Have you ever gotten so bored you started a family tree online just to learn you know very little about your family?  

I just have. I got to my parents then blanked out. Got names for aunts n uncles and grandparents yet birthdays death dates and places they were born or died total blank. Then the site tries to help yet only if you pay. What kind of scam is that?

So anyone got any ideas of a totally free site?  

If not I will have to ask grandma next time I c her.lol

Damn I feel stupid...lol

Let me guess: Ancestry.com? But you know, they have free forums where ou can ask questions about people in your family, and many people are really friendly and will help out. Some people get snippy and tell you to pay for it yourself and quit freeloading. Lol! But I've connected with very distant cousins via the forums, and it is a lot of fun.  

The Mormon church are big into genealogy, and will help you do free stuff. Some people don't want that because apparently the Mormons will baptize your ancestors as Mormons posthumously. Lol! I don't know if it is true, but there you have it. I'm not religious, so I really don't care. I went to their center in Salt Lake City, and found some fascinating stuff about my family. But if you find your local Mormon library, you can go there and they'll be happy to help. They don't try to convert you.

If you know where your parents were born, and have a good relationship with them, find out where your grandparents are buried. Some graveyards have their stones' names and other info (dates, epitaphs) online. Many yearbooks are being digitized, too, so you can look up people that way. Google "free genealogy resources" and you'll find lots of stuff to help. I'm not sure if you have any family tree software on your computer, but you might be able to find some free software somewhere. The Mormons used to have something called "PAF", or personal ancestral file, but they no longer support it. There may be a free replacement, so google it to see. I need to convert my file, so if I get around to it I'll PM you anything I find.

Also consider going through your families' attics- offer to clean out garages and attics and basements- you'll be amazed at the stuff you find. But it's all a lot of fun!!

I have accumulated 4 loose-leaf notebooks full of all kind of papers and copies of historic documents. Many times I reached a dead end and put my work away only to use google a year later and find a new lead. I have visited cemeteries, The Quaker Church records who married young Native American women to older Christian men. My search is still not over but getting closer than I thought I would.

The Orlando Public Library has a whole floor dedicated to Ancestry help with lots of old books from all over the country. They also use a lender library system which makes your search much more exciting. I actually got to hold an old book with my great great grandmother's and grandfather's intentions of marriage ... along with birth records of all their children. It was priceless and very humbling when I looked through the death records of this little community.

Another helpful spot is the Mormon church here in Orlando. They offer classes and will show you how to get started right in the church Library. I don't have their number but easy to find. I went to a free seminar 12 years ago just for something different to do and walked out so excited with the few pieces of information I found. I will never stop searching

Good luck with your search ... It is exciting to find out the mysteries in your family's past

Kisses Haley

For all that info. But I'm from Germany n my son was first gen. Born here in the states. So most of my digging will be over seas

But thanx for all the great ideas

international! My relatives are from England and other (non English-speaking) countries as well.  

Seriously- you think there would be anything out there that didn't have info from other countries? Unless you're Native American, your ancestors are from elsewhere, buttercup. What I'm saying is that it doesn't matter if your ancestors are from Timbuktu- every resource we shared will still work.

After I mentioned Timbuktu in my last post, I realized that if you really are from Timbuktu, it might be a little harder to get records. If you even know that your ancestors are from Timbuktu.  

One thing that can work for anyone to find out really ancient ancestral info is your DNA. There are companies who will send you a swab kit and they send you your results, that place you within one of 5 ancient tribes, where apparently we all came from. (I understand that many, many people are related to Genghis Khan, he was quite prolific. Apparently raped his way across his conquered territories...)

But this is expensive. And it is brilliant for men because of the y chromosome - apparently they can get really specific on your father's line. Doesn't get as specific for women (something about it being less easy to trace the x chromosomes).