Genealogy
Heritage Quest Online Genealogy : A genealogy research tool you can use at home or in the library. Heritage Quest offers access to over 20,000 family and local histories, U.S. Federal Census records, 1790-1930, thousands of genealogy and local history periodicals, bank records, and more.
Ancestry Library Edition : A free premium genealogy research tool that provides instant access to a wide range of resources for genealogical and historical research, including records from the U. S. Census; military records; court, land & probate records; vital & church records; directories; petitions for naturalization; passenger lists... and more! From Ancestry.com and Proquest.
Login instructions : If you are logged in to the internet on a library computer, no further login is required to connect to databases - just click on the
Heritage Quest or Ancestry Library Edition link or logo above for direct access. If you are connecting via your your home, office or school computer, you will be prompted to enter your name, library barcode number (the 14-digit number on your library card), and PIN (your default PIN is the last four digits of the phone number you gave us when you registered for a library card).
1940 U.S. Census - 'This website allows you full access to the 1940 census images, in addition to 1940 census maps and descriptions. Please visit Getting Started to determine the best way to begin your search' (U.S. National Archives and Records Administration). NOTE : 'Although censuses are a source of genealogical information, the Census Bureau does not provide these data. In keeping with the Census Bureau's commitment to confidentiality, the Census Bureau information on individuals does not become available to the public until after 72 years.'
African-American Research - Information about Pre-Civil War, Military Records, and Post-Civil War Records at the National Archives, plus links to other helpful resources for African-Americans trying to trace their family history (National Archives and Records Administration). See the Afro-American Genealogical Research Guide for a list of useful print resources (Library of Congress). See also How Do I Trace My Slave Ancestors (from Lineages, Inc., a genealogy research company), and Slave Trade Voyages, below.
American Indian Ancestry [Link opens a PDF document] - Printable guide to acquiring the genealogical documentation needed to establish descent from an Indian tribe for membership and enrollment purposes (2008, U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs). See also Native American Records, which includes information about records at the National Archives, and links to many other useful resources (U.S. National Archives and Records Administration).
Census Finder - [NOTE : Using the search boxes at the TOP of Census Finder will take you to Ancestry.com, whose records are not free. To access Ancestry.com's records for free, you must use Ancestry Library Edition.] 'Census Finder is a tool designed to help you find sites which offer free census records online.' This huge directory includes links to records for the US, UK, Native Americans, Canada, Norway, and Sweden. Scroll down the page for search options and links.
Civil War Ancestors - Advice on researching ancestors who fought in the Civil War (National Park Service). See also Genealogy Notes : Civil War (2006, National Archives and Records Administration) and Civil War Era Records (FamilySearch.org).
Ellis Island American Family Immigration History Center - If any of your ancestors came to this country through Ellis Island between 1892 and 1924, you can find out exactly when they arrived, and on what ship. Enter the name of the passenger in the space provided, and click on 'Start Search' to get a list of matching records. NOTE: You will need to register with your name and e-mail address (registration is free) to view the full record.
Ethnic Heritage Resources - Links to online resources specific to various ethnic groups, including African-American, Asian, British, Eastern European and Russian, Hispanic, Jewish, and Native American. (National Archives and Records Administration)
FamilySearch Internet Genealogy Service - Genealogy website for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon Church) which maintains extensive genealogy resources (not just for Mormons). Includes
how-to advice
and related resources.
Family Tree Charts (Printable) - Choose one of three PDF charts to print and fill in with names and dates of your ancestors. See also family group sheets [Link open a PDF] and ancestor charts [Link open a PDF] (National Genealogical Society), and Library of Michigan Pedigree Chart [Link open a PDF].
Genealogy How-To Guide - An excellent step-by-step guide to researching your family history, from Genealogy.com (site includes advertisements). Genealogy Research Tutorials offers 'simple tutorials that may answer some questions you have about getting started, gathering information from others, or turning professional.' The tutorials are free, but include some references to publications for sale, and resources available only to members (National Genealogical Society).
Genealogy Links - Links to selected genealogy resources, including digital libraries, state & regional resources, and more. (Princeton Public Library)
Genealogy Software - Software downloads for researching and organizing your family history. Includes ratings & reviews by editors and users. Use the menu on the left to narrow the list by operating system or device, and to limit your choices to free software, free-to-try, or software to purchase. (CNET.com; site includes advertisements).
Holocaust and War Victims Tracing Center - 'A national clearinghouse for persons seeking the fates of loved ones missing since the Holocaust and its aftermath. We assist U.S. residents searching for proof of internment, forced/slave labor, or evacuation from former Soviet territories on themselves or family members.' To begin your search, contact your local Red Cross chapter (American Red Cross). See also International Tracing Service (ITS), which 'serves victims of Nazi persecutions and their families by documenting their fate through the archives it manages. The ITS preserves these historic records and makes them available for research.' Restoring Family Links helps families separated by all kinds of conflicts, disasters or migration to get back in contact with their relatives (ICRC and National Red Cross & Red Crescent Societies).
