Major Databases for Beginning United States Research: Difference between revisions

'''Value of Databases. '''Genealogists use databases to quickly find compiled genealogies and original and derivative records. The primary advantage of using databases early in the research process is their ease of use. As a result of the rapid growth of the Internet and genealogical databases, it is likely that many of our American ancestors in the 1800s and earlier will be found in at least one database.  

'''Jurisdictions. '''Many of the larger databases, such as FamilySearch and Ancestry, combine material from many different sources, jurisdictions, and time periods. Worldwide, national, state or provincial, county, town, and individual family databases exist.  

'''''Search databases early. '''''Search worldwide, multiple-source databases such as FamilySearch and Ancestry.com when you begin research on a family. Also search databases for the states and counties where the family lived.  

'''''At first enter with only a little search information''.''' When searching computerized databases, enter only a little search information to start. If this results in too many matches, add another piece of information and repeat the search. Slowly add more information one piece at a time until the number of matches is reasonable.  

'''''When the first search doesn’t locate data… '''''If the original search results in no matches, remove most of the details in the search request. Alternatively, try variant name spellings in the search request. Wild card name searches may also be supported in some computerized databases.  

''[http://www.ancestryinstitution.com/search Ancestry.com]'' Library Edition. Free access at [https://www.familysearch.org/centers/locations/ FamilySearch Centers].  

''[https://www.statueofliberty.org/discover/passenger-ship-search/ The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, Inc.]'' Free index to New York City passenger arrivals from 1820 to 1892, containing roughly 12 million immigrants.  

[http://services.dar.org/public/dar_research/search/?tab_id=0 ''DAR Genealogical Research System (GRS)''] is a free resource provided by the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) to aid general genealogical research and to assist with the DAR membership process. The GRS is a collection of databases that provide access to the many materials amassed by the DAR since its founding in 1890.  

[http://www.nps.gov/civilwar/soldiers-and-sailors-database.htm ''NPS Civil War Soldiers and Sailors Database''] 1861–1865 index of Union and Confederate veterans, giving the regiment, company, rank, and film number.  

''[https://www.libertyellisfoundation.org/ Ellis Island.org]'' 1892–1924 New York City passenger arrival index showing ethnicity, arrival date, residence, age, ship, port of departure, passenger manifest image, and ship’s image. The best index for this site is at [http://www.jewishgen.org/databases/eidb/ellisgold.html?firstkind=starts&FNM=&lastkind=starts&LNM= ''Ellis Island in One Step''].  

''[http://www.fold3.com/documents Fold3.com]'' Free access at [https://www.familysearch.org/centers/locations/ Family History] Centers. Digital original sources such as naturalizations, Revolutionary War papers, Civil War papers, Mormon Battalion pensions, newspapers, Southern Claims Commission, and Texas births and deaths. ''Formerly known as Footnote.com''  

''[http://www.gencircles.com/ GenCircles.com]'' Indexes user-contributed family trees. ''(Merged with [http://www.myheritage.com MyHeritage.com])''  

''[http://www.heritagequestonline.com/hqoweb/library/do/index HeritageQuest]'' $: This website contains indexes (1790–1820, 1860–1880, and 1900–1940) and images (1790–1940) to U.S. federal censuses; over 28,000 family and local histories; PERSI, an index to 2.3 million genealogical periodical articles; Revolutionary War pension and bounty-land warrants; Freedman’s Bank records; and U.S. Congressional records. It is free at the FamilySearch Library, larger FamilySearch Centers, and many public libraries. '''Check with your local library for free access to HeritageQuest'''.  

''[http://www.americanancestors.org American Ancestors - New England Historical Genealogical Society]'' Free at FamilySearch Library. Births, marriages, deaths, tax lists, church records, wills, family histories, diaries, ''The Great Migration Begins'', and the ''New England Historic Genealogical Society Register''.  

''[http://www.onegreatfamily.com/Home.aspx OneGreatFamily.com]'' Free at FamilySearch Library. Over 190 million unique entries created from shared submissions by individuals. Also includes Social Security Death Index (1962–present).  

''[https://www.ancestry.com/boards/ RootsWeb Surname List]'' Over 1.2 million surname links to submitter contact data via this file.  

''[http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/ RootsWeb WorldConnect]'' More than 640 million names on family trees including births, marriages, deaths, parents, children, sources, pedigrees, family groups, and submitter contact data.  

''[http://usgwarchives.net/ USGenWeb Archives] ''Free transcriptions of census records, marriage bonds, death records, wills, biographies and other documents, transcribed by volunteers, organized by state and county. ''Searchable.''  

[http://www.archives.gov/research/genealogy/index.html ''United States National Archives''] Supplemental resources for genealogists and access to various databases.  

''[http://www.glorecords.blm.gov United States General Land Office (GLO) Records] ''Contains image access to more than 5 million federal land title records issued between 1820 and the present,'' ''and also includes<span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> survey plats, land status records, and the control document index.</span><br>

''[http://www.findagrave.com FindAGrave.com] ''Free. Over 112 million grave records, catagorized by state, county, town. ''Searchable.''  

[http://www.gendisasters.com ''GenDisasters.com''] Free. Transcribed newspaper and other historical accounts of train wrecks, tornadoes, fires, floods, accidents and other disasters. ''Searchable.''  

''[http://www.interment.net Interment.net] ''Free. User-submitted cemetery listings.  

[http://loc.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/media/index.html?appid=3c6a392554d545bdb1c083348ef56458&center=-97.5126;39.6376&level=3&loclr=blogsig ''Chronicling America''] Free. Search America's historic newspaper pages from 1836-1922 or use the U.S. Newspaper Directory to find information about American newspapers published between 1690-present.