the home page where you can enter the name to begin searching. There are many types of records and information available on the Internet. As a general rule, you want to look for original source records to document a fact: birth, marriage, death, land, probate, military, census, etc. There are also indexes that can lead you to original source records and other types of information: biographies, family histories, and user-submitted family trees. Social networks are also good for connecting with others with similar research interests. Social networks are also good for connecting with others with similar research interests. of the most important caveats to researching on the Internet is to verify any and all information that comes from a compiled or user-generated source -- even original source information that is indexed incorrectly can lead researchers astray.

Related Reading

• Tips for Searching for Ancestors on the Internet
• Instead of Searching the Internet, Have the Internet Search for You: Starting a Genea-Blog ($)
• Internet Helps for International Research ($)
• German Resources on the Internet ($)
• Genealogy and Internet Security ($)
• Internet: Curse or Charm? ($)

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