International Genealogy : The WorldGenWeb Project - A collection of genealogy websites from countries all over the world, hosted by volunteer researchers. (Non-profit organization)
Library of Congress Local History and Genealogy Reading Room - Explains what resources are available at the Library of Congress for genealogy researchers, with tips on using the collection in Washington, D.C.
National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) - Explains what genealogy resources are available through the U.S. National Archives and how to obtain them. Covers census, immigration, military, and other records, plus FAQs, tips for doing genealogical research, preserving your family records, and more. NARA's Prologue Magazine offers Genealogy Notes on a range of topics such as African American History, American Indians, Immigration & Naturalization, Prison Records, and various wars.
New Jersey Division of Archives and Records - Searchable databases of marriage, death, & property records from the 17th - 19th centuries, World War I casualties, and other New Jersey historical records.
New Jersey Genealogy - An extensive guide to genealogical resources available from Rutgers University and elsewhere. Covers New Jersey places, family bible records, genealogical compilations, churches/religious bodies, newspapers, census, city directories, cemeteries, military records, immigration and more. (Rutgers University Libraries)
NJGenWeb : New Jersey Genealogy Organizations - A list of New Jersey genealogical societies, historical societies, libraries, museums, etc., arranged by town or county. Includes links to websites, where available. For resources in other states, go to the USGenWeb : States page. (Run by volunteers)
Olden Times - A miscellaneous online collection of 18th, 19th and early 20th century newspapers from the U. S., England, Scotland, Australia & Ireland; most of the newspapers date between 1788 and 1920. Includes indexes to birth, death and marriage announcements. Not a comprehensive collection. (Site includes advertisements)
Preserving Family Records - Information on how to preserve family documents, photos, memorabilia, and home movies (National Archives and Records Administration). For information on how to preserve items that have been damaged in a flood or other disaster, see Save Your Treasures [Link opens a PDF document] (Heritage Preservation; non-profit organization).
RootsWeb - Guidance, name search, and extensive links for researching your family history. We recommend starting with the helpful detailed subject index to the RootsWeb research guides (site includes advertisements). [NOTE : RootsWeb is now part of Ancestry.com. To access Ancestry.com's records for free, use Ancestry Library Edition.]
Ships List - [NOTE : Using the search boxes at the TOP of Ships List will take you to Ancestry.com, whose records are not free. To access Ancestry.com's records for free, you must use Ancestry Library Edition.] Ships List provides information on ships which brought immigrants to the United States, Canada, Australia, and other parts of the world. 'Some ships passenger lists, schedules, wreck data, and other information which is not readily available, has been collected, along with links to other sites of interest.' (By Sue Swiggum and Marjorie Kohli; site includes advertisements)
Slave Trade Voyages - Searchable African Names Database, which identifies over 67,000 Africans aboard slave ships, using name, age, gender, origin, and place of embarkation, plus a searchable database of documented slaving voyages; you can create listings, tables, charts, and maps using information from the voyages database. Also includes a variety of related resources. (Emory University et al.)
Social Security Death Master File - The Social Security Administration (SSA) maintains a Master File of millions of deaths that were reported to SSA. The National Technical Information Service (NTIS) offers a paid subscription service for online searches of the Death Master File through their website. 'Please note that other parties have purchased SSA's Death Master File Extract through NTIS and then posted it on their own different web sites. Although these private parties call / refer to their own web sites as SSA's death index or SSA's Death Master File, these are not endorsed by SSA, nor can SSA confirm that these private web sites are kept up-to-date or accurate with SSA's death data in any way.' Ancestry Library Edition is one such private party which offers a searchable 'Social Security Death Index' database.
Veterans' Gravesite Locator - 'Search for burial locations of veterans and their dependents in VA National Cemeteries, state veterans cemeteries and various other Department of Interior and military cemeteries.' (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs)
Virtual Wall - A website commemorating Americans who lost their lives in the Vietnam War or remain missing in action. Enter a name to search for photo, text and audio remembrances posted by families, friends and veterans.
VitalChek - Online order site for vital records such as birth certificates, death certificates, and marriage certificates. There is a service fee, which must be charged to a major credit card, to order records from VitalChek (LexisNexis, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.; Site includes advertisements). Replace Your Vital Documents is a U.S. government site offering information on other ways to obtain copies of birth, marriage, & death certificates, immigration papers, military service records, tax returns, and more. See also Vital Records : Documents Issued in the U.S.
The USGenWeb Project - Offers free transcriptions of public domain records, including census records, marriage bonds, wills, and other public documents. Links to the National Archives Search Engine or to the State Archives Search Engine. (Volunteer-based organization)
