The FYBF Family History & DNA Research Library: A Growing Guide to Trusted Resources
Find the right next step in your family-history search
Welcome to the FindYourBabyFamily Library — a growing, organized research center for biological-family searches, DNA match analysis, genealogy, historical records, and preserving family stories.
Explore the expandable collections below. We bring useful research destinations together in one place, with a focus on helping you understand what each resource does and when it may help.
Explore the library
Tap a section to expand it. Each resource opens its own website in a new tab. Some outside platforms are free, some have paid tiers, and access rules can change.
🧬 DNA, biological family & family trees
FamilySearch — Free records, family-tree collaboration, memories, and research guidance.
Ancestry — Historical records, family trees, DNA matching, and discovery tools; some features are paid.
MyHeritage — International records, family trees, DNA matching, and photo tools; some features are paid.
Findmypast — British and Irish records and newspapers; many collections require a subscription.
FamilyTreeDNA — DNA testing and genetic genealogy group projects; testing is paid.
GEDmatch — Third-party DNA comparison tools; review privacy and law-enforcement settings before uploading.
DNA Painter — Shared-centimorgan, relationship, chromosome-painting, and DNA hypothesis tools.
WikiTree — Free collaborative family tree with a strong emphasis on sources and documented relationships.
Geni — Collaborative world family tree; some features require a paid account.
🏛️ Government records & archives
National Archives Genealogy — Official guide to U.S. federal records for family-history research.
National Archives Catalog — Search descriptions and digitized federal records, photographs, maps, and documents.
Library of Congress — Digitized newspapers, photographs, maps, manuscripts, sound recordings, and more.
U.S. Census Bureau Genealogy — Official guidance for historical U.S. census research.
Freedmen’s Bureau Records — Research guidance for Reconstruction-era records documenting families after emancipation.
North Carolina Digital Collections — Digitized North Carolina historical documents, photographs, and cultural materials.
North Carolina State Archives — Research guidance and archival collections for North Carolina history and records.
Library of Virginia — Virginia archival collections, digital resources, and family-history research guides.
📰 Newspapers, books & local-history collections
Chronicling America — Library of Congress access point for historic U.S. newspaper collections and related resources.
Internet Archive — Digitized books, periodicals, audio, video, and archived websites.
HathiTrust Digital Library — Digitized books and serials; full-text access depends on copyright and institutional access.
Google Books — Search books and county or town histories for names, biographies, and local context.
USGenWeb — Volunteer-supported state and county genealogy pages with local records and research links.
Reclaim The Records — Nonprofit public-records advocacy project that publishes genealogical records and indexes.
Cyndi’s List — Categorized directory of genealogy websites and resources by topic and geography.
🪦 Cemeteries & memorial research
Find a Grave — Community-contributed cemetery memorials, burial information, and photographs; verify details with original records.
BillionGraves — Search cemetery records and grave photographs, including GPS-linked locations where available.
📚 Learning, methodology & specialist guidance
FamilySearch Research Wiki — Locality guides, record explanations, and research strategies for worldwide family history.
Family Tree Magazine — How-to articles and curated guides covering records, DNA, and research methods.
Legacy Family Tree Webinars — Online genealogy classes on records, methodology, DNA, and specialist topics; some content is paid.
AfriGeneas — Community-oriented African American genealogy resources, discussion, and research guidance.
The Legal Genealogist — Articles explaining legal, historical, and record-interpretation issues in genealogy.
DNAeXplained — Educational articles on genetic genealogy, DNA methods, and match interpretation.
🎙️ Family stories, oral history & military service
StoryCorps — Guidance and tools for recording, preserving, and sharing family stories.
Veterans History Project — Library of Congress project preserving firsthand accounts from U.S. veterans.
A thoughtful note about DNA and privacy
DNA tools can reveal sensitive information about you and your relatives. Before uploading a DNA file or contacting a possible relative, review the provider’s privacy settings, consent options, data-sharing policies, and current terms. Treat online trees and user-submitted memorials as research leads, not proof by themselves.
Keep a record of where each fact came from, distinguish confirmed facts from working theories, and protect living people’s private information.
Need help making sense of the clues?
If you have DNA matches, family names, locations, or incomplete records but are unsure how to connect the evidence, FYBF offers research and consultation options. Results depend on available records and DNA matches; no identification outcome is guaranteed.
This library is maintained by FindYourBabyFamily, an extended service of FamiliesR Us. Resources are independently owned by their respective publishers and institutions. Inclusion is for research discovery and does not imply endorsement or partnership.
Comments