FamilySearch is widely regarded as the single best completely free genealogy site, with a huge global record collection and an online collaborative family tree you can build and share at no cost. Several other major sites and archives also offer powerful free records, indexes, and tools that complement it.
Top fully free core sites
- FamilySearch.org – Largest free genealogy database worldwide, with billions of indexed records, images, and a shared family tree; requires only a free account. It also provides a research wiki and catalog pointing to records by place and record type.
- USGenWeb Project (usgenweb.org) – Volunteer-run, always-free county and state sites in the U.S. with transcribed records, cemetery listings, local histories, and links to more resources.
- Free UK Genealogy (FreeBMD, FreeCEN, FreeREG) – Volunteer indexes for England and Wales civil registrations, censuses, and parish registers, all searchable without charge.
Cemetery and memorial databases
- Find A Grave – Massive free database of burial and cemetery information, often including photos, family links, and occasional obituaries or notes.
- BillionGraves – Another free cemetery site emphasizing GPS-tagged gravestone photos, useful alongside Find A Grave for coverage gaps.
Archives and libraries online
- U.S. National Archives (archives.gov) – Free access to many U.S. federal records online (including some censuses, military, and immigration materials) plus detailed guides pointing to more.
- National Archives of Ireland & National Library of Scotland – Free access to surviving Irish census material and many Scottish maps, directories, and military lists, excellent if you have Irish or Scottish roots.
Specialized and community sites
- JewishGen – Free hub for Jewish family history with millions of records, burial registries, Holocaust databases, and country-specific collections.
- AfriGeneas – Focused on African American genealogy, offering guides, searchable data, and community forums, including material that helps bridge the pre–Civil War era.
- Cyndi’s List – A categorized directory pointing to thousands of genealogy sites (many free), organized by location and topic; a good “index to the internet” for family history.
Quick comparison
Site| Main strength| Cost model
---|---|---
FamilySearch| Global records + shared family tree| Completely free16
USGenWeb| Local U.S. volunteer transcriptions| Completely free13
FreeBMD/FreeCEN/FreeREG| England & Wales vital/census/parish indexes|
Completely free2
Find A Grave| Graves, memorials, some bios| Completely free16
JewishGen| Jewish and Holocaust-related records| Free with registration16
AfriGeneas| African American–focused resources| Completely free16
Cyndi’s List| Directory to other genealogy sites| Completely free16
For starting from scratch, a practical sequence is: create a free account at FamilySearch, search for your ancestors there, then branch out to USGenWeb or Free UK Genealogy for local detail and use Find A Grave and the national archives relevant to your ancestors’ countries.
