Websites for Family History Beginners

Introduction
There are many family history websites that can help a beginner with their research. This article will list websites that can be used at the Family History Library, Family History Centers, from home, or wherever one has access to the Internet such as cyber cafes or libraries.

Electronic Family Trees and Family Websites
1. FamilySearch The FamilySearch website. 2. RootsWeb

Research Aids
3. FamilySearch Wiki: The FamilySearch research Wiki is similar to Wikipedia in nature. It is a place to search for any genealogical information to help you with your research. This page is a part of the FamilySearch Wiki. 4. BYU Guides and Tutorials:

Genealogical Directories
5. ProGenealogists 6. Cyndi's List: Select a location, or topic, then select a a category of records or topics, and scroll to the specific record or topic desired. 7. Family Genealogy and History Internet Education Directory 8. A genealogy guide for finding vital records:

Original Records
9. FamilySearch Record Search 10. Ancestry or Ancestry Institution $: Ancestry is a paid site, but if you are in the Family History Library or a Family History Center you may have the Family History Library access. This access is called Ancestry Institution. 11. HeritageQuest $: The Family History Library has access to this web site. Check with your local public or academic library for free access to Ancestry or HeritageQuest. 12. Footnote.com $: Free access available at many Family History Centers.

13. World Vital Records $: Free access available at many Family History Centers.

14. USGenWeb:

15. WorldGenWeb:

Books
16. BYU Family History Archives:

17. Google:

Libraries
18. WorldCat:

19. International Library Index by Country:

Maps and Gazetteers
20. United States and its Territories Geographic Names Information System:

21. Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names:

22. David Rumsey Map Collection:

23. Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection:

Passenger Lists
24. Ellis Island:

25. US Passenger Lists:

26. The Olive Tree Genealogy:

Search Engines
27. Google:

28. DogPile:DogPile is a meta search engine.

29. Clusty: Clusty is a cluster search engine.

30. Steve Morse: Steve Morse is a genealogical search web page.

State Archives
31. Council of State Archivists: