DNA testing has changed family history in a way few people could have imagined even twenty years...
DNA genealogy is one of the most misunderstood parts of family history research. A lot of people...
Are you looking for some productive genealogy projects to do for April? As the first full month of...
This offer is valid from April 9th through April 13th.
Ancestral Findings brings together free genealogy lookups, practical research tips, history stories, podcasts, and eBooks. Whether you are following one ancestor or getting started with a family tree, you can choose a resource below and take the next step at your own pace.
Browse this week’s featured collections. Each lookup page explains what its index covers and includes a request form. Read the coverage details and guidelines before submitting one ancestor’s name. A possible match is a lead to investigate, so compare dates, places, and family relationships with the records you already have.
The guide for people new to genealogy offers a place to begin. Browse research tips for ideas about reading records, organizing notes, and following unfamiliar names. Keep a note of where each detail came from, and separate what a document says from what you think it might mean.
Thinking about federal records? Read Questions to Ask Before Using the National Archives for help preparing your search. Start with your ancestor’s name, time period, and location, then identify the record collection most likely to answer your question.
Explore family history and history topics in the episode directory.
Prefer reading? Choose a title that interests you. The latest resources above give you another way to discover a subject, revisit an earlier question, or learn about the places your family called home.
If you are unsure which record to try or how to approach a research question, send a genealogy question. Include the names, dates, places, and sources you have already checked. For a name search in a featured index, use that collection’s lookup form instead. Explore Ancestral Findings whenever you want a fresh idea for your family history research.
