By Robin Nobles
Our individual heritage fascinates most of us. We're interested in our ancestors, in where they lived, in what wars they fought, and how they got to this continent. More and more people are working on their family trees. After all, if we don't capture the information now, it could be lost for future generations.
While sifting through genealogy sites for this article, several webpages seemed to float to the top above the others. One is Cyndi's List of Genealogy Sites, which aside from the sheer number of links, features an amazing list of categories for narrowing your search.
Another superb site is the Electric Cemetery Home Page, which is probably the best Civil War genealogy resource on the Web with its comprehensive projects on the war between the states.
I tend to prefer no nonsense sites that load fast and are jam-packed with valuable information, and that's what you'll find at the Genealogy Home Page. The What's New Section is particularly helpful for researchers who are only interested in what's been added to the site since their last visit.
For "how to" genealogy, Treasure Maps is tops. The site explains in simple language the ins and outs of searching for your ancestors.
Let's continue our search at the Best Genealogy Links on the WWW, where you'll discover links for beginning researchers as well as sites of interest to the most seasoned genealogists.
The philosophy of The Seeker's website is, "If you can't find your friends or relatives through The Seeker, they have LEFT THE PLANET!" The site allows you to search for military buddies, relatives, and even to see if you just might be a beneficiary of someone's insurance policy. You'll find links to genealogy resources, and you can even check their database to see if someone might be looking for *you*.
How about a site that boasts over 23,450 links in over 70 categories? At Cyndi's List of Genealogy Sites on the Internet, you'll find categories such as Adoption, Asia & the Pacific, African-American, Cemeteries & Funeral Homes, and even Family Bibles.
Genealogy Resources Center features guides and resources for beginning and experienced searchers, resources by location, historical genealogy, and even genealogy software. You'll also find a list of sites that conducts genealogy searches of surnames.
At Genealogy is My Hobby, you'll discover spots all over the Web where you can post your genealogy requests. Visit the Common Threads Search Engine to see if anyone else is researching the same family name, download genealogy graphics for your web page, or post a message or photo on a bulletin board.
If any of your ancestors fought in the Civil War, be sure to visit The Electric Cemetery Home Page: Genealogy, Civil War. Major projects include 8576 Union soldiers buried in Oklahoma, the 8th Iowa Calvary, and the sinking of the steamship Sultana near Memphis. If you're new to genealogy, stop by Genealogy Helpers, where you'll find relationship information about cousins several times removed, or a perpetual calendar that shows every day of the week from 1753 to 2000.
An Index of Surnames . . . Native American Genealogy . . . Canadian Genealogy . . . Genealogy Newsgroups and Mailing Lists . . . you'll find it all plus much more at A Barrel of Genealogy Links.
What about a resource that features the genealogy of the British Royal Family? At the Directory of Royal Genealogical Data, you'll find over 21,000 individuals listed in their database, from the earliest times to the present. You'll also find statistics on the ten most popular monarchs and Royal Family alphabetical listings for both surnames and forenames.
Compiled for the National Genealogical Society, the List of Genealogy Bulletin Board Systems features a listing of hundreds of computer bulletin boards around the world set up to assist genealogists.
Visit the Genealogy Home Page where you'll learn how maps can help you trace your family tree. Learn of upcoming genealogy events, or tips on helping you get started. Do you have Irish roots, or maybe Italian roots? If so, you'll find resources to help you, as well as genealogy help in areas such as Polish military history, Scottish ancestry, and Cuban genealogy.
Discover additional online resources that will help you in your genealogy search at Genealogy Listservers, Newsgroups, and Special Home Pages. You'll find general listservers and newsgroups such as Gen-Share or Gen-Obit, or groups that discuss particular surnames or even geographical regions. The resources are broken down by letters of the alphabet, so it's easy to look for specific surnames or areas.
At Helm's Genealogy Toolbox, you'll find an atlas containing links broken down by geographical area, white pages broken down by surname, and yellow pages broken down by subject categories, such as general references or beginner guides. The Journal of Online Genealogy is a free ezine that focuses on the use of online resources and techniques in genealogy and family history.
The National Genealogical Society is a national organization dedicated to providing resources and reference materials to assist genealogists in their search for history. Learn tips for preserving photos and documents, oral history questions, and more.
For government or law-related genealogy links, visit Family Derivatives Genealogy Resources on the Internet. The site features genealogy humor ("I've fallen into my family tree and I can't get out!"), obituaries from almost every state and province, and American Revolutionary War resources.
At Treasure Maps, the How-to Genealogy Site, you'll find five steps to getting started on your family tree, a tutorial on deciphering old handwriting, and a tutorial on U.S. Federal Census.
Online Genealogical Database Index features a massive compilation of links to genealogical databases searchable through the Net, and it is also linked to GenDex, which reportedly has more than two million entries.
Enter a last name, a female first name, or a male first name, and the U.S. Census Bureau's Search Names File will tell you how many people have the same name.
If you're considering displaying your family tree on the Web, be sure to visit The Family Web, where you can study a suggested public-domain format for displaying genealogical ties using HTML.
The Genealogy Software Springboard outlines various software programs for compiling your genealogical information. Pros and cons for each program are listed, as well as the important features.
GenForum features over 1500 genealogy-related online forums and a genealogy chat room. Search for the surname of your choice and post or read messages from individuals with the same interest.
Are you interested in the passengers who came to America on the Mayflower? At The Mayflower Web Pages, learn the complete Mayflower history and related genealogy.
Robin Nobles is a freelance writer who can be reached at smslady@netdoor.com.