Have you tried Ancestry.com and is so, what is your opinion of it?

AprilSun

AprilSun

Senior Member
Hi everyone! I did a search on this forum for ancestry.com and see there is some that has used it. I was into genealogy several years ago when most of the information was on free web sites. I haven't been into it for a while and now I am considering getting back into it. I have thought about ancestry.com but I've read so many negative reviews about how they automatically renew your membership by charging your credit card and this makes me a little bit hesitate. Is there anyone out there that has used it and if so, what are the pros and cons of using this site. Also, can anyone recommend some free sites? Thanks for your time.
 

I've used Ancestry.com but I've never paid for it, so I don't know anything about their renewal processes. I've used it through the Mormon genealogy centers. If you live in a large city, you might have one. They don't charge for using the center and anyone is welcome; you don't have to be a Mormon. They're very helpful.
 
I was only able to trace my family back to 1890, when Ancestry.com claimed they descended from the trees.
 

AprilSun said:
Hi everyone! I did a search on this forum for ancestry.com and see there is some that has used it. I was into genealogy several years ago when most of the information was on free web sites. I haven't been into it for a while and now I am considering getting back into it. I have thought about ancestry.com but I've read so many negative reviews about how they automatically renew your membership by charging your credit card and this makes me a little bit hesitate. Is there anyone out there that has used it and if so, what are the pros and cons of using this site. Also, can anyone recommend some free sites? Thanks for your time.
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Yep, that is what they do, which is why I give them a big fat not recommended


Try Cyndi's List, has tons of links and useful information. Check out the USGenWeb Project for all the resources that they offer.

Afrigeneas is a good genealogy site, useful for African American genealogy and white southern families having ancestors that held slaves.
 
I tested Ancestry yesterday by typing in various surnames from our two families. Ancestry purports to tell you the meanings/origins of the names. The results were vague in the extreme, more like an astrology response. I'm not about to pay them any money for results that are inferior to results I can research for myself.
 
I had a lot of luck using Ancestry about ten years ago and paid for US censuses and one for UK and Ireland. I paid for one year and it was not automatically renewed.
 
I had a lot of luck on one of the free genealogy message boards as I found many distant cousins who shared their research with me.
 
Dame Warrigal said:
I tested Ancestry yesterday by typing in various surnames from our two families. Ancestry purports to tell you the meanings/origins of the names. The results were vague in the extreme, more like an astrology response. I'm not about to pay them any money for results that are inferior to results I can research for myself.
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You never get the full answer until you pay unless you are doing their trail membership. Meanings of names can be found on many free sites.
 
Did it on free trial - gave so many different responses than when I followed my own trail through births/deaths/church baptisimal/wedding records - I would not recommend using a paid ancestry search.

They seem to want to give you information, whether it is correct or not.
 
I found a LOT of ancestors on the handwritten censuses that were uploaded to Ancestry. I think the oldest I used was 1840. Worth it to me.
 
Thank you everyone for your replies and the links that were provided. I will certainly check them out.
 

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