Family Tree / Genealogy Software & websites?

[jedikaiti]

Recent family tree discussions have got me wondering, what software do eHellions like to use for tracking their family tree data and what websites do you like to use to find new data?

[readingchick]

I like Find A Grave and RootsWeb.

[misha412]

I have been a family historian for a couple of decades now. I have used several different genealogy programs and find I like Legacy the best. It provides the features I want without the overhead I think programs like FamilyTreeMaker have. The designer of Legacy. is actually working to integrate it with FamilySearch.org at this point, which is a favorite site of mine.

FamilySearch.org is growing its volume of data available online and you can also use it to reserve microfilm to be sent to your local LDS research center. (No, I am not LDS, but they welcome everyone who wants to do research).

I have held a membership with Ancestry.com for over 10 years and would recommend it to anyone just for the sheer volume of data available for U.S. research. While the membership is not cheap, it is my major hobby expense for the year so I just budget for it. Other sites I love include Find-a-Grave and the group of US GenWeb sites.

[Lindee]

What Misha said. I also have a private invitation only site on Tribal pages for my extended family to share photos and documents. It is not totally ideal as some of Legacy''s features aren't there but it the best option I've found so far. I don't have an Ancestry tree any more as they can't be updated by gedcom and the thought of someone linking to my tree sends shivers down my spine so I just have a public tree (no living people) on Rootsweb.

[PastryGoddess]

I currently only use ancestry.com.  I may look into some of the other sites out there.  I've heard of Legacy, but I haven't felt like learning another system/website just yet.

[guihong]

I use Ancestry, and pay for the "prime" subscription since that is the one with all the overseas records. 

Find a Grave is fun for celebrities, and also has a huge number of non-famous graves recorded (and pictured).  I found accidental kin through that .

I also like Dead Fred.  It's mystery pictures.  One time I checked in there, and there's a picture of a distant cousin of mine with someone's caption "Who is this? This was in a book".  I was glad to help .

RootsWeb is a bit confusing, but a good resource. 

For sheer number of sites and ideas for brick walls, try Cyndi's List.  The mother lode of genealogy sites.

[Library Dragon]

DH uses the library's HeritageQuest and Ancestry.com's database subscriptions.  He's also used the Ellis Island website.

[anniehawks]

Check with your local library.  Often libraries will buy subscriptions to genealogy databases, (Ancestry, Fold3, HeritageQuest, etc.)  One of my favorite free sites is archive.org.  This is not just a genealogy site, however.  This is a site where you can find publications that are no longer under copyright or the copyright is held by whoever allowed archive.org to post the publication.  For example, you can find yearbooks on there.  Often these will still be covered by copyright. But if the school (who owns the copyright) puts the yearbook on archive.org that's fine.  There are other things besides yearbooks there.  You can find things like: county histories, genealogies, city directories, etc.  Its a great site for genealogy research. 

[Lynn2000]

Fascinating! I started out with FamilySearch.org, and whatever free family-tree maker they promote. They really have a huge amount of stuff available online, for free. I browsed through a ton of other sites, both professional and personal, just googling the names of key ancestors to see what turned up.

Then it turned out my uncle had an Ancestry.com subscription but hadn't done much with it, so he gave me the password and asked me to work on it--that's what I use exclusively now. It took me a while to figure out how to use it, but now I'm used to it and I really like it, and they have a lot of records. I also like that I can "invite" non-members to view the tree in its entirety, for free, so I can share it with my family if they ask for it. I back up the gedcom file often and I make sure to save the pictures and stories onto my own hard drive as well, just in case.

Ancestry.com often links to records at Find-A-Grave, and I've found that to be incredibly useful, even moving, for some branches of my family where the cemetery is well-covered. It's remarkable to go online and find an ancestor's grave photographed, and see a message from their great-granddaughter or something posted there.

[jedikaiti]

Very interesting! Lots of great new resources for me to try.

My library has an Ancestry subscription, but you have to actually go to the library to use it. They also have a HeritageQuest subscription that can be used from home with your library card #, but I found that site rather confusing. I'll have to give it another go.

I've done most of my research using Ancestry (and the Family Tree Maker software), but Ancestry is a bit expensive for me. If I get money for Christmas, I will usually splurge then, and once split the cost of an account with a friend who wanted to do some research. I recently made a dent in a brick wall with the LDS website, and am working on compiling a list of specific things I'd like to find for when I do make it over to the local LDS genealogy center.

[readingchick]

Find a Grave is fun for celebrities, and also has a huge number of non-famous graves recorded (and pictured).  I found accidental kin through that .

So did I.

[anniehawks]

Some libraries have an Ancestry subscription that you can use from home with your library card.  This subscription costs more than the one that's just available at the library.  Ask your library if they would consider buying the more expensive subscription.  All they can do is say no.

[jaxsue]

I mainly use Ancestry.com. I have the "world" membership, which isn't cheap, but it's necessary as I am dealing with both the US and Canada constantly. Plus, I've gotten almost 700 yrs back on one of my mom's lines, which is awesome!
I also subscribe to the New England Historic Genealogical Society.

[guihong]

I forgot to mention, if your ancestors were Loyalists who beat it out of the new United States for Canada after the Revolution, check out http://www.uelac.org/.  There are branches for most areas of Ontario and a few other provinces.  Obviously handy for genealogy, and just plain interesting for those who love history from the "losing" side.

[misha412]

For sheer number of sites and ideas for brick walls, try Cyndi's List. The mother lode of genealogy sites.

Oh, I forgot Cyndi's List. If you cannot find it on her list, it likely doesn't exist.