About
Lineage Library is a free family history research guide for everyone, from people building their first tree to experienced researchers working on a hard problem.
Why we built it
Most people start their family history on one big subscription site and stop when the easy hints run out. But the records that solve hard problems, like county deed books, probate files, tax lists, church registers and state archives, are scattered across thousands of websites, many of them free and hard to find. We built Lineage Library to bring them together in one place and to explain, in plain English, how to use them.
What you'll find here
- How-to guides at three levels, from your first 30 days to proof arguments and DNA
- State research guides for all 50 states and Washington, D.C.
- A resource directory of the best national and international sites, with free and paid sites clearly marked
Our standards
- Original writing. Every guide is written for this site and checked against archival and expert sources.
- Free first. When a record is available free, we point you there before any paid site.
- Independent. We are not owned by or affiliated with any genealogy company. The site is supported by advertising so it can stay free. If we ever use an affiliate link, we'll say so.
- Kept current. Genealogy websites move and change. We check our links regularly and fix what breaks.
Found a broken link, spotted a mistake, or know a resource we should add? Let us know.