You know the old saying, "You get what you pay for", which usually refers to the quality of inexpensive deals. Well, when it comes to searching the Internet for free genealogy information, this just doesn't apply.
That's not to say that pay-sites are a waste of money. You can often find what you want a lot quicker at these websites. But if you are willing to put in the time, you can find a LOT on free sites and databases. Going the free route is particularly appealing to those new to genealogy.
Here are a few of the more helpful free genealogy sites for your browsing pleasure. These are usually pretty large and general. You'll find that as you learn more about your family, more specific sites may be more helpful (French-Canadian genealogy, or Scandinavian genealogy for example).
RootsWeb's WorldConnect Project - A huge database of user-submitted family trees (using GEDCOM files). The search capabilities are pretty detailed, so you can really do a narrow search for the exact person you are looking for. Currently, there are more than 450 million individuals recorded in this database.
Family Search - Genealogical data collected by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS Church). Don't let the church affiliation fool you. There are vital records for millions of people in their databases and not just Mormons. Read more about the LDS Church's genealogy connection.
Ellis Island Passenger Records - Unless you have Native American heritage, you're going to come across a point in your search when your ancestors immigrated. If you live in the United States, that means your relatives likely came via Ellis Island. You can search passenger lists and see ship manifests.
Cyndi's List - Not a database like the previously mentioned sites, but probably the largest collection of genealogy-related links there is. You will be able to find the most specific or obscure website you could possibly need. A great resource.
GenForum - Sometimes your next best lead will come from a complete stranger who happens to have the information you need. The GenForum message boards cover a huge number of surnames, and people post their needs in hopes that someone else can help. Excellent for genealogy networking.
Distant Cousin - An online collection of scanned American vital record documents. There are obituaries, city directories, marriage records and more. All free.
GenCircles - Another collection of user-submitted family trees. They have 'smartmatching' which can help you find connection between people in your tree and others in their database.
There are by no means all the good free websites available. But there is more information in these sites to keep you busy for a long while.
