Kory Meyerink: 50 Most Popular Genealogy Websites for 2008

[David Lifferth]

50 Most Popular Genealogy Websites for 2008
Kory L. Meyerink, MLS, AG, FUGA

This list was created in the first quarter of 2008. It was developed from a list of criteria explained in an article published in the Digital Genealogist, edited by Elizabeth Kelley Kerstens.

Rank Website Coverage/Content

• Ancestry.com $ - Ancestry.com is the leading genealogical data site, with some articles, instruction, and reference help.
• RootsWeb.com - Rootsweb is a major data site, with free instruction and reference help.
• MyHeritage.com - MyHeritage focuses on genealogy community building and networking.
• Genealogy.com $ - This is major data site, with instruction and reference help.
• FamilySearch.org - This is a major data website sponsored by the LDS Church and includes with instruction and reference help.
• MyFamily.com - Hosts family websites for sharing photos, genealogy, and more.
• FindAGrave.com - A database of cemetery inscriptions and photos.
• Footnote.com $ - In conjunction with the U.S. National Archives, Footnote offers data, original records images, and more.
• OneGreatFamily.com $ - This is primarily a family trees sharing and collaboration website.
• WorldVitalRecords.com $ - WVR is also known as Family Link, and represents a major data website, with
  instruction and reference help.
• GenealogyToday.com - Genealogy Today includes instruction, reference articles, and includes some unique data collections.
• AncestorHunt.com - A site consisting of collected genealogy links.
• AccessGenealogy.com - A website that includes references to helpful articles, especially for Native American information, and some data.
• EllisIsland.org - Database of passenger lists that is free to search. Actual passenger list images can be purchased.
• CyndisList.com - A huge website dedicated to cataloguing genealogy website links.
• Interment.net - Transcribed and indexed cemetery inscriptions.
• USGennet.org - Historical and genealogical web hosting service.
• Geni.com - Web 2.0 and focuses on genealogy community building and networking.
• KindredKonnections.com $ - Grassroots created data site with compiled family Trees, and some extracted
  records.
• FamilyTreeMaker.com - Homepage for Ancestry.com's genealogical software.
• SearchForAncestors.com - Interactive directory of free genealogy websites and data.
• DistantCousin.com - An online archive of genealogy records and images of historical documents.
• CousinConnect.com - A large free queries website.
• GeneBase.com - A DNA ancestry cataloguing project
• TribalPages.com - Family trees hosting and charting program.
• SurnameWeb.org - A collection of surname website links; online since 1996.
• FamilyTreeDNA.com - DNA testing service focused upon family history test types.
• JewishGen.org - Jewish, reference, instruction, coordination, and databases.
• ObitCentral.com - Obituary database for finding obituaries and performing cemetery searches.
• GenCircles.com - Upload and share your family trees.
• DeathIndexes.com - Lists of links to United States death records, by state.
• Genuki.org.uk - Large collection of genealogical information pages for England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man.
• Daddezio.com - Website focused upon Italian research, with instruction, information and more.
• PoliticalGraveyard.com - Comprehensive source of U.S. political biography that tells where many dead politicians are buried.
• Linkpendium.com - A collection of genealogy links categorized by region and surname.
• Geneanet.org - A collection of family trees, community, and submitted records.
• US-Census.org - Census abstracts (U.S. GenWeb Census Project)
• AncientFaces.com - Share genealogy research, community pages, family photos & records more for free.
• HeritageQuestOnline.com $ - Census, PERSI (the periodical index), books.
• CensusFinder.com - Links to free census records.
• GenealogyBank.com $ - Database with index of newspapers and early books.
• GenWed.com - Online marriage records, where to order, some indexes, and more.
• GenealogyLinks.net - Links to free sites, arranged by state and county.
• WorldRoots.com - European nobility and German reference material.
• ProGenealogists.com - Website created by professional genealogists with links, instruction, data, and reference aids.
• Census-Online.com - Links to censuses and census abstracts.
• FamilyTreeMagazine.com - Website for magazine publisher that includes shopping, links, and research tools.
• KindredTrails.com - Links to genealogy and data websites.
• USGenWeb.com - A group of volunteers working together to provide free genealogy websites for genealogical research in every county and every state of the United States.
• FindMyPast.com $ - Indexes to British records of many types.
  

http://www.progenealogists.com/top50genealogy2008.htm

[David Lifferth]

I was very impressed by Kory Meyerink's research and reporting on this subject. I found it fascinating.