Request a free genealogy lookup

Browse this week’s featured collections. Each lookup page explains what its index covers and includes a request form. Read the coverage details and guidelines before submitting one ancestor’s name. A possible match is a lead to investigate, so compare dates, places, and family relationships with the records you already have.

Build your research skills

The guide for people new to genealogy offers a place to begin. Browse research tips for ideas about reading records, organizing notes, and following unfamiliar names. Keep a note of where each detail came from, and separate what a document says from what you think it might mean.

Thinking about federal records? Read Questions to Ask Before Using the National Archives for help preparing your search. Start with your ancestor’s name, time period, and location, then identify the record collection most likely to answer your question.

Listen to the Genealogy Gold Podcast

Explore family history and history topics in the episode directory.

Browse free Genealogy eBooks

Prefer reading? Choose a title that interests you. The latest resources above give you another way to discover a subject, revisit an earlier question, or learn about the places your family called home.

Ask a genealogy question

If you are unsure which record to try or how to approach a research question, send a genealogy question. Include the names, dates, places, and sources you have already checked. For a name search in a featured index, use that collection’s lookup form instead. Explore Ancestral Findings whenever you want a fresh idea for your family history research.