This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you. The products that I advertise are the ones I believe in.
Genealogy is more than dates and names—it’s the story of you. These top 5 sites for free genealogy research will set you on the journey to uncover your family history can be exhilarating, emotional, and, yes, expensive. But here’s the good news: there are powerful tools and websites out there that offer free genealogy research resources—no subscription required.
Whether you’re just starting or looking to break through a long-standing brick wall, these five websites are trusted favorites in the genealogy community. And best of all? They’re completely free to use.
So grab a cup of coffee, settle in, and let’s explore the best places to dig into your roots without spending a dime.
Table of Contents
1. FamilySearch.org – A Treasure Trove of Free Records
If you’re serious about these top 5 sites for free genealogy research, you need to know about FamilySearch. Run by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, FamilySearch is the largest free genealogy database in the world.
Why It’s a Must-Use:
- Billions of digitized records from around the globe
- A completely free family tree platform
- Access to scanned images of historical documents like censuses, marriage licenses, death certificates, land deeds, and more
- Community indexing projects that constantly expand available data
Pro Tip:
Create a free account to unlock extra features like attaching records to your tree and messaging other researchers. If you’re hitting a roadblock in your research, FamilySearch’s Research Wiki is an invaluable tool for understanding how to find records by location, type, and era.
👉 Want to learn more about how to research online? Visit our ground-breaking post on genealogy research online for a complete beginner’s guide. You might want to add it to your list of top 5 sites for free genealogy research. 🙂
2. Find A Grave – More Than Just Tombstones
What started as a volunteer effort to document cemetery memorials has become a beloved resource for genealogists. Find A Grave offers free access to millions of grave records, many of which include photos, obituaries, and biographical information.
While there has been a lot of controversy surrounding Find A grave, they still manage to perform strong and therefore make my list of top 5 sites for free genealogy research.
If you want to read more on the controversy, buckle your seat belts! Here we go: Complaints Ignored As New Find A Grave Site Is Getting Worse
Why It’s Worth Bookmarking:
- User-contributed memorials from around the world
- GPS coordinates for grave locations
- Linked family members—often including parents, spouses, and children
- A helpful search tool that can reveal surprising connections
Emotional Impact:
It’s not just about finding dates. Seeing a headstone, reading a tribute, or viewing a grave site image can provide an emotional connection to ancestors you’ve only read about.
🪦 Tip: Use maiden names, alternative spellings, and wildcard symbols when searching.
3. USGenWeb Project – Grassroots Genealogy Power
Started in the early days of the internet, USGenWeb is a collaborative, all-volunteer project offering free genealogy research resources by state and county.
What Makes It Special:
- Hyper-local resources you won’t find anywhere else
- Transcriptions of local cemeteries, marriage records, obituaries, and newspapers
- Volunteer lookup services (yes, actual humans will help you!)
- County-based pages rich with regional knowledge
This is especially helpful if your ancestors lived in small towns or rural counties—areas often underserved by larger genealogy databases.
📍 Looking for more localized tips? Check out our post on 20 Tips to Photograph Cemetery Headstones (The Right Way).
4. National Archives (NARA) – America’s Vault of History
For those with U.S. ancestry, the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is a goldmine within the spectrum of our top 5 sites for free genealogy research opportunities. You can access everything from military service records to naturalization papers.
Highlights:
- Free access to U.S. Census records (1790–1950)
- Immigration and passenger lists
- Land and bounty records
- Revolutionary and Civil War military records
While not every document is digitized, NARA’s site tells you how to order physical copies or where to find records in person.
📜 Planning to dig deeper? Pair your NARA search with tips from our how-to guide for using census records.
5. Chronicling America – Where Old Newspapers Come Alive
Operated by the Library of Congress, Chronicling America offers free access to over 20 million digitized newspaper pages from 1777 to 1963. Newspapers can fill in the everyday stories behind the names—births, weddings, business dealings, and even crimes.
Why It’s a Hidden Gem:
- Search by keyword, date, or location
- Access historical context often missing from standard records
- Great for tracking down elusive ancestors or verifying family lore
📰 A few minutes on Chronicling America can lead to hours of storytelling—just be ready for a few emotional surprises along the way.
Honorable Mentions: Don’t Overlook These!
While the five above are powerhouses, here are a few more free tools that deserve a shout out (basically another 5 sites for free genealogy research!):
- Cyndi’s List – A categorized directory of 300,000+ genealogy links. I love Cindi’s List!!!
- WikiTree – A global family tree built by community contributions
- RootsWeb – Message boards and surname indexes, now hosted by Ancestry (still free!)
- Ellis Island Foundation – Immigration records from the port of New York
- Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) – A growing archive of historical documents and photos
How to Get the Most from these Top 5 Sites for Free Genealogy Research
Even the best tools won’t get you far without a smart strategy. Here are a few tips to get the most out of your free genealogy research:
1. Keep a Research Log
Document every search you make—what site, what you searched, and what you found (or didn’t find). This prevents repeated work and helps you build logical next steps.
2. Use Multiple Sites
Don’t rely on just one source. Many records are exclusive to particular websites. Cross-reference everything you find to ensure accuracy.
3. Join Online Communities
Facebook groups, Reddit threads, and site-specific forums (like FamilySearch Community or RootsWeb) can connect you with others researching the same ancestors.
📌 Looking for more research tips? Our post on how to organize your family history research offers step-by-step advice.
Why Free Genealogy Research Is About More Than Cost
Sure, saving money is great—but there’s something powerful about the collaborative, community-driven nature of these 5 sites for free genealogy research. Volunteers indexed those records. Descendants uploaded those photos. Cousins you never knew existed built those trees.
It’s an emotional reminder that we’re all connected—not just by blood, but by the stories we choose to preserve and share.
Start Your Journey Today
You don’t need a pricey subscription to uncover your roots. These top 5 sites for free genealogy research prove that passion, persistence, and the right tools can take you a long way. Rah, rah, rah!
💡 Bookmark this post, explore the resources, and remember—every ancestor has a story worth discovering.
Have a favorite free tool we didn’t mention? Let us know in the comments or tag us on social:
And don’t forget to check out our post on genealogy research online for even more helpful tools and tips.
Let me as you a question, what can you do to help better your own research? After reading this top 5 sites for free genealogy research article, how has it benefited you in your specific area of research?
Drop a comment below and let me know. For example, maybe you found Chronicling America to narrow in its offerings and you prefer Ancestry’s subscription to Newspapers.com? I certainly have grown as a genealogist through hearing what others are doing and I’d love for you to share below what your successes and low point have been.
We often forget that family history is a collective effort! Without others, our family included, we cannot and will not make the strides we do in a vacuum. Actually, taking the time to jot down a thought will later pay dividends. Comment below.
I try and record the stories of my ancestors and have shared them on this site. I am writing a biography of my first ancestor that arrived in the Virginia Colony James Toone, my Howton Family line, and my Alabama Manasco Family story.
Happy researching!
About the Author
At The Family History Foundation, we help people of all ages explore their roots through tools, templates, and storytelling tips. Whether you’re just starting or have been researching for years, we’re here to make genealogy fun, approachable, and deeply meaningful.
Want even more? Check this out Free Genealogy Research: Ultimate Top 20 Websites!
SIGN UP to stay up to date on the latest posts from the Family History Foundation.
