MISCELLANEOUS LINKS

I will continue to add as I come across useful links. See also Regional Links and Useful FamilySearch.org URLs.

General

WikiTree Links


Examples:
  • Census in table format: see Profile

1939 National Register 

Useful links:

Ancestry.com/Ancestry.co.uk Links

  • For those who preferred "old search" to "new search": How to Simulate Old Search using Category Exact Mode and Improvement to Category + Exact Mode – I do like to be able to search on a range of dates, rather than being limited to fixed limits and only up to +/- 10 years
  • Free Databases on Ancestry – includes the 1880 and 1940 US censuses, 1881 UK census, Birth/Marriage/Death Registers of the UK, and a range of others
  • To search for hints on a specific Ancestry database: https://www.ancestry.com/hints/tree/XXXXXXXX/hints?hf=record&hs=last&hdbid=YYYYY, where XXXXXXXX is your tree number and YYYYY is the database number.

Find My Past Links

See How to Get the Best From FindMyPast and FindMyPast Tips Update for articles from LostCousins.com on using the new website (changed in 2014).

I'm listing here some links for searches I use a lot, with the "best" format for search fields doesn't necessarily show up initially:
  • 1939 Register – Released in 2015, FMP is the only website to have this record set. A useful tip for changing the visually unattractive blocks of black (for locked records) is in this Lost Cousins article.
  • England and Wales Births 1837-2006 – this allows a search on mother's maiden name (as in the past – although does not allow for name variants), and what is better than previously, allows filtering on more than one county.
  • England & Wales Marriages 1837-2008 – this allows searching on spouse's name, BUT ONLY THE SURNAME – it was very useful to be able to search on FIRST NAME in the past, as often the wife's maiden name is unknown (but the first name known based on census information), and to have the option for specific start and end dates, rather than year variance (i.e., Year +/- X years), as was available previously. It would also be useful to have "name variants" option for spouse's name, as well as separate fields for first name and surname, as available previously. There is a more generic way of searching for marriages on Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records, where one or more filters can be added to cover Marriages, and in the box "Optional Keywords", first name will work (location can also be added here) – HOWEVER, although there are boxes for Year of Birth (+/- variances) and Year of Death (+/- variances), there is no box for Year of Marriage (with a variance), and although one specific year can be added to the "Optional Keywords" box, you can't add a range of years. And there doesn't seem to be any way of searching for a spouse's name with name variants. So this is again a frustration that there are 2 ways of searching for marriages, each of which has advantages and disadvantages, and yet there is no one place where everything can be done quickly and efficiently, and it doesn't seem to be possible to replicate the search that could be done efficiently (and with a more helpful output) on the old website format.
  • England & Wales Deaths 1837-2007 – FMP has switched the order that the dates have to be entered and for searching for a death, it would make more sense to have the year of death to appear before year of birth, and to have the option for specific start and end dates, rather than year variance (i.e., Year +/- X years), as was available previously.
  • England, Wales & Scotland Censuses, with the maximum number of fields for specific searching, including searching on address, occupation (needs to be exact), county, registration district, condition, relationship, etc., but the old search also allowed for another name in the household to be searched on, and it seems as though this is no longer an option when looking at one specific census (although it is when doing a search on all censuses, although other fields then aren't available!). Censuses by years: 1841, 1851, 1861, 1871, 1881, 1891, 1901, 1911 – and also Search All UK Censuses. [Note to self: Ask FMP where the "known issues with censuses" page has gone to – the Wayback Machine has the useful Knowledge Base outlining Known Issues with the 1841-1901 Censuses, which indicates missing pages and lost areas, but it would be better if FMP added back the link in an obvious place.]
  • Address Search: Allows searching on a street address (at least the road) for all the censuses and the 1939 Register.
  • British Newspaper Collection
The Parish records do have some useful new search filters, such as the first names of the mother and father. But as indicated above, the order that the date boxes aren't helpful (e.g., it would be helpful for the year of marriage to be the first box in a search for Marriages, rather than year of birth, and the year of death to be the first box for Burials, rather than the year of birth). Also, when you are in a search box, why is there an option to search on County or Country (and when you do, there is just the single option available, for the record set you are in)?  List of relevant County records I use in my research:
Miscellaneous links:
Other requests/questions for FMP:
  • Why are the source citations so very poor? (This was an issue with both old search and new search.)
  • Where are the FindMyPast TV Show videos? And where are the Tutorial Videos?

Records and Products

​

Genealogy Software and Charts

  • CreateFan.com – Now accepts GEDcom files (which can be created from all family tree programs, as well as from trees on the Ancestry website), whereas previously you had to have all your ancestors on FamilySearch.org (I don't). They have my favorite fan chart available anywhere, which covers 9 generations. It's free to use, and you can create a (free) PDF of your chart. You can also produce a 9-generation pedigree chart. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. I wasn't able to create a PDF when using Chrome as my browser, but had no problems using Internet Explorer. Unfortunately this website seems to have gone off-line.
  • WinGeno – Free software to create diagrams of family constellations in form of genograms.
  • Charting Companion Family Tree Charts (for GEDcom, Family Tree Maker, etc.) – I bought this for the unique Trellis Charts, Fan Charts, and also for the variety of Options available. I like their fan charts better than any other software I have seen, both ancestor and descendant fan charts. They also have options to color-code for X-chromosome inheritance (with really nice fan charts), and will allow both Y-DNA and mtDNA descendancy charts and reports, which are incredibly useful for identifying distant cousins with DNA that is relevant to you and your ancestors.
  • My Tree and Me – modern family trees, many suitable for children (I ordered Petals Aplenty as a gift for a baby girl and it is amazing)
  • Modern Trees – another company for modern family trees, with very clean lines ("less is more") designs
  • My Circle Family – and another company with modern family trees, allowing customization (including that of size), with the purchased output being electronic (JPG file) allowing freedom of the number of prints and the material you print on
  • Fan charts at Genealogy Fan Charts
  • Family Chart Masters
  • i (chart) you – another company where the output is an electronic file (for $25), allowing you to have it printed wherever you wish
  • SmartDraw – software that looks great for making diagrams (not just for genealogy), but seems rather expensive
  • The Bailey’s Free Genealogy Forms and Charts – blank forms and charts. I particularly like their Pedigree Fan Chart, which holds 8 generations (255 people), but this may need to be blown up, as it's difficult to fill in the 8th generation. Don't miss my blank Pedigree Chart and X-Inheritance Charts in Microsoft Word (and PDF) on the Downloads tab.  

Canada


UK and Ireland

US

Old Photos

Historical Maps

Miscellaneous:  LostCousins.com

Check out Information about Information about LostCousins and FAQs for more information about how it works and what you need to do. They have a few short articles that are useful, especially for those new to researching their family history in the UK (besides being useful for using their website):LostCousins also has a great newsletter, with really helpful information for those with an interest in UK genealogy – I recommend subscribing (it's free).

Very Miscellaneous

only search Genealogy Junkie

Page updated 13 September 2023