Ancestry.com is one of the world’s largest genealogical databases. Over the last few years, new genealogical databases have been created, but Ancestry still leads in their field. They have Census , Obits, DNA and many other resources for us to use.

I use their census resources the most; it was very exciting when last year the 1940 Census became available! Everyone was volunteering to help index the census so it would be available as soon as possible upon its release.

The Obituary Search is another tool that is often overlooked. Obituaries can give us family members, death dates and surnames that might help us break brick walls, especially on the women. Another feature is to see which newspapers carried the obituary. It might give an indication where your family member lived at one time, or had family reside. Ancestry describes their Obiturary Search as “this database is a compilation of obituaries published in U.S. newspapers, collected from various online sources. Obituaries can vary in the amount of information they contain, but many of them are genealogical goldmines, including information such as names, dates, places of birth and death, marriage information, and family relationships.”

DNA is the new and upcoming technology in genealogical research. Ancestry has added this tool to their website. AncestryDNA includes:

• Full breakdown of genetic ethnicity
• A list of new relatives updated in real-time
• Personal results delivered online in weeks
• Simple integration with Ancestry.com
• A test for both men and women

Some of you that are new to the DNA experience may have lots of questions, such as, “How do I know which test is the one for me?”. Visit Ancestry Frequently Asked Questions page and get answers to this and many other questions. I did note that AncestryDNA is not yet available for purchase outside the United States.

Another great resource that Ancestry has is their Learning Center. Check out their FREE Research Guides and Videos & Webinars!
Ancestry has also kept up with the Social Networking Community. They have Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, Tumbler, and Blogging! These are great tools to keep up to date on new resources that are available, ask questions and troubleshoot should any problems arise.

Of course, Ancestry has their resources and databases that we all love:

• Birth, Marriage & Death
• Family Trees
• Immigration & Emigration
• Military
• Directories & Member’s List
• Court, Land, Wills & Financial
• Census & Voter’s List
• Stories, Photos & Maps
• Special Collections
• Many more to choose from!

Some of you may have subscriptions to Ancestry, as there is a fee for most of their databases. But, many libraries and societies do subscribe and offer this to their patrons. If you are new to Ancestry, they also offer a 14 day Free Trial offer. There are also occasions where certain databases are offered for free to promote a particular database or holiday. Take advantage of those times when you can.

I have subscribed to Ancestry.com’s World Package for many years. It has been very nice and convenient to be able to do most of my research from the comfort of my own home. They do have other plans that might fit your needs here.