Census records can provide the building blocks of your research. The first Federal Population Census was taken in 1790, and has been taken every ten years since. Because of a 72-year restriction on access to the Census, the most recent year available is 1950. The 1950 Census was released on April 1, 2022.

This is a budget-friendly, scaled-down version of Ancestry.com, its owner. The core historical record collections are for the United States, so this may be a good option for beginning researchers who believe their families have been in the United States for several generations.

From the main page, you see a big white and yellow box with the word “Suche.” This means “search” and you can search for many archival items from this screen. In the top right corner, you will see a little link “EN,” which means “English.” You might be tempted to click that so you can see this website in English. But if you do that, this search box will disappear and the options available to you will, too. Stick with the German version and use tools, such as Google Translate, if you are not familiar with German.

Crista Cowan has been employed at Ancestry® since 2004 and has been their Corporate Genealogist since 2011. However, all of the content and opinions on her website are her own. Her biggest passion is educating beginners so they can make the same exciting discoveries in family history that she has.

Start your family history research! This easy-to-understand guide will help you find your ancestors efficiently and with confidence. Inside, you'll find expert advice on the basics of genealogy, with tutorials for building a family tree, finding and understanding key genealogy records, and organizing your files and research, plus a roundup of can't-miss beginner-friendly genealogy websites.