Research Guides: Genealogy: Genealogy Websites

Website Evaluation Tutorial

Website Evaluation Tutorial
If you're starting a research assignment and want to do a quick review on how to evaluate websites. Check out our online website evaluation tutorial.

Website Domain Types

.com – Commercial websites

Generally created by a business or corporation and is for profit.
Provides information on products or is motivated by sales.

.edu – Educational websites

Created by a college, university or grade school.
Information is provided for academic purposes.
Highly regulated and can only be owned by an educational organization.

.gov – Government websites

Created by local, state, and national goverments.
Information is provided for the public.
Highly regulated and can only be owned by a government organization.

.org – Organization website

Used by both non-profit organizations, for profit corporations and individuals.
Organization websites can be owned by a corporation and be sales motivated, owned by an individual or owned by a non-profit organization that provides information supporting a specific cause or viewpoint.
Carefully evaluate non-profit organizations as they can have a particular viewpoint on an issue, so the information they provide can be biased or slanted in order to support their viewpoint.

Family Relationship Terms

Family Relationship Explanations
Explanations and examples of official names for family relationships.
Chart for Determining Relationships

Birth Indexes

California Birth Index 1905-1995
Created by the Calif. Dept. of Health Services, Vital Statistics Section in Sacramento. Includes name, birth date, sex, mother's surname, and county of birth.

Los Angeles, Riverside & San Bernardino County Genealogy Resources

Riverside/San Bernardino County Genealogical Societies
A listing of Genealogical and Historical Societies within both Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. This list is as up-to-date as possible. Includes links to society websites.
Riverside County, California Genealogy Trails
Free genealogy information for Riverside County California includes links for obituaries, biographies and vital statistics.
Southern California Genealogical Society
The Southern California Genealogical Society exists to foster interest in family history and genealogy, preserve genealogical materials, and provide instruction in accepted and effective research techniques. Through its programs, members are offered the opportunity to list queries, survey indexes, join special interest groups and provide support for other members and their activities.
Genealogical Society of Riverside
The purpose of the Genealogical Society of Riverside is to provide an organization for the general public where they can attend informational lectures on research methods, learn of available sources that will aid in their goals, and to publish resource books that will aid the general public in their research needs in Riverside city and county.

Useful Government Websites for Genealogists

California Digital Newspaper Collection 1846-1922
Free digitized collection of historical California newspapers contains over 50,000 issues from over a dozen different newspapers, available for both searching and browsing. The California Digital Newspaper Collection is a project of the Center for Bibliographical Studies and Research (CBSR) at the University of California, Riverside.
National Archives Resources for Genealogists
Lists resources at the National Archives to explore your family's ancestry. Contains thousands of genealogy-related holdings -- many of which are available online. Provides full access to the 1940 U.S. Census.
The Ships List
TheShipsList website, online since August 1999, will help you find your ancestors on ships' passenger lists.We also have immigration reports, newspaper records, shipwreck information, ship pictures, ship descriptions, shipping-line fleet lists and more; as well as hundreds of passenger lists to Canada, USA, Australia and even some for South Africa. Be sure to check the "special projects," listed below.
We have over 3,500 totally free access web-pages with new databases added regularly (see the links below between the big arrows).
U.S. Census -- Family Search Wiki
Family Search Wiki for using U.S. Census databases. Provides specific links to genealogy databases and information. The Family Search wiki is a free, online genealogy and family history guide that lists websites, provides research strategies, and suggests records and resources to help you find ancestors from all over the world.
Where to Write for Vital Records
Links provided by the Centers for Disease Control for direct access to state and territory information.

Immigration Records

Ship Passenger Lists and Records Online
Internet sources for digitized or transcribed passenger records and indexes. Comprehensive list of links to passenger lists for several states and ports of entries. Includes passenger lists for the Titanic.
The Ships List
TheShipsList website, online since August 1999, will help you find your ancestors on ships' passenger lists.We also have immigration reports, newspaper records, shipwreck information, ship pictures, ship descriptions, shipping-line fleet lists and more; as well as hundreds of passenger lists to Canada, USA, Australia and even some for South Africa. Be sure to check the "special projects," listed below.
We have over 3,500 totally free access web-pages with new databases added regularly (see the links below between the big arrows).
Statue of Liberty -- Ellis Island Foundation
Free search service provides free online charts and forms. Provides access to more than 22 million immigrants, passengers, and crew members who came through Ellis Island and the Port of New York from 1892 to 1924 through detailed passenger lists or "ship manifests" maintained by ship companies. “Search by Ship” features search by ship name, arrival year, arrival date and Port of Departure.

Death Indexes and Cemetery Record Links

California Death Index, 1940 - 1997
Vital records in California have been kept by the state registrar of vital statistics since 01 July 1905. This database is an index to the death records in California from 1940 through 1997. See list of links on right for database for searches from 1905 - 1939.
Death Indexes - California
Online California Death Records & Indexes
A Genealogy Guide for Finding Obituaries, Cemetery Burials and Death Records. Extensive links to Family Search, Ancestry, and some county lists of records.
Find a Grave
Contains 115 million grave records. At Find A Grave you’ll find details about cemeteries and individual memorials for many people buried in those cemeteries. Memorials generally include birth, death and burial information and may include pictures, biographies, family information and more
Interment.net: cemetary records online
A free online library of cemetery records from thousands of cemeteries across the world, for historical and genealogy research.
Each transcription we publish comes from a single-source, be it the cemetery office, government office, church office, archived document, a tombstone transcriber.
Obituarieshelp.org
An informative website designed to offer resources for obituaries, funerals and genealogy search. Offers many links for newspapers, states, a clickable map to search by state, and blog postings on genealogy research topics.
Social Security Death Index
Free search - from FamilySearch.org) with over 91 million entries - updated regularly. Created from the Social Security Administration's Death Master File. It lists people whose deaths were reported to the Social Security Administration starting about 1962 (there are a few deaths listed prior to 1962).
Veterans Burial Locator
Free search for burial locations of veterans and their family members in VA National Cemeteries, state veterans cemeteries, various other military and Department of Interior cemeteries, and for veterans buried in private cemeteries when the grave is marked with a government grave marker.

Free Genealogy Charts and Forms

Access Genealogy Free Genealogy Charts
Free, downloadable and printable charts include: Family Tree Chart, Research Calendar, Research Extract, Free Census Forms, Correspondence Record, Family Group Chart, Source Summary
Family Tree Magazine Free Forms
Family Tree Magazine has created forms that can help you access and organize your family history information. They're available in two formats: text and portable document format (PDF). The text versions give you the basic form structure in files you can open in your word-processing software. You can print, edit or even type your information right in the file. The PDF versions are read-only files with snazzier designs—they're suitable for displaying or sharing your research with others.
Family Tree Relationship Chart
A chart that allows you to calculate official terms for family relationships.

Local Museums

Cooper Museum of Upland
Established in 1965, the Chaffey Communities Cultural Center is dedicated to preserving and interpreting the history and culture of the communities of Upland, Ontario, Montclair, Mt. Baldy, Rancho Cucamonga and San Antonio Heights.
Ontario Museum of History and Art
Ontario Museum of History & Art is a welcoming place that reflects pride in who we are, where we live and our legacy. Ontario Museum of History & Art enhances knowledge and understanding of our community through dynamic and vibrant experiences.
San Dimas Historical Society
On June 6, 1966, the San Dimas Historical Society was officially chartered. Since that time our mission and visions have guided the organization. We remain committed to preserving the history of San Dimas by bringing together those people interested in Southern California regional history, especially the history of San Dimas.