Some FREE Web sites for Family History Research

The following is from a handout which we use in the Weston-super-Mare Library at the Help Sessions and it has been suggested that other members might find it useful. It was compiled to help people who visit Weston Library and includes reference to the facilities accessible from our local library but these may well be available wherever you live - so ask at your own local library.  

Other useful web site addresses can be found by looking through the Monthly Updates which also include some helpful suggestions.

Family & Local History on the INTERNET

Some examples of FREE Sites:

While in the Library in North Somerset you have free access to

• Ancestry Library Edition which includes America
• The British Newspaper Archive    No longer available
• NEW - Access to Research -  Academic articles 

At home or in the library using your library card and the North Somerset Library Site you have access to:

• Encyclopedia Britannica
• John Johnson Collection
• Oxford English Dictionary
• Oxford Dictionary of National Biography No longer available
• Times Digital Archive
• Newstream - Newspapers from about 1990 to current day
• RBDigital eMagazine

ARCHIVES SEARCH

• http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/  (searches TNA and Local Record Offices)

CENSUSES

• http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/  (1901 & 1911 Irish Census)
• http://www.freecen.org.uk/
• http://www.familysearch.org (1881 Britain, 1880 USA, & 1881 Canada)
• http://automatedgenealogy.com/census/ (1901 Canadian Census)

CIVIL REGISTRATION

• https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/ - includes maiden name of mother from 1837 and age at death - requires registration but is free to use.
• http://www.freebmd.org.uk/
• http://www.ukbmd.org.uk/ (includes Bath, Berkshire, Cheshire, Cumbria, Lancashire, etc.)

GENERAL INFORMATION

• http://www.ffhs.org.uk/RUL-100301.pdf (Really Useful Leaflet!)
• http://www.genuki.org.uk/
• http://www.cyndislist.com/
• Any Search engine for general information

RESEARCH METHODS & TIPS

• http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/
• http://www.ffhs.org.uk/tips/RUL-2015-0805.pdf
• http://www.lostcousins.com
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/familyhistory/
• http://www.wsmfhs.org.uk (Weston-super-Mare & District FHS)

MIGRATION

• http://www.ellisisland.org/
• http://immigrantships.net/
• http://www.theshipslist.com/ (Immigrant Ships & passenger lists)

MILITARY

• http://www.1914-1918.net/
• http://www.cwgc.org/

MISCELLANEOUS

• http://www.oldbaileyonline.org/

NEWSPAPERS

• https://www.thegazette.co.uk/ (London, Edinburg or Belfast Gazette)
• http://www.llgc.org.uk (Welsh Newspapers)
• http://newspapers.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/home (Australian newspapers)
• http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ (American newspapers)
• http://www.iannounce.co.uk/ (recent Births, Marriages & Deaths etc.)

PARISH RECORDS (a few examples)

• http://www.familysearch.org
• http://www.freereg.org.uk/
• http://dustydocs.com/
• http://www.ukbmd.org.uk/online_parish_clerk (Online Parish Clerks)
• http://abel-serve.co.uk/ian_sage   (Somerset Transcriptions)
• http://www.cornwall-opc.org/ (Cornwall Transcriptions)