50+ Free Genealogy Courses
For those wishing to learn ‘more’ on how to conduct Genealogical research, acquaint themselves with the basics, or just see ‘how things are done’; there are numerous sources of on-line training. Hopefully you will find these 50 plus Free courses to be of value as you develop your skills, knowledge, and genealogical information.
Familysearch.org
The Family History Library Catalog Overview
Learn more about the catalog and how to access materials. Search the catalog of materials (including microfilm, microfiche, and publications) found at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. Many items can be loaned to local Family History Centers around the world.
RootsWeb’s Guide to Tracing Family Trees
This free course, written and compiled by Julia M. Case, Myra Vanderpool Gormley, and Rhonda McClure, is a series of 24 wonderful lessons.
Genealogy.com – Genealogy Classes
Beginning Genealogy
by Genealogy Research Associates
- Part 1: Your Great Ancestral Hunt (Six lessons)
- Part 2: Record Groups as Building Material (Eight lessons)
Internet Genealogy
- Part 1: Getting Started on the Net (Sixteen lessons)
- Part 2: Powerful Tools for Internet Research (Fifteen lessons)
Tracing Immigrant Origins
by Genealogy Research Associates
- Part 1: Introduction (Twelve lessons)
- Part 2: Post Civil War Immigrant Sources (Six lessons)
- Part 3: Between 1820 and 1865 (Six lessons)
- Part 4: Pre-1820 Immigration (Seven lessons)
- Part 5: European Sources (Nine lessons)
Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard (Genealogist Certification)
The goal of the Registered Genealogist Certification Class is to take a person from the beginning through the end of researching a specific problem for at least four generations, documenting it as they go, investigating a full realm of available resources (both on-line and off-line) and preparing that pedigree in report format as if they were presenting it to a client who has commissioned them to do research. At the conclusion of this 12 month course, the student will submit that report to the instructor as part of their ‘testing’ procedure for review, as well as take a test of at least 200 questions in their own area of expertise which must be passed by 85% in order to qualify for certification.
Brigham Young University
BYU offers numerous free online courses. Please note I have abbreviated the BYU list of Free Offerings.
Family History/Genealogy – Introductory
FHGEN 70 — Introduction to Family History Research
FHGEN 75 — Writing Family History
FHGEN 80 — Helping Children Love Your Family History
Family History/Genealogy – Record Type
FHREC 71 — Family Records
FHREC 73 — Vital Records
FHREC 76 — Military Records
Family History/Genealogy – Regional and Ethnic
FHFRA 71 — France: Immigrant Origins
FHFRA 72 — France: Vital Records
FHFRA 73 — France: Reading French Handwriting
FHFRA 74 — France: Genealogical Organizations and Periodicals
FHFRA 75 — France: The Internet and French Genealogy
FHFRA 76 — French Research: Paris
FHFRA 77 — French Research: Alsace-Lorraine
FHGER 71 — Germany: Immigrant Origins
FHGER 72 — Germany: U.S. Sources and Surname Changes
FHGER 73 — Germany: Jurisdictions, Gazetteers, and Maps
FHGER 74 — Germany: Reading German Handwriting
FHGER 75 — Germany: Calendars and Feast Days
FHGER 76 — Germany: Vital Records
FHHUG 71 — Huguenot Research
FHSCA 73 — Scandinavia: Jurisdictions, Gazetteers, and Maps
FHSCA 74 — Scandinavia: Reading Gothic Script
FHSCA 75 — Scandinavia: Church Records and Feast Days
FHSCA 76 — Scandinavia: Census Records
FHSCA 77 — Scandinavia: Probate and Other Records
International Internet Genealogical Society University (IIGS)
General Instructions
- Beginning Genealogy Lessons – 15 lessons designed to take the beginning genealogist through all the steps in order to complete a four generation pedigree with accompanying family group sheets.
- Research on the Internet – One lesson that deals with using the World Wide Web for research and focuses on The USGenWeb project.
Australia & New Zealand
- Research in Australia & New Zealand – A series of 15 lessons offered.
Canada
- Ontario, Canada Research – Links to various Ontario resources and census indexes.
Germany
- Researching German or German-American Families – A Frequently Asked Questions List of 31 questions to help you get started researching German, Austrian, Swiss, Alsatian and Eastern European German genealogy.
South Africa
- Genealogy in South Africa – Links to resources in South Africa, a newsletter, query board and surname search.
United States
- Beginning U.S. Research – 9 lessons showing where to start, how to use different library/archive resources, courthouse research, census records and Family History Center’s resources.
- U. S. Land & Property Records – A self-paced series of lessons on the basics of land and property research.
- U. S. Military Records – This lesson provides the information on U.S. military records and how to use the those records.
- Genealogy Research in South Carolina – A series of 6 lessons designed for finding research facilities in Columbia, Charleston, Ethnic Research and specific South Carolina research on the web.
- Research in The Lonestar State – Texas – A series of 5 lessons designed for searching records in Texas. A certificate of completion is offered for your website.
- Genealogical Research in Virginia – 4 lessons designed to organize your research and track the ancestral lands in Virginia.
- Tracing Mormon Pioneers - This lesson will provide tips for tracing Mormon Pioneer ancestry from Europe and South Africa to Salt Lake City, Utah.
- Lumbee and Southeastern American Indian Research - 4 lessons designed to give you an overview of the Lumbee Tribe, their culture and links to various Southeastern Tribal Websites.
- Native American Research in Michigan – A series of 10 self-paced lessons.
Basic Genealogy
“Basic Genealogy” is designed to help people get started in tracing their family tree. The course answers the question “how do I start?” and provides information family historians will need in order to interpret various records they will come across during their research. Full definitions of terms are provided as well as links to valuable research sources both on and off the internet.
JewishGen Learning Center
JewishGen is delighted to offer online interactive courses in Jewish genealogy, to help you organize your information and begin to trace your ancestral roots. Most courses will be eight sessions and in addition to the “lecture”, will contain optional reading material and helpful links to JewishGen’s resources, as well as other genealogical websites.
Researching Your Family Tree
Have you ever wondered about your great-grandparents?
Or have you wanted to work on your family history, but you had no idea how to get started? If you answered yes to these questions, this FREE interactive tutorial is for you.