Family history resources

Temple and Family

Start with FamilySearch, then use trusted record collections to discover names, dates, places, and stories that connect generations.

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FamilySearch

FamilySearch is a free family history website with a shared family tree, historical records, memories, research help, and learning resources. It is a good first stop when you want to search for an ancestor, attach sources, preserve photos, or find what records may exist for a place and time period.

Because the FamilySearch tree is collaborative, treat hints and existing tree connections as clues. The strongest family history work is backed by original records, careful dates and places, and source notes that explain why a match is trustworthy.

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Research links

Popular Family History Databases

FamilySearch

Free records, shared tree, memories, catalog, books, and research wiki.

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Ancestry

Large subscription genealogy platform with records, public trees, DNA tools, and hints.

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MyHeritage

International family trees, historical records, photo tools, and DNA features.

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Findmypast

Strong collections for British, Irish, Scottish, newspaper, census, and parish research.

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National Archives

U.S. federal records, census guidance, military records, immigration records, and research help.

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USGenWeb

Free volunteer-run U.S. genealogy pages organized by state and county.

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Internet Archive

Digitized books, city directories, local histories, newspapers, yearbooks, and scanned records.

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WikiTree

Free collaborative tree focused on sourced profiles and community genealogy projects.

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Simple path

How to Begin

Start with what you know

Write down names, dates, places, photos, documents, and stories from your own home and family conversations.

Search records

Use FamilySearch and other databases to find census records, birth records, marriage records, death records, immigration records, and newspapers.

Attach sources

Keep every conclusion connected to a source so the next person can understand what you found and why it matters.

Share the story

Add memories, photos, and short stories so family history feels like people, not just names and dates.

Games

Practice with temple and family history games

Use the games page for word finds, temple matching, picture search, and family clue matching.

Open games