Did you know that many of the major subscription genealogy sites have free records?
We’re still living in uncertain times, and that may mean that you’ve had to forego one or more of your genealogy subscriptions. Plus, with libraries either closed or limiting services, you may not be able to take advantage of their institutional subscription that’s free for patrons to use.
But, it’s possible that some of the records you need are available for free.
Below are the links to access the free records on four of the major subscription sites.
Ancestry
https://www.ancestry.com/search/categories/freeindexacom
Don’t let the title of the page fool you…there are more than just indexes available for free here. If you scroll to the bottom, you’ll see a complete listing of the free collections, with an indication of “Free” or “Free Index.”
Fimdmypast
https://help.findmypast.co.uk/hc/en-us/articles/360002792977-Are-there-free-records-on-Findmypast-
This page lists some of their featured collections that are free. At the bottom of the page, choose a region to explore even more free collections.
Fold3
Head to this page, which is a listing of all collections. Click “Show only Free” to see which collections are free to access.
MyHeritage
While there are free collections on MyHeritage, there isn’t a central place that lists the free collections. If a collection is free, it’s indicated by a “Free” label. These can be seen in both Search https://www.myheritage.com/research and the Collection Catalog https://www.myheritage.com/research/catalog.
Bonus Tip
These sites often offer promotional periods where one or more collections are free for a limited time. For example, Findmypast recently opened up their British census records for a few days at the beginning of May. Oftentimes these specials coincide with a holiday, such as occupational records opened up for Labor Day and Irish records opened up for St. Patrick’s Day. Sign up for their newsletter (which you should automatically get if you have a free account with them) so you’re in the know when these specials become available.
