The Biggest and the Best Geneology Websites

The biggest geneology websites are not always the best, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be either. There is something to be said for size, after all, the bigger a website, the more information can be stored their. On the other hand, some genology websites are so big that you can be swamped with information, or be unable to locate the data you seek because it’s filed obscurely on some remote page. Smaller web sites also have their advantages and disadvantages. On one hand, a smaller site may have very specific information on a particular family, or branch of it or a particular topic, while on the other hand, a broader view of a topic will not be available. In this article we’ll list and review some of the biggest, and the best geneology websites.

1. Ancestry.com – This is one of the biggest commercial geneology websites on the internet today. The developers of Ancestry.com have compiled an impressive array of genealogical data for both beginners and genealogical veterans alike. Some of the information they provide is; United States Census Reports (Dating from 1790-1930), Military Records (the largest collection online), Immigration and Naturalization Records, Vital records of the United States and the UK, Maps, Obituaries and Newspaper Indexes, and Family Pedigrees. Ancestry.com offers a free 14 day trial for those interested in experimenting with the website, for which a subsequent annual membership will cost $12.95 per month. To register for the free trial you must submit your credit card details, so you’ll need to cancel your membership if you don’t want to continue beyond the initial trial period. 

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2. WorldVitalRecords.com – This award-winning website is one of the newer geneology websites, but has grown in leaps and bounds since its inception. It is another commercial website, though its annual subscription fee is a little less than that of Ancestry.com, being $9.95 per month for access to its complete catalogue of databases. WorldVitalRecords contains similar genealogical data to that of other geneology websites; Vital Records, census Reports, etc., but has some outstanding features of its own. One of these is the dedicated telephone helpline, as well as a well stocked library of tutorials and genealogy related articles.
3. IrishOrigins.com – This website is a subsidiary of the Origins Network which, although one of the largest family of geneology websites in the world, provides a host of smaller, subject specific geneology websites on particular genealogical topics, such as Irish or British ancestry. IrishOrigins provides valuable data on many facets of Irish ancestry that would otherwise be accessible only by travelling to Ireland and visiting the National Library or Archives in Dublin. A subscription fee is also required to access any genealogical data, but if your ancestors were Irish this is perhaps the best of geneology websites with information on that subject.

4. KinCafe.com – This is one of the geneology websites dedicated to connecting living family members with each other, and it’s completely free. You could consider this the FaceBook or Bebo of geneology websites, as it has the same purpose of social networking sites, but with a focus on family. You can upload family photos, share genealogical information, and even create gifts for your relatives. This is probably one of the easiest geneology websites to join, as the only registration information required is your full name and a valid email address.

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The above are just a small sampling of the various types of geneology websites that now exist on the internet. It is a matter of deciding which of the geneology websites is best suited to your particular genealogical needs, and this of course can only be done by first considering how far you want to go in your family history research. However deep you wish to go, there are geneology websites for every level of genealogist and every depth of research that you can imagine.