ancestry internet sources?

Question:

Anybody have some good genealogy/ancestry internet sources?

I'm doing a family tree/genealogy/ancestry project in school, but I can't find anything to use as an internet source. Anybody have a NON-PAYMENT and NON-SUSCRIBAL source that I could look up?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: The links in my standard answer are all free. Many of them have subtle ads for Ancestry.com in them - ads that ask for a name, then offer a trial subscription. Watch out for them.

Before I paste it, a word. I have been doing genealogy for 30 years. Even with the Internet, it would take me 20 - 30 hours to do a good family tree for someone alive today in the USA. That's two hours a night for two weeks, minimum. I'd need longer if I had to write off for obituaries. Teachers who haven't done it give these ridiculous assignments out all the time.

So - lie. Pick some likely sounding people and claim them as your great grandparents. Just keep the general migration pattern westward (Virginia -> Tennessee -> Texas or New York -> Ohio -> Kansas) and keep an average of 33 years between generations; that is, if someone "has" five kids, make sure #3 is born when the mom is about 33 years old.

Here's the stock answer. Ignore the parts about buying a genealogy program:

I hope you'll accept a general answer. These questions come up every day:

Where can I find my family tree for free?
Does anyone know the {Surname} family?
What are good sites for ancestors / genealogy?

They are all about tracing your family tree on the Internet. The fourth time I typed in my favorite beginner's links I realized I should save them in a text file and paste them in. This is long and general. Because it is general, not all the links will apply to every question or questioner.

These may help get you started. They are large and free.

http://www.cyndislist.com/
(240,000+ links, all cross-indexed. If you want Welsh or Pennsylvania Dutch or Oregon or any other region, ethnic group or surname, chances are she has links for it.)
http://www.familysearch.com
(Mormon's mega-site. Click on "Search")
http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.c...
(460,000,000+ entries, of varying quality)
http://www.ancestry.com/learn/facts/defa...
Surname meanings and origins
http://www.tedpack.org/begingen.html...
My own site: "How to Begin"

United States only:
http://www.usgenweb.net/
(Subdivided into state sites, which all have county sites.)
(The Canadians have Canadian Gen Web, by province)
http://ssdi.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-b...
(Social Security Death index - click on "Advanced" You may find your grandparents.)
http://find.person.superpages.com/...
(US Phone book, for looking up distant cousins)

United Kingdom Only:
http://www.genuki.org.uk/
(Biggest site for United Kingdom & Ireland)
http://www.freebmd.org.uk/
(Free Birth, Marriage & Death Records)

(If you posted your question in Genealogy, ignore this paragraph. If you posted it in the "Family" category, read on.)
Tracing your family tree is called genealogy. YA has a category for genealogy,
Home > Arts & Humanities > Genealogy
There are hundreds of more links in the resolved answers there.

Notes:

You usually have to do some research. Sometimes you get lucky. Don't give up if your Great grandfather with your surname isn't there. Try all eight great-grandparents.

You won't find living people on any of the sites except the phone book one. You won't find many people born after 1920 on any of the sites except the SSDI one. Genealogists hide the birth dates, birth places and other facts of living people to protect their privacy. You will have to find your grandparents' or great grandparents' birth dates and maiden names somewhere besides the Internet.

The free sites are supported by advertising, just like TV. You can't watch the Super Bowl without seeing a beer commercial, and you can't surf for dead relatives without seeing an Ancestry advertisement. Many people complain about advertisements. Please don't. They bring you the "free" sites. There's no such thing as a free lunch.

If you get serious you'll need a genealogy program. They are to family research what "Word" is to writing a novel. I like Roots Magic. Family Tree Maker is the market leader. Both cost around $29. The Mormons will let you download PAF for free. It is clunky, but it is free. You can sometimes find old versions of FTM or Family Origins (FO is the predecessor of RM) in bargin bins at CostCo.