Note: All prices quoted were correct when the information was compiled, but please check with the vendor for the current prices.
General sites
Background Checks - Genealogy
A US-based online directory and portal for finding online public records; this page sign-posts genealogical resources
LDS family search site
A massive site that pools the resources of a wide range of international genealogy databases including the International Genealogical Index (IGI).
Society of Genealogists
The Society, which was founded in 1911, offers a mix of research material, guidance and support for genealogists from novice to expert. It has a huge library of data, based in London, which is free to members. Online resources include Parish Register Holdings and a link to Boyd's Marriage Indexes.
The World GENWEB Project
A truly international website started in 1996 to provide a worldwide resource for localized genealogy information. The aim is to have each country listed with its own resources site. This is the international portal.
Cyndi Howell
Cyndi's List
All the genealogical links you will ever need. A massive site that categorizes and cross-references on-line genealogical resources. The mother of all portals.
UK sites
Ancestry.co.uk
Ancestry.co.uk offers members access to 1 billion searchable UK family history records. Launched in 2002, Ancestry.co.uk's extensive collection enables members to explore their family history using censuses, the fully indexed birth, marriage and death records, passenger lists, the British phone books, military and parish records. Members can also explore names in other family trees and upload photographs of their own, and in doing so connect to millions of other members making their own discoveries.
Ancestry trees
Ancestry trees allows anyone to create their family tree on-line for free.
GENUKI UK and Ireland Genealogy
A virtual reference library of primary historical resources. Records are organised by county. It provides useful contact details and links for further research as well as filling in historical references and gaps in your understanding of certain periods.
National Archives
The official site for the UK National Archives. Preserves central government and law court records. The records span from the 11th century to the present day. There are a number of catalogues of records, the main one is PROCAT, a vast catalogue of over nine million files. Each is searchable for no fee and although you get basic descriptions only, the results enable you to quote reference numbers for easy access to the records. The PRO's British State records relating to merchant mariners since 1835 include a large proportion of the Board of trade (marine department) documents including some crew-lists from the early 19th century onwards. It also holds documents from the Ministry of Shipping, Ministry of War Transport, Ministry of Transport and various classes of Admiralty papers.
National Maritime Museum
Some Board of Trade (Marine Department) records are held here, principally application forms for professional certificates of service and competency, as well as some crew-lists from 1863 until 1972, some copies of Lloyd's of London (insurance market) records, copies of Lloyd's Register of Shipping, collections of some commercial companies, and a very large collection of books on maritime subjects
Historical Manuscripts Commission
This site for archiving manuscripts and documents relating to British history is being slowly moved under the banner of the National Archive. However, this site still powers the search of its various databases including the National Register of Archives 150,00 businesses and the Manorial Documents Register of landowners and tenants. It also enables access to ARCHON, a massive catalogue of UK manuscript repositories.
Documents Online
Formerly the PRO-Online site, provides access to the PRO's collection of digitised public records, including both academic and genealogical sources, Searching the index is free. There is a cost to download a digital image. Searchable databases include wills, society and law documents as well as government records.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The only place to go to find out where relatives dies and were buried during the two World Wars. Of the 1.7 million men and women of the Commonwealth who died in service, only 925,000 were found and buried with a headstone. The rest are commemorated on memorials. The site is free, easy to use and helps trace ancestors quickly. details of individuals, including rank, date of death and regiment are included as well as information about the place of burial.
Access to Archives
A research site covering 318 record offices across England and boasting 4.35 million catalogue entries. Covers archive material from 900 to the present day that are held in a range of local record offices and libraries, universities, museums and national and specialist institutions. Includes business documents, deeds, as well as hospital and police records.
UK GENWEB Project
British part of the GENWEB Project offering links and guides to United Kingdom records and resources.
FreeBMD (Births, Marriages and Deaths)
Dedicating to providing free access to the Civil Registration index for England and Wales. Provides basic records, mostly between 1837-1901. The results provide sufficient information to obtain a Birth, Marriage or Death certificate from the relevant local register office or from the General Register Office (GRO).
FREEREG (Parish registers)
Like its sister FreeBMD, the FreeREG project website is a finding tool. This one is trying to provide free access to all the church Parish Register records for baptism, marriage and burial from 1538 to 1837 in the UK.
British Online Newspaper Archive
An excellent source of newspaper, magazine, book and periodical archives that is free to search and view.
Family Research at GRO
A UK government site dedicated to helping family tree researchers find their way around the various departments for records. A good site for beginners, providing links to relevant sites for further research as well as offering guides on how to find birth, marriage and death certificates, for example.
Curious Fox
A simple gazetteer and contact site for UK genealogists, enabling users to leave messages and search for information categorised by town or village. A good site to try in "brick-wall" cases.
GenesReunited
Launched in November 2003, this site is aimed at enabling UK researchers to share their information online.
Specifically Scotland
National Archives of Scotland
The official site for for Edinburgh-based National Archive of Scotland. It is home to all government and legal records. There are no online searchable databases.
Scot Family
A good site for searching Scottish ancestry. There is a guaranteed "no-find no-fee" ancestor search service. Users have to submit details on their research and register with the site. There is no searchable database, although the site does offer a glossary of old Scottish occupations and a complete Parish listing.
Scotland's People
An excellent site for researching Scottish ancestors with online database searching, links, discussion groups and advice. It charges for access.
Specifically Ireland
General Register Office for Northern Ireland
Information of births and deaths since 1864 and marriages since 1845. No online search facilities but it does provide a guide to searching its records.
National Archives of Ireland
Provides valuable information on searching archives including links to databases containing births, death and marriages, wills, census returns, tithes etc.
GENUKI Ireland
A comprehensive overview of the relevant records and links for matching online resources.
GENWEB Ireland
County-by-county listing for the 26 counties now in the Republic. Also information aboput Northern Ireland.
Specifically Cambridgeshire
CFHS
The Cambridgeshire Family History Society site. An excellent resource for research in the Cambridgeshire area. It has a huge searchable database including parish records.
Cambridgeshire County Council (CAMDEX)
Has searchable Birth, Marriage and Death databases. Also includes advice on the available resources for the family historian in the county.
World-wide sites
ROOTSWEB
Good free site that enables searching for names across its database sources. Initially a US concern but it is now part of the WorldConnect Project to share genealogy information globally.
Ancestral Findings
A predominantly US site that offers a range of searchable resources and links for further research. Useful if researching the US branch of your family.
Ancestry.com
Well-established site that is very easy to use. You have to register to enable free searching of the indexes. For further details you will have to upgrade membership to just under $100 per year. Also provides online space for family trees and claims to have over 200 million names on its online collection of world trees. Has access to a large volume of UK resources but it is predominantly a US site.
Software links
Legacy
Home of Legacy genealogy software by Millennia Corporation, now owned by MyHeritage. You can download a free copy of Legacy V9 from this site. This program is extremely good for a free product but it's well worth unlocking the full product.