My last name is not very common.what is the best (free) way to trace your family

Question: My last name is not very common!.what is the best (free) way to trace your family tree online!?
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

The best FREE way to trace your family tree is NOT to do it online!. There are too many errors in the online information, and you may accidently get information on someone else's family!.

Start by asking questions of your living relatives!. First and last names, birthdates and places of birth!. Then ask what they can remember about their parents, grandparents and greatgrandparents!. Eventually, you can make a chart listing all the information you have!. THEN start checking online, you will at least have enough information to check to see if you are following the right line!.

If you feel you MUST search the internet - start here http://www!.cyndislist!.com/Www@QuestionHome@Com

Mormons buy up all the census records and store them in a mountain safe place to protect them, I do not know any other
easy place to trace your heritage!. If you have someone in family that has a hugh family Bible that famly records were kept maticously that is always a good way to start with info, and talk to the oldest family members and tape anything they can remember names dates whatever!. You will find info priceless!.Good luck!!Www@QuestionHome@Com

Do some research on Genealogy websites!. The church of Latter day Saints is actually a huge resource!. Try to obtain as much information as you can about birth dates, countries of origin, even places they worked!. All of this information can be helpful!. Check family records for alternate spellings of the name!. When my ancestors came over their name was changed by immigration because it was too difficult to pronounce!.

We were able to find an enormous amount of information from the Hudson's Bay Company because they kept all of their employee records from the last couple of centuries!. The company itself started in 1670!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

If you have an uncommon surname a good method of research is to look through telephone directories, for example at your local library!. If the name does not appear in one then that family name has probably not been there recently!. If the name has a lot of entries, even several columns, then it suggests that the family or families may have been in that area for generations!. Then look for census returns of those locations!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

You can search it on google for family trees, I've done it before but my last name is very, very common so it was too difficult to try to find family members!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

google your family treeWww@QuestionHome@Com

I think Genes Reunited is quite good i can't remember if its free thoughWww@QuestionHome@Com

You should start by asking all your living relatives about family history!. Then, armed with that information, you can go to your public library and check to see if it has a genealogy department!. Most do nowadays; also, don't forget to check at community colleges, universities, etc!. Our public library has both www!.ancestry!.com and www!.heritagequest!.com free for anyone to use (no library card required)!.
Another place to check out is any of the Mormon's Family History Centers!. They allow people to search for their family history (and, NO, they don't try to convert you)!.
A third option is one of the following websites:
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/

http://www!.geni!.com/

Cyndi's has the most links to genealogy websites, whether ship's passenger lists, ancestors from Africa, ancestors from the Philippines, where ever and whatever!.

Of course, you may be successful by googling: "john doe, born 1620, plimouth, massachusetts" as an example!.

Good luck and have fun!

Check out this article on five great free genealogy websites:

http://www!.associatedcontent!.com/article!.!.!.

Then there is the DNA test; if you decide you want to REALLY know where your ancestors came from opt for the DNA test!. Besides all the mistakes that officials commonly make, from 10% to 20% of birth certificates list the father wrong; that is, mama was doing the hanky-panky and someone else was the REAL father!. That won't show up on the internet or in books; it WILL show up in DNA!.
I used www!.familytreedna!.com which works with the National Geographics Genotype Program!.Www@QuestionHome@Com