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Genealogy

For years, family history research was the pastime exclusively of individuals who had the time and resources to travel to ancestral towns and pore over old documents such as birth and death certificates, wedding announcements, baptismal records, and ships passenger lists. In recent years, family history research has been popularized by The Church of Jesus Christ and Latter Day Saints (the Mormons), for whom genealogical research is of religious importance. The Church has made microfilm records available for public viewing at Family History Centers all over the world. To find the center nearest you, visit the Church's page Where Is the Nearest Family History Center.

The Web lets anyone publish genealogical data, and that data can be easily researched-an enormous time-saver for family genealogists. While there is still a vast amount of data that only exists in print or on microfilm, a number of projects to develop electronic versions of this information are under way.

Web sites for genealogists provide databases, research tips, and notifications of new data. They often have bulletin boards and other forums where researchers can exchange information and try to establish links between families. Many sites specialize in a particular region or ethnic group; these can be found through Web searches or via links from the general sites.

Ancestry.com is a commercial site for a company that sells genealogy books and CD-ROMs, but it's generous with free information and not overburdened with advertising. A 30-day trial membership (annual subscription is US $59.95) lets you access hundreds of databases via a global search feature. Much of the data consists of Colonial and US government records from the 18^th through the 20^th centuries and focuses on families that originated in the British Isles, Germany, or Scandinavia. Since these records have been produced by thousands of individual courthouses, churches, and municipal offices - and are available only from the few institutions, among these that have gone digital - many of the databases cover relatively narrow fields such as Northern Kentucky Marriages, 1795 to 1850 or Connecticut Pensioners of 1835. Larger databases covering more recent events are being generated by state governments, and these new records show up on Ancestry.com as well.

If your ancestors were among the millions who arrived at Ellis Island early this century, check out at the Social Security Death Index, obituaries from city newspapers, and the databases of vital records (birth, marriage, and death) at Ancestry.com. For Native Americans, there are a number of valuable databases of tribal censuses and other records. Chinese Exclusion Lists provide information from the files of the Immigration and Naturalization Service on the arrival of Chinese immigrants in the US between 1882 and 1930.

Minor technical glitches occasionally pop up when you view search results on Ancestry.com, and you'll benefit from reading the brief instructions for a few of the databases. For example, even a relatively experienced researcher familiar with soundex codes (for looking up names phonetically) might not have encountered the Vitelli soundex code before (find out more about soundex at The Soundex Code). The trial membership comes with an added bonus: a free collaborative family Web site that can be modified by anyone indicated on a list you provide.

GENEALOGY TOOLBOX

This attractive megasite is comprised of eight smaller sites. The Journal of Online Genealogy is a monthly e-zine in which even the most experienced genealogist will find new and useful information each issue. The Software Toolbox reviews genealogical software packages. There's a comprehensive directory of genealogy sites, a site registry service, and a bulletin board for posting queries. The bookstore at Genealogy Toolbox offers titles available through Amazon.com.

ROOTSWEB GENEALOGICAL DATA COOPERATIVE

Before there was a Web, there was a genealogy listserv called ROOTS-L. Twelve years of archived messages from that listserv can be searched here. Calling itself a "data cooperative," the site is maintained by volunteer labor and support projects such as the Immigrant Ships Transcribers Guild (which transcribes passenger ship lists) and a network of US genealogical sites. The Roots Surname List, which began on ROOTS-L, includes over half a million entries. The GenConnect area is a system of bulletin boards for contacting and sharing information with participants such as USGenWeb, WorldGenWeb, and the American Civil War Roots Genealogy and History. An extensive collection of downloadable files including the ROOTS-L archives in ASCII text format rounds out this valuable resource.

VITAL RECORDS INFORMATION: UNITED STATES

This handy site provides information on obtaining birth, marriage, and death records within the US. This includes not only addresses to which to write for
requesting these records, but also details on the record dates, fees, and other particulars
for specific locales. Click on a state from the map image, then look under Counties national sources for vital records. Vital Records Information Guidelines (to reach it, click on "guidelines" in the first paragraph on the home page) spells out etiquette tips for deftly handling harried clerks whose main jobs aren't finding your great-grandparents' marriage license.

THE GENEALOGY HOME PAGE

The Genealogy Home Page is a metalist of links to genealogy sites from around the world. Repeat visitors should first check What's New for recent additions. Browsing the hill list is a great way for newcomers to online genealogy to get a feeling for the breadth of information available. Even old hands will find some new resources here. The list is particularly strong on regional and ethnic links, covering not only high-traffic sites but also lesser-known resources for places like Luxembourg and the Isle of Man.

The Genealogy Home Page offers many fascinating links, including one to the popular history of photography and genealogy at City-Gallery.com. The link is under Maps, Geography, Deeds, and Photography.

On which boat did your ancestors arrive! Genealogical Research at the National Archives can help you find out with links to research facilities and guides, publications, workshops, and online resources.

GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH AT THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is one of the most valuable repositories of genealogical data in the US. Unfortunately, much of its immense holdings of census, immigration, and military records are not yet electronically available, although a small number of files are posted online as part of a pilot project. To access the bulk of the information, you must go to one of the 13 regional archive centers, visit a library that has purchased the records on microfilm, or participate in a microfilm rental program. Catalogs of the microfilm are available at the site, as is general information about NARA's facilities and data.