Here's what you will find in this section:
Getting Started: links to reputable, wide-reaching sources that offer guidance on starting your genealogical journey and may include many types of documents and records from the United States.
Community: major types of organizations that can help connect you to records and information.
Organizing and Preserving: resources for free sources of organizational tools for your family tree and records and reputable resources on preserving photos and documents.
Trouble Spots: common difficulties faced by researchers and resources to help tackle some of these problems.
One of the best things about starting your genealogical journey is that there is a great community out there full of people who share your passion and are eager to discuss what they've learned and exchange findings and tips. Some researchers are diving deep into the distant past, and others are looking to connect with potential relatives. Be sure to begin with our Getting Started page, then continue here to find more sources of information.
While it can be great to collaborate, especially about ancestors who may have lived a hundred or more years ago, it's smart to be careful about sharing information about yourself and your living family. You should always obtain permission from living family members before making information about them available to other people.
Under 18? Start your research by involving your parents or guardians and other family members. Talk to them about your project and agree on some ground rules about making connections over the internet - there is plenty of information you can gather without sharing personal details directly with other people.
Depending on where you are researching, records may be held at the state, county, or local level. Some records may only be available for a fee, and some may require proof of relation. Some offices will hold records up to a certain point and then will redirect you to another department for newer or older records. These are examples of places to start looking, but comparable agencies may have different names in different locations. For examples of New Jersey state offices and agencies, visit the New Jersey page.
Monmouth County Clerk's Office searchable databases
The NYC Historical Vital Records Project, New York City Department of Records and Information Services
Office of Vital Statistics and Registry, Clerk's Office, City of Camden
This is a sampling of organizations to explore. If you know where an ancestor's family lived, there may be a municipal, county, state, or regional organization that covers that area.
Depending on who you are researching, you may also wish to look for specialized groups, such as those examples below focused on African American or Jewish genealogy. Visit the New Jersey page to find groups operating locally.
Ackman & Ziff Family Genealogy Institute, Center for Jewish History
Genealogical Society of Bergen County (explore their video library)
This is a sampling of organizations to explore. If you know where an ancestor's family lived, there may be a municipal, county, state, or regional organization that covers that area.
This is a sampling of organizations to explore. If you know where an ancestor's family lived, there may be a municipal, county, state, or regional organization that covers that area.
New Jersey State Library, Trenton, NJ
The Caroline Rose Foster North Jersey History & Genealogy Center, The Morristown and Morris Township Library, NJ
Charles F. Cummings New Jersey Information Center, Newark Public Library, Newark, NJ
Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center, Fort Wayne, IN. While based in Indiana, their robust staff of genealogy librarians offer consultations to all genealogy researchers.
New York Public Library, New York, NY
Digital Collections, Irma and Paul Milstein Division of United States History, Local History and Genealogy (check out items like The Vanguard, a publication of African American professionals and businesses in New York and New Jersey)
Robert Frederick Smith Explore Your Family History Center, Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture
Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
The Newberry Library, Chicago, IL. Explore the Newberry's Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
This is a sampling of organizations to explore. If you know where an ancestor's family lived, there may be a municipal, county, state, or regional organization that covers that area.
Rutgers University Libraries
guides for Genealogy and Local History
University of Georgia, Digital Library of Georgia
This is a sampling of ideas to explore. See the Getting Started page for information on additional online groups. As always, be careful with what information you publicly share about yourself or about your living relatives.
Many popular sites like Ancestry.com have deep message boards where you can find others searching for specific family names, locations, records, and more.
Use social media to find other researchers and discover tips, tricks, and resources. Search for Facebook groups and Pinterest boards or use hashtags like #genealogy, #familyhistory, or #familytree on sites like X and Instagram.
There is a wealth of information on YouTube for genealogy. Here is a sampling of channels to get you started.
U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) (look for playlists like "Know Your Records" and "2024 Genealogy Series")
This is a sampling to explore. Many of these have also been airing for a while, so there is a backlog of episodes to explore.