Where can i find FREE ancestor records online?

Question:i want a website that can show me my ancestors [like in my family tree.] where they lived, their parents, their death date, their jobs, etc. i want it to go back many many generations.
everytime i try to find one i come across an expensive site!

anyone know of a really good free one?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: i want a website that can show me my ancestors [like in my family tree.] where they lived, their parents, their death date, their jobs, etc. i want it to go back many many generations.
everytime i try to find one i come across an expensive site!

anyone know of a really good free one?

the reason you keep bumping into 'fee' sites is that you want your family tree like fast food... precooked and packaged. So, if someone else has already done all the research, of course, some services will want to market it.
Here's the best free site (in my opinion)
www.cyndislist.com
The difference is that cyndi doesn't offer trees. She collects genealogy web sites/ resources, including a whole section on how to do it, and another for myths and scams/ hoaxes.
Another trip up for new persons... you should not be finding live persons personal info online. You DON'T want strangers getting your birth certificate, and using it to buy a new house in your name, do you?
After you do your basic OFFLINE foundation, and get to where your tree has dead ancestors, you might find them. That is... as indivduals., maybe with their ancestors.
There are thousands of online sources with information, even photos, etc. If you see it as a puzzle, where it is up to you to put it together, you'll be surprised what you can find.
One more good place to stop by is www.rootsweb.com, and check their guide to research. Read the fine print before you click.. there are ads on the site that will take you back to ancestry.com.
Last thought... how many good hobbies out there are totally free?? Expect that there will be some costs (certificates, etc).

You won't find one website that will give you all of that info. But here are a few free websites: familysearch.org
heritagequestionline.com
archives.gov
rootsweb.com
usgenweb.org
www.a2a.org.uk (this gives info re british ancestors)
castlegarden.org (10 million arrival records. This immigration entryway was used before Ellis Island)
ellisisland.org

I also have many websites re many nationalities as well as some states archive collections & sites specifically for African-Americans & Jews.

I have pages of sites from the Sept issue of 'Family Tree Magazine.'

You have been given two very good answers. I might add you should not take as fact everything you see in family trees on any website, free or paid. The family trees are submitted by folks like you and me. Most are not documented. You might see different information on the same person by different submitters. Then you will see repeatedly the same information by different submitters without documentation.
Unfortunately, there are people copying without verifying. Use the information as clues as where to get the documentation.

You probably won't find your complete family tree on line but will find some of your family lines.

Now your public library might have a subscription to Ancestry.Com which I feel is the best for records. They have all the U. S. censuses through 1930. The 1940 is not available to the public yet. They have U. K.
censuses also. You can get a temporary free subscription.

Also, you should check a Family History Center with a Latter Day Saints(Mormon) Church. They have records on people all over the world, not just Mormons. In Salt Lake City, they have the world's largest genealogical collection. Their Family History Centers can order microfilm for you to view at a nominal fee.

They don't bring up their religion and I have never had them to send any of their young handsome missionaries by to ring my doorbell.

If you haven't, you should first get as much information from living family members as possible, particularly senior member. Tape them if they will let you. It might turn out they are confused on some things, but what might seem to be insignificant story telling might be very important. Us old folks like to talk about old timey.

Also don't get too involved in trying to figure out the origin and meaning of a surname, and don't be surprised if you find different spellings of surnames in your family tree as you go back.

Good Luck!