FamilySearch is the largest provider of free genealogical records in the world. They have almost 4,000 Family History Centers worldwide as well as a website where you can access more than 4 billion names for free and upload a personal family tree or create a FamilySearch family tree.
Some of the collections we list at OnGenealogy are from FamilySearch and while they are a completely FREE website, FamilySearch now requires everyone to register for a free account before searching any records.
We’d encourage you to CREATE a free FamilySearch account and take advantage of this great resource. You can opt out of emails and control privacy settings and we’ll show you how in another post.
Instructions for How To Create a Free Account at FamilySearch
1. Go to https://www.familysearch.org
If you already have an LDS account, your FamilySearch.org account is the same as an LDS Account and you can use the same login & password. (You’ll be prompted to provide your LDS Church membership number to create an LDS account if you don’t already have one. If you’re LDS, you should create a free LDS account because you’ll have free access to partnering websites. There’s no sneaky way to opt in to this great deal if you’re not LDS. Sorry.)
2. In the upper right-hand corner of the screen, select the Free Account link
3. Provide your First Name, Last Name, Username of choice, and a Password
4. Provide an email address OR mobile phone number
5. Agree to the terms and conditions and privacy policies
6. Select the Create an Account button
7. IF YOU PROVIDED AN EMAIL ADDRESS, check your designated email account for a confirmation letter from FamilySearch asking you to activate your account; Select the Activate Account link, you’ll be taken to FamilySearch; Sign In with your new username and password
8. IF YOU PROVIDED A MOBILE PHONE NUMBER, you’ll receive a text message with a verification code. On the screen, a window appears in which you can enter that code; you’ll be taken to FamilySearch; Sign In with your new username and password
9. You’ll now be signed in and can see your name in the upper right-hand corner.
When you sign in to FamilySearch, they give you the option to stay signed in for up to two weeks. If you’re on a personal device and use the collections frequently, this is a great option.
With your new FamilySearch login, you can:
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search all the collections at FamilySearch
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build a free family tree
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upload Memories
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join an Indexing Project
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give Apps permission to download your tree and then enjoy the App
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explore everything
Best in your searches!
I don’t understand the difference in what I have now and the “free”.
When you create a free account you’re able to login at the FamilySearch site and see more collections. Some online collections have “contractual, data privacy, or other restrictions” preventing access. You can bypass many of these restrictions by signing in to a free account, so they can track who is viewing the material. Some of these collections can only be viewed online at a satellite library: https://www.familysearch.org/help/fhcenters/locations/
One example is this collection: Deeds and mortgages, 1847-1886; index to deeds and mortgages, ca. 1843-1929, Author: Drew County (Arkansas). Recorder; Arkansas. County Court (Drew County) https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/224806?availability=Family%20History%20Library — if you’re not logged in to a free account, you can’t view the collection online. If you login to FamilySearch with a free account, you can open this collection on your home computer and view the records online.
If you need help creating an account or understanding which collections you can access, you can call FamilySearch at Family History Customer Service, 1-866-406-1830.
Best with your genealogy research!