Ancestor Search Help & How To

Search for your ancestors using this interactive directory of the best free genealogy search engines. Search top world-wide & specialized genealogy databases from one genealogy search site! The Ancestor Search site also has unique custom genealogy search engines found no where else.

Genealogy Finding Aids, Search Tips, Guides and Help, and Record Resources

Census Help

• U. S. Census Guide
  Guide, Clues & Research Tips for the U. S. Federal Census 1790-1930.
  • On-line and off-line census
  • Census finding aids and indexes
  • Census questions
  • Census dates
  • Census microfilm numbers
• Census Database Chart
  Compares the on-line census by Ancestry.com, Genealogy.com, Godfrey Scholar (Heritage Quest), and the LDS for the years 1790 through 1930 so one can see at a glance which company has an index and census for each year. Also, lists whether the index is every name or head of household.
• Census Abbreviations
  Guide to abbreviations found on US census
  
• Census Microfilm Numbers
  Guide to NARA microfilm numbers for census index.
  • 1920
  • 1910
  • 1900
  • 1890 fragments
  • 1880
• Soundex (Phonetic) Code Explained
  • Surname to soundex calculator
  • Explanation and limitations of the soundex code.
  • How to use the soundex to find an ancestor in the census index
• 1930 Census Help
  
  • Five ways to find your ancestor in the 1930 census
  • Enumeration district Finder
  • Understanding the soundex of the 12 Southern states

Date and Calendar Help

• Age Calculator
  Calculate the difference between any two dates.
• Birthday Calculator
  Calculate a birthday from the date on a tombstone or death certificate.
• Easter Sunday Finder
  Enter the year to find the date on which Easter Sunday falls.
• Julian to Gregorian Calendar Conversion Dates
  Explanation of the changeover from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar with a list of countries and changeover date. Explanation of Old Style Dates and Double Dating.
• Day of Week Calculator
  Determine the day of the week for a date in any year.
• Roman Numeral Calculator
  Convert a Year written in Roman Numerals to a Number Year. Roman Numeral Years are common on tombstones from the eighteenth century.

Find Living People

• Person Finder
  A Step by Step Guide finding long lost people.
• People Finder
  A Premium Resource for finding lost family, birth parents, missing friends, military buddies, and loved ones.
• Reverse Directory
  Enter name, address OR phone number. Find people on same block, or enter an address or phone # to get a name!

Genealogy Database Search Engine Help

• The Social Security Death Index - SSDI
  Ways to find your ancestors in the US SSDI - even if you couldn't find them before - and what to do with the info when you do find them!
  • Info you will find on the SSDI
  • Info you will NOT find on the SSDI
  • Comparison of the 5 online SSDI search engines
  • Unique search tips to locate hard to find ancestors in the SSDI
• The Ellis Island Website
  Haven't been able to find your ancestor on the Ellis Island website? These ideas may help!
• RootsWeb Meta Search
  Search many RootsWeb search engines with a single click.
  • World Connect project
  • Obituary Daily Times
  • RootsWeb Surname List
  • Social Security Death Index
  • Gen Connect
• Family Search
  The largest repository of genealogy in the world. Understanding the databases at the LDS (Mormon) genealogy family site.
  • Ancestral File
  • the International Genealogical Index (IGI)
  • Pedigree Resource File (PRF)
• Soundex Searches
  The benefit of genealogy search engines that have soundex (phonetic) options.
  • Automatically searches more than 1.2 billion names to find the best matches for trees and records for each person in your family tree.
  • Downloads existing family tree files from the Web.
  • Collaborates with other genealogists through Ancestry.Com's Online Family Tree and Ancestry World Tree.
• Find others searching your family tree
  How to find your cousins who are doing family history research by using genealogy research registry search engines.

Internet Help

• Easy Google Genealogy Searcher
  Can't remember all the Google tricks you've heard? Want to learn some things you probably had no idea Google could do? Google Searcher puts advanced Google features on one page with suggested keywords and advice about how each feature is useful for genealogists. Learn the many possibilities Google offers for genealogy searches and become a Google expert.
• Google
  If you haven't tried searching for your ancestors using Google, you will be amazed at all Google can do. Learn all the Google tricks.
• Unwanted Pop-ups
  How to rid yourself of unwanted pop-up ads and make your computer run faster at the same time - all for free.

Record your Heritage

• Heritage Scrapbooking
  Learn ways to make a heritage scrapbook with or without photographs of your ancestors.

Records Repositories Help

• Irish Records Resources
  Resources to help find your Irish Ancestor.
  
• UK Records Resources
  Resources to help find your UK, English, Welsh, Scottish or Northern Ireland Ancestor.
  
• U.S. State Archives
  Archives often contain documents relating to the history of the state including military records and pension files, county and local histories, diaries, letters, manuscripts, directories, tax rolls, deeds, land grants, voter registration rolls, photographs and other unusual materials. Sometimes, the state archives will hold birth, marriage, death and probate records.

Relationship Help

• Cousin Calculator
  Calculate the relationship between two blood relatives
  
• Relationship Terms
  Relationship and Family Terms and Definitions. Find out just what a first cousin twice removed means.
  

Resource Help

• Genealogy Freebies
  Free genealogy resources: charts, lessons, software, databases, lookups, relationship charts, form letters, translation services, clip art, contests. All free!
  
• Genealogy Free Trials
  Free trials to Ancestry and Genealogy.com databases. Census, immigration, UK & Ireland, Newspaper Collection, Genealogy Library, Family and Local Histories, much more. Why pay when you can view for free?
  

Search Engine Help

• Tips for Using Search Engines effectively
  Ways to make your on-line searches more productive and ways to avoid common search engine pitfalls.
• Soundex Searches
  How to use Soundex search engines.
• How a Web Page Can Help
  Looking for missing pieces in your family puzzle? Use a web page to "post" your missing pieces.
• Turn Genealogy into Family History
  Fleshing out the details of your ancestor's lives.

Software Help

• Record your Genealogy
  Free genealogy software, forms, charts and templates.
  

Surname Help

• Directory of Surname Origins and Last Name Meanings
  Search for the family origin and history of your surname
  A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
  
• Quick Search Surname Finder
  Enter your surname once, search multiple world-wide genealogy search engines. A surname specific search engine that searches genealogy databases and finds surnames even if a common word.
  
• Learn Genealogy
  Learn how to research your family ancestry and find your ancestors.
  
• Share your Genealogy
  Find out who else is researching the same family names. Facilitate your own research by registering your surnames.
  
• Soundex Explained
  It is easier to find your ancestors on the soundex census index and soundex search engines if you understand the soundex code and its limitations.
  
• Build a WebPage
  Looking for missing pieces in your family puzzle? One way to have your distant cousins find you and facilitate your own research is by building a genealogy web page.
  

U. S. Military Help

• U. S. Military Help
  Ways to determine if your ancestor served in the military and possibly received a pension. Instructions in ordering military records from the Nation Archives (NARA).
  
• US Military Research guides
  Assistance in using NARA's records for your research for all US wars
  
• US State Archives
  Order Military records for the US militia.
  
• Confederate Records
  How to order Confederate records held at state repositories.
  
• NARA Guide
  Ordering military records from NARA