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Celtic Radio Community > Family History & Clans > Best Websites For Research

Posted by: CelticRose 23-Jan-2004, 02:39 AM

Welcome to the genealogy search. I have posted below some favorite sites you might want to look into for your search. Have fun!

Any of you who have others to recommend, please let me know and I will post them in here.

http://www.gencircles.com

http://www.rootsweb.com

http://www.cousinconnect.com

http://www.ancestry.com

http://genealogy.com

http://www.cyndislist.com/england.htm

http://www.mytrees.com

http://www.scotsgenealogy.com

http://heraldry-scotland.co.uk

http://www.familysearch.org (LDS church)

http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk

http://www.pro.gov.uk/research/default.htm

http://www.tiara.ie/links.html

http://www.theshipslist.com/index.html

http://genealogyregister.com/

http://www.hoganstand.com/general/identity/index.htm

http://www.cyberpursuits.com/gen/uk-ireland.asp

http://www.orion-arts.com/villages/

http://www.sag.org.au/aisnltrs/AISN0409.pdf

http://www.freesurnamesearch.com/search/ir...land/index.html

http://www.rootschat.co.uk/forum/index.php

http://www.genealogyblog.com/

Posted by: Lyra Luminara 14-Aug-2004, 04:10 PM

are you a member of mytrees.com?

Posted by: BitzeyOemler 14-Aug-2004, 04:56 PM

Thank you for adding one more url to my list that I already have. I've found that most of them are very useful, and have learned over the years to check everything listed on any of the sites before going further. Sending for microfilms from the library on www.familysearch.org has helped. Still I'm looking for my Conway relatives, and see that I must once again send away for more info again so perhaps I'll find them. My Irish & Scottish ancestors came to the US abt 1840.

Posted by: CelticRose 18-Aug-2004, 06:10 PM

QUOTE (Lyra Luminara @ 14-Aug-2004, 05:10 PM)

are you a member of mytrees.com?

Just for your info, mytrees.com was listed as one of the best sites to check out! I love that site!

Posted by: EMTQueen 29-Mar-2005, 02:51 PM

Which ones are free? I know Ancestry.com isn't.

Posted by: Haldur 30-Mar-2005, 09:50 PM

Thanks for the links there, Rose. My own geneological journey has been timultuous but I think with your help I can rest easy!

Again, thanks!

Posted by: CelticRose 31-Mar-2005, 05:00 PM

EMTQueen.... the main ones I know that are free to start off with are

Rootsweb.com
cousinconnect.com
mytrees.com
gencircles.com
familysearch.org (LDS church)

but the further you go into your search in these sites, they will all charge at some point. Genealogy can be a very expensive task.

Posted by: Shadows 31-Mar-2005, 10:00 PM

Just check out very carefully what ever you gleen from the web, some times fiction is included. If you can't hold or get a good photo copy of documentation ( even that can be forged now ) beware. I have been lead down some roads that turned out to be fictious but good research using documents soon showed the truth.

Posted by: CelticRose 01-Apr-2005, 06:07 PM

Very good point, Shadows. I was also told this by one of my cousins who has done most of the research in our family:

"too many people want to be the family "experts" when, in reality, all they do is copy what someone else said and never check to determine whether it's true. Let me suggest a little test to apply to anything you find on the Internet ... does the information include the documentation? If it doesn't include the documentation, then real genealogists (I'm definitely still an amateur) would deem it useless and nothing more than "gossip." The only way to find the documentation is by sheer hard work. What my small group does a lot is prove many things by actually disproving even more."

I thought this was great advice too.

Posted by: Shadows 01-Apr-2005, 10:58 PM

Very sound advice and true too!!! LOL!

Posted by: Sonee 09-Apr-2005, 10:56 AM

Just want to add one little thing, Ròs!

Lots of states now have their archives online, or are at least in the process of getting them. If you know what state you're looking for you can google the states archive department! I have found a lot of info this way!

They also have contact info on the sites so you can send for any documentation you find (for a small fee, of course!) And they will send you copies!

I feel more trusting of these than some other reasearch sites!

That's just MHO anyway!!!

Posted by: CelticRose 09-Apr-2005, 06:21 PM

Really, Sonee?!

I never thought of that. I wonder if my cousins have done that already. I will have to check with them and see. Right now they are doing most of the work.

Thanks for advice!

Posted by: Siobhan Blues 24-Jun-2005, 03:46 PM

We've had a bit of luck posting on the surname discussion boards on www.ancestry.com in the past... I check on my Gore maiden name there.

The genealogy.com web site is pretty good too. Earlier this year we got Family Tree Maker 2005 from them and now have it online at:

http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/g/a/r/Susan-Gore-Gardner/

It does not show the information as easily as I would like, its in one of those huge tree formats, but I have turned it all over to my husband & my dad to sort out. I've got my fingers in enough pies, I don't have time to try to figure out this thing too!

SB

Posted by: CelticRose 24-Jun-2005, 04:17 PM

SB! some people really like Genealogy.com. For me, I cancelled it cause every time I was just about to get somewhere, I would have to pay more money for the information and even then it would lead me to where I would have to pay even more for more info. It got very frustrating to me. good luck!

