Several unique terms and phrases describe the features of services we review on this site, some easier to grasp than others. This list briefly defines terms relevant to Genealogy Search.

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Ratings

Name Database

We looked at the main database and other databases the service uses to gather genealogy information. The largest of these databases contains over 3 billion names. We also looked at the information the database(s) provides such as birthdates, marriage dates, death dates, places of birth and death and so on.

Worldwide Focus

Some sites have worldwide appeal, so the information they provide could benefit everyone, whereas other sites are specific to a certain nationality, race or country.

Other Resources

The service provides links to other resources with information that would benefit genealogy research, for example, military records of the Vietnam War, court cases, land grants from the early 1800's and so on.

Ease of Use

The genealogy service's website is organized, intuitive and easy to navigate. The site should include directions on how to access and use various features. Tips and helps, that offer advice on what to do with the information you find, or what to do if you can't find the desired data is also useful.

Help/Support

The service should provide phone support and email support, a FAQs page or other types of support including tutorials, online classes and so on, so you can find answers in a timely manner.

Features

FREE Trial Period

This genealogy search service offers a free initial trial period so you can try their service and see if you want to sign up.

Ancestry Name Search

The site includes a location where you can enter a name or a number of names along with their profiles and the service will search their databases for the person(s) in your list. The service will notify you by email when they find matches.

US Census Records

Documents of an official enumeration of the population in a particular area of the United States-they include a count of the citizens of an area and other vital information, such as name, age, citizenship status and ethnic background. Census records can prove to be invaluable in creating a family tree at a particular place and time.

UK Census Records

Documents of an official inventory of the population in a particular area of the United Kingdom-they contain population count of an area and other important information, like name, age, citizenship status and ethnic background. Census records can prove to be invaluable in generating a family history at a particular place and time.

Vital Records

Mark the milestones of our lives and are the foundation of family history research-include dates of birth, marriage, death and social security death index.

Birth Records - by Country or State

The service provides access to one or more databases that can search for birth records by the state or country where the person was born.

Marriage Records - by Country or State

The service provides access to one or more databases that can search for marriage records by the state or country where the person was married.

Death Records - by Country or State

The service provides access to one or more databases that can search for death records by the state or country where the person died.

Social Security Death Index

The service provides access to the Death Master File (DMF) from the Social Security Administration (SSA). This file currently contains over 74 million records of deceased persons possessing social security numbers and whose deaths were reported to the SSA. The current update reflects the latest information provided by the SSA as of July 2005.

Obituary Collection - by Country, City or State

The service provides access to a database of obituaries found in newspapers that are searchable by city, state or even by country.

US Immigration Records

The genealogy service provides access to passenger lists and naturalization records. Every American hoping to link generations will ultimately face immigration questions.

New York Passenger Lists

The service provides access to records that contain information regarding immigrant passengers arriving at New York, NY.

Passenger & Immigration Lists

The service provides access to lists that contain over 4,215,000 individuals who arrived in United States and Canadian ports from the 1500s through the 1900s. North American's with immigrant ancestors will find passenger and immigration lists very helpful because they contain information dating as far back as the 1500s.

Family Facts Search

Contain specifics on families, from the lifespan of your ancestors to the meaning of your surname.

Military Records

The service provides access to records that contain enlistment dates, facts about famous battles, provide locations of gravesites of war veterans and unique military service details to help you chronicle the stories of those who served in the U.S. Military. These records include death lists, casualty indexes, draft records, pension records, registration cards, rosters and service records.

Directories & Members Lists

The genealogy service provides access to a compilation of printed and electronic databases dating from the 1680s to 2000. These databases contain contact information for individuals and groups from the U.S. and the U.K. (including Ireland and Scotland). Directories and member lists are the predecessors of the modern-day phone book and list the inhabitants of a locality, their addresses and occupations (and sometimes business addresses). Most directories list individuals alphabetically and are one of the most user-friendly records available to genealogists. Some types of records you may encounter are alumni directories, business or professional directories, city directories, member lists or telephone directories.

