BHV
Presentation Handout 1,
May 2021
2021“Finding Your
Family History
Online”
Part 1: Websites
1. What is a blog? A blog is a “web log”. It is a type of website. Companies have blogs, individuals and groups have blogs. 2. More information ABOUT BLOGS: https://www.thoughtco.com/genealogy-blogs-worth-reading_1421713
3. If you have googled your home town or your parents’ home town or county or state, you may get something like this: https://settlesfam.blogspot.com/ OR if you are wondering about the DAR in Eastern Tennessee you may land on this blog: http://tnblog.arleneeakle.com/4. When looking for websites that have genealogical information, you can use a search engine such as Google or some other search engine, like Yahoo, DuckDuckGo, or look at this article: https://www.lifewire.com/best-search-engines-2483352
Don’t limit yourself; If you don’t want to mess with entering a specific URL, then just do a web search using a “search” engine. For example try just searching a phrase like: “Genealogy Blogs Worth Reading”! Or, put this in your search engine: “Okaloosa County History”. and see what you get!
2. A website that is "Free to research, Free to Create Family Tree": www.FamilySearch.org.
3. Free family tree: https://www.wikitree.com/ Straightforward? Not a quickie fix! Complicated? Worth your while: You decide.
4. Ancestry.com: Some
elements are free, watch for "$".
What is free at Ancestry.com? See this link: https://www.familytreemagazine.com/websites/ancestry-help/ancestry-com-free/; this genealogical magazine isn't cheap but you can get access to two free articles each month! Alternate URL: https://www.familytreemagazine.com/websites/ancestry-help/ancestry-com-free/
5. Use Google to find specific places, historical information and unusual names;
I put in my great great grandfather’s name:
John Witherspoon Givens:
You can add a place to that search. He lived in Florida, Baldwin County, Alabama, and was born in North Carolina!
Search my relative and see how many “hits” you get! A request on your favorite search engine should include the correct or most common version of the ancestor's name and a place where he or she resided. Remember that females may have a maiden name or a married name!
As long as an ancestor is deceased, you can search their name, but look first for an unusual name first. DO NOT PUT YOUR LIVING ANCESTORS' INFORMATION ONLINE, (unless there is a way to hide the info!!!!)
6. Check Amazon for books about genealogy or visit a library.
7. https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/ (this "wiki" is filled with information. You just need a free account at familysearch! Then, look at the wiki and search (Example) Oklahoma, School Records
8. Also seek for genealogy lessons at: YouTube.com!
https://www.familyhistoryfanatics.com/post/googling-your-genealogy (watch it on youtube: link on that page)! Or...
Look online to see what resources are in libraries, etc.: https://readokaloosa.org/ + https://www.archives.gov/ https://www.loc.gov/ + WorldCat.org,