Posted by: Siobhan Blues 24-Jun-2005, 06:09 PM

Hey, no kiddin' - I never got any farther than the free membership, other than getting the Family Tree software to put all our family history info on to.
Dad, on the other hand, really got into the research stuff heavy a little over a year ago. I didn't know it at the time, but he went pretty far with it and paid for access to some old records... I don't know specifically which ones but he hinted not long ago that he spent not only a lot of time but a bit of cash too on his search.

But for him it apparently was worth it, because he was able to fill in some gaps in our history.

I can't afford to do that kind of thing!!! Starving artists have to be careful with their mooh-lah.

SB

Posted by: CelticRose 26-Jun-2005, 01:46 AM

Yeah! I know what you mean.

I don't have that kind of cash either so I had quit and let my cousins take over who were willing to spend the money!

Posted by: MsKaty 02-Aug-2005, 07:52 PM

I haven't had a chance to utilize this but a lot of Scottish Clans have their own resident geneologist. From what I understand they are able to do & find quite a bit of info.
Just thought you'd like to know & maybe already did!
MsKaty

Posted by: CelticRose 04-Aug-2005, 04:17 PM

No, I didn't know that. Thanks MsKaty for the information. How do you go about it? Do you contact a clan society on the net or what?

Posted by: MacSimoin 16-Sep-2005, 04:53 AM

Just a brief opinion:

For the money, features, ease-of-use, support and depth of available information, Ancestry.com is by far the best of the listed subscription-based sites. I've been using Ancestry.com for several years and I'm more than happy with the site.

For non-subscription use, the LDS site can be fairly useful as well but be cautious of incomplete information and records.

As always, I'd recommend you validate and cross-reference any information you find on any of these sites (subscription-based or not) with other available records to ensure you're on the right path. Occasionally, you'll find that information posted at these sites can be misleading and downright inaccurate (even on subscription-based sites). Be cautious who you communicate and share records with and by all means do not divulge any personal information about yourself or your immediate family.

If you have the time, money and patience, invest in the skills and experience of a reputable genealogist---and ask for references if you choose to enlist their help. If they're not willing to provide references, move on and find someone else who can and will.

Posted by: CelticRose 20-Sep-2005, 06:22 PM

Oh thanks so much, MacSimoin! That helps tremondously as I have always liked ancestry.com as well.

Posted by: Siobhan Blues 19-Oct-2005, 01:06 PM

I've just got a second today and thought I'd ask here - does anyone know if Bell is a Scottish name?

Posted by: A Shrule Egan 19-Oct-2005, 07:56 PM

QUOTE (Siobhan Blues @ 19-Oct-2005, 02:06 PM)

I've just got a second today and thought I'd ask here - does anyone know if Bell is a Scottish name?

This should give you the info you are looking for: http://www.clanbell.org/

Motto: I Beir The Bel
Names associated with the clan: BEAL, BEALE, BEALL, BELE BELL BELLE BEL MACMOIL

Posted by: Gwion Bach 27-Nov-2005, 07:35 AM

I am trying to find records that precede the Easter rebellion. It seems a lot of records were 'lost' (destroyed) during that time.

I've run into I dead end. With common surnames such as McGrath in Clare and Lyons in Mayo it is difficult find any information.

Any points to sources will be greatly appreciated.

I have been able trace the family in the USA, but that is only three generations including myself. Some arrived here prior to 1916, but not by much, so the tracing is difficult.

Posted by: A Shrule Egan 27-Nov-2005, 09:24 AM

One of the hardest things about researching, is going through page after page of postings from others on genealogy pages. If you take your time and read each one, it can be rewarding. With that said, you will stay very busy with the two names you are searching. Start here: http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?rank=0&hc=25&gss=mb&db=mb&p=&mbtitle=&ti=0&ti.si=0&gl=&gst=&gskw=McGrath&period=&f4=&f3=&f8=&sx=&f6= and here: http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?rank=0&hc=25&gss=mb&db=mb&p=&mbtitle=&ti=0&ti.si=0&gl=&gst=&gskw=Lyons&period=&f4=&f3=&f8=&sx=&f6= When you get burned out and frustrated mark your spot that you left on and switch to the other name. Since Lyons has over 26,000 posts alone, you will be very busy there.

Also, post whatever you do know under those names and don't be vague. If you post useless info, people viewing your post will have no idea what you are really looking for.

You are correct about lack of official records. Both counties you are dealing with, lost most of their records, either, through the riots or during WWII when Ireland recycled the paper that the records were on.

Check you PM box. I'm sending you an e-mail address for you to contact that person who should help a bit for County Mayo info.

Posted by: Senara 26-Jun-2006, 08:23 AM

I'm back into geneology mode again...always seems to happen after a family reunion. Anyway my family actually has a book published with the lines verified up until the 1900's. Work in process now to create the coverage for the past 100 years or so. Anyway there are tons of published geneologies out at http://www.higginsonbooks.com and some are very reasonably priced and some like mine are a bit more but well worth the investment if it's something you're going to base your searches from.

I think I'm actually going to pick my great grandparents and work forward in time so that I can at least get all the information I can on the new generations so that when it's time to pull the new book together I'll have already compiled all the information I need from my aunts and uncles and their kids and grandkids....

Posted by: olsongayle 01-Jun-2014, 12:34 PM

Thanks for posting these resources! There are several that are new ones to me. I will definitely check them out.