Family & Local Histories

The service provides access to the Family & Local Histories Collection that stores personal details you won't find in more technical and succinct records. Discover photographs, stories, maps and histories that add priceless depth and personality to your family history research. This Collection contains journals, memoirs and other first-hand historical narratives gathered from some of the world's finest libraries and may provide hard-to-find town, county and state information including tax records, wills, military, church, court records, photographs, stories, maps and more. You can view most of this material from your computer.

Newspapers & Periodicals

The service provides access to The Newspapers & Periodicals Collection-discover a wealth of information about your ancestors from many different kinds of newspapers, magazines and periodicals. The collection includes historical newspapers, obituary collections, free historical newspaper images and a periodical source index (PERSI) from almost every state in the U.S. and many foreign countries.

Court, Land & Probate Records

The service provides access to court, land and probate records. These documents are often overlooked but are an important part of genealogical research. For example, court cases can often involve dozens of litigants and defendants, many of whom may be related.

Land records, such as deeds, are among the most important documents available for tying a person to a place, especially in cases where time, place and circumstances have made vital records difficult to research.

Probate records supply interesting details, such as the total value of estates and lists of surviving family members.

Bible Records

The service provides access to listings of the available online Bible records, listed by geographical areas.

Biographies

The service provides access to biographies, a great way to add genealogy notes to your family tree. Some biographies are small sketches of citizens of various townships and county histories; others are extensive biographies of the individual.

Cemetery Records

The service provides access to U.S. cemetery transcripts, generally listed by state. Browse these listings for cemetery transcriptions found across the web.

Free Genealogy Charts

The service provides a collection of free genealogy forms available for you to download, print and fill out-these generally include an explanation of how to conduct your research using each chart.

Genealogy Books Online

The genealogy site includes a directory of online history and genealogy books. These may include biography anthologies, county or local histories and family histories.

Native American Records

The service provides access to tribal histories, final rolls, census and an extensive collection of online books to supply you with Native American records.

Surnames Index

The service provides access to an index of millions of surnames.

Finding Aids

The service provides access to The Reference & Finding Aids Collection, which includes dictionaries, maps, country studies, research guides and gazetteers that will help family historians find and understand genealogical records. Some databases featured in this section include: The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy, The Genealogical Library Master CatalogT Volume 1 and Map Center.

Library

The service provides access to articles on genealogy research, how-to articles, tips, facts and a myriad of other tools and information to assist in your research.

Genealogy Online Training Courses

The service provides interactive online genealogy classes to help you discover what genealogy is all about. Popular family history experts teach the courses and help you with all your genealogy research needs.

Grow Your Own Family Tree

The service has a link to OneWorldTree, a website that gathers family trees and family history records from millions of people, analyzes the birth, death and marriage data and then displays the most probable matches for your ancestors. You can build and share your own family tree by adding and changing information.

Message Boards

Also known as a discussion group-the genealogy service has an application that allows clients to post and reply to messages from other clients and review the flow of a discussion.

Learning Center

The genealogy website has a section of learning materials, archives of magazines and news articles, and a plethora of other materials to help with genealogy work.

Shopping Center

The site includes an online store where you can buy many different types of items for your genealogical research such as books, tapes, CD's, software and more.

International Partner Sites

The service provides links to international sites that provide essentially the same type of information and resources, but on an international level.

Free Genalogy Newsletters

The service offers a newsletter that includes information about additions and/or changes to their site such as new databases, mailing lists and websites. It may also have tips on using their site and genealogical research, humor, readers' stories and other articles of interest to family historians around the world.

Family Trees & Communities

The service helps you discover, record, and share your research by participating in the creation of the OneWorldTree. Connect your family's history to the future of online genealogical research and let your research benefit from work already completed by amateur and professional genealogists.

Help/Support

Phone Support

The service provides a telephone number to reach customer support.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

The Genealogy service offers a FAQs (frequently asked questions) page to provide you with information.

Tutorials or Online Classes

The service offers tutorials or online classes to teach you how to research your ancestry.

eMail

The website provides an email address so you can email customer support with any queries.

User Forum

The service provides an area on their website where you can meet other clients and discuss genealogy matters.

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