They give you access to records and tools that help you trace your ancestors.

Along the way, you might even find new relatives you never knew about.

Helpful, easy-to-use tools (e.g.

Family tree infographic showing grandparents, parents, children, and cousins

Sentavio / iStock / Getty Images

family tree maker, memories tool).

No specific sections or records for Native Americans and other minorities.

State-by-State Genealogy Records: The USGenWeb Project

Very comprehensive range of records for all 50 states.

FamilySearch screenshot

Provides many guides and resources for conducting your ancestry search.

Not that easy to find your way around.

No tools for building your family tree.

USGenWeb screenshot

The USGenWeb Project was launched in 1996, initially as a genealogy database for Kentucky.

General and Native American Ancestry: AccessGenealogy

Good diversity of record types.

Provides records specific to Native and African American ancestry.

Free genealogy databases at AccessGenealogy

No guides on conducting ancestry searches.

Records for some states are less extensive than for others.

Canadian Genealogy: TONI

Large database of names to search.

The TONI search page on the Ontario Ancestors page

Website is clearly organized and well maintained.

Doesn’t provide much help on searching for ancestors.

The database is focused mostly on Ontario.

Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center homepage screenshot

Plenty of guides and resources relevant to genealogy.

Doesn’t cover every state.

Record chronology is somewhat patchy in places.

National Archives and Records Administration homepage screenshot

Its vast collection includes databases on African American genealogy, Native American genealogy, and military history.

This means that it doesn’t quite span the entire US, which may be frustrating for some.

Worldwide Genealogy Resources: National Archives

Huge range of guides on genealogy.

The JewishGen genealogy website

Exhaustive range of links to worldwide ancestry resources.

Provides very few of its own internal records or databases.

The website often requires physical access to the archives themselves to make the most of it.

Olive Tree Genealogy homepage screenshot

Genealogy for Jewish Communities: JewishGen

Huge and varied database of Jewish ancestry records.

Large amount of guides, groups, and even classes on Jewish genealogy.

Can be hard to use and search for beginners.

Useful beginner’s guide to genealogy.

The layout is a little sprawling and unwelcoming.

Some of resources link out to paywalls.