How can I search for a name and their details in the 1930 US Census, without pay

Question:The only website that I have seen that you can search for a specific person and their details is Ancestry.com, but they have a fee. I'm looking for a similar tool that won't cost me anything.

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: The only website that I have seen that you can search for a specific person and their details is Ancestry.com, but they have a fee. I'm looking for a similar tool that won't cost me anything.

Some public libraries and most family history centers have access, for free. FHC's are little genealogy libraries in large Mormon churches.

In either case, you have to dress reasonably well and go when they are open.

You also have to use your head, especially in an intellectual hobby such as genealogy. How many shops are there that rent books? Not many, right? Most people who don't buy their own go to their public library and check them out for free. If there WAS a magic web site that gave you free access to the census from home, at 6 am, in your PJ's, how many people would subscribe to Ancestry? Not many, right? Ancestry is thriving. Therefore, isn't is a reasonable assumption that there are no free census sites? (The 1880 is the exception, and that is because 10,000+ LDS volunteers labored for 17 years, out of the kindness of their hearts.)

What you want doesn't exist. You have three choices - sponge off other people (I do; I sometimes watch HBO at my neighbor's house), buy your own subscription, or put on a shirt and pants and go downtown when the library / FHC is open.

What's the name, birthplace, birthdate, marriage date and place if any, and death date and place if any. I would be happy to look them up for you. You can also do the free trial on ancestry, but make sure you cancel within a day with all of the correct info needed to cancel, The monthly is only $34.00 so you can just buy a month, but again make sure yo cancel quickly.

That's a nice offer from Lisa G, if you need any further help I would be happy to help as well. I too have the global collection on www.ancestry.com /.co.uk

tell me why r people so cheap. I have to pay for my research. are you any better than me.

The biggest expense will be TIME; I have spent hundreds of hours and have so much left to compile.
Remember, no matter where you obtain the information, there are mistakes (yes, I include "official" documents, such as birth certificates, marriage licenses, death certificates, whatever). My maternal grandmother's tombstone doesn't even have her name correct!
Anyhew, as to searching, try these:
Free sites: there are several to choose from. Start with:
http://www.searchforancestors.com/...

http://www.censusrecords.net/?o_xid=2739...

http://www.usgenweb.com/

http://www.census.gov/

http://www.rootsweb.com/

http://www.ukgenweb.com/

http://www.archives.gov/

http://www.familysearch.org/

http://www.accessgenealogy.com/...

http://www.cyndislist.com/

Assuming they emigrated from Europe, start with Ellis Island and the Battery Conservancy sites:
http://www.ellisisland.org
http://www.castlegarden.org
For those with native American ancestry, try:
http://www.tribalpages.com/

For a fee, try a DNA test:
When you really want to know where your ancestors came from, try such sites as: www.familytreedna.com, dnatribes.com, dnaancestryproject.com, and, of course, the National Geographics Genotype program, https://www3.nationalgeographic.com/geno...
For Jewish ancestry, try:
www.israelgenealogy.com
Have a look at these sites these are South African ones,
http://genealogy.about.com/od/south_afri...
http://www.rupert.net/~lkool/page2.html....
http://www.jewishgen.org/safrica/website...
http://southafricanfamilyhistory.wordpre...

Meaning of names:
http://www.winslowtree.com/surname-meani...

http://www.familysearch.org/eng/search/f...

Finding live people:
Two good places I use are www.zabasearch.com and www.peoplefinder.com

Don't forget, use your local library. Ours (a small one, yet) has www.ancestry.com and www.heritagequest.com, as well as periodicals, books and guidance from an experienced genealogist.

Keep good notes on where you find what: sources are very important.

Good luck!