Google ancestry

Use these six steps to easily Google ancestry in any country.

This article is written to assist you in Google ancestry in any country. Sample Google search queries are suggested for your use to help you research and learn about your ancestors.

Six Steps to Google Ancestry

The following search queries are designed to provide search results that will get you off to a good start by finding the essential information when researching your ancestral roots. For ease of presentation, I am going to organize the article as follows:

See other articles for specific countries.

Google Country Ancestry
United States
Australia Austria Belgium
Canada Denmark England
Finland France Germany
Greece Iceland Ireland
Italy Liechtenstein Luxembourg
Netherlands New Zealand Norway
Poland Portugal Scotland
Spain Sweden Switzerland
Wales Any Country

To find the Google Country Codes for searching in other countries that are not listed above, see the article:

Websites referenced in this article include:

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Finding Country of Origin Resources

Where do you find the country of origin genealogy resources on the Internet? It is a seemingly simple question with a complex answer. You will find records in many places, such as large databases to tiny family-related websites and blogs. Records for each generation are going to be different. The records created and available on the web for a specific place in 1940 will be different from those created for 1880, 1840, or earlier. Remember that only a small number of records have been digitized and available online, but digitized records are growing at an ever-increasing rate. I have researched for records one month without success and found them six months later with the same Google search queries. Why? The records were put online during that six months, or I didn’t find them the first time I searched.

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Providing a List of Websites vs. Queries to Find Websites

Over the years, I have provided genealogists with a list of websites to research their ancestry and search queries to find internet resources they can explore.

Overwhelmingly the best success has come from providing search queries. Why? When search queries were used, the genealogists said their search returns included the websites specific to the period, type of record and place they were searching. It was much easier to go from one site to the next to search for the same type of information.

When I just gave them a list of websites, genealogists felt it was cumbersome because they didn’t know which websites included the information they wanted and/or which websites were related to the type of content they were seeking.

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Understanding Search Query Organization

As you use a variety of search queries, you will see the following elements routinely used:

  • How to search countries. When I search for a country I like to use the country name and the reference to what the people from the country are called such as “Switzerland OR Swiss.” I do this because I find websites will use both words to define genealogy collections as they relate to the country.
  • Use of (site:). The “site:” operator will allow you to confine/restrict your search to a specific domain.
  • Use of quotes (” “). The use of quotes around two or more words (e.g., “Australian”) tells Google that you search for these words/phrases precisely as they are written and in the same order.
  • Use of OR. I have used OR Boolean operator (e.g., ” database OR index OR records”). Google will search for both options and will return either “database,” “index, “records,” or any combination of the three words.
  • Use of genealogy. I have used the word “genealogy” in almost every query. I have found this word necessary to get to the records or databases that I can use for genealogy or family history research. Feel free to try and use other descriptive words.

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Step 1: General Search Queries

These are general search queries that can be used to uncover the more frequently used websites and databases to get you off to a good start in your research. If I were searching for genealogy libraries or archive websites, my query string would be as follows:

  • “Switzerland” genealogy “library OR archive.”

Instructions. Choose the general search you would like to conduct and replace the “place text here” with the corresponding query element.

  • “Switzerland” “place text here.”

Note: Use variations of the location for different results. Variations include “Switzerland” or “Swiss” or “Switzerland OR Swiss.”

(Searching general term) = (Use query element). Use the associated query element if you are searching for a general genealogy search term.

  • Education = genealogy “guide OR tutorial OR how-to”
  • Beginning = “beginning”
  • Catalog = “catalog”
  • Classes or Workshops = “classes OR workshops”
  • Dictionary = “dictionary”
  • Family history = “family history”
  • Forums = “forums”
  • Genealogy websites = “genealogy OR ancestors OR roots”
  • Language = “language”
  • Library and archives = genealogy “library OR archive”
  • Message Board = “message board”
  • Records and databases = genealogy “records OR database”
  • Research links = genealogy “links OR sources”
  • Societies = genealogy OR history “society OR group”
  • Wiki’s = genealogy “wiki”

Example queries. These queries cast a broad net and will find a wide variety of websites. Simply add the name of the country as shown for the country you seek to search for.

  • “Switzerland OR Swiss” genealogy
  • “Country Name” genealogy OR ancestors OR roots
  • “Country Name” genealogy OR research OR database
  • “County Name” genealogy OR historical society OR group
  • “County Name” genealogy online OR site
  • “County Name” genealogical library OR archive
  • “Country Name” genealogy sources OR links
  • ” Country Name ” genealogy wiki

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Step 2: Search for Records

This search query is designed to help you find websites and databases that include specific types of records. If I were searching for census records, my search string would be as follows:

  • “Switzerland” genealogy “census” “database OR records”

Instructions. Choose the record type you would like to search for and replace the “place text here” with the corresponding query element.

  • “Switzerland” genealogy “place text here” “database OR records”

Note: Use variations of the location for different results. Variations include “Austria” or “Austrian” or “Austria OR Austrian.”

  • (Search for record type) = (Use query element)

If you are searching for a specific record, use the associated query element.

  • Adoption / guardianship = “adoption OR guardianship”
  • Bible = “bible”
  • Biography = “biography”
  • Birth / christening = “birth OR christening”
  • Business = “business”
  • Cemetery = “cemetery”
  • Census = “census”
  • Church = “church OR parish”
  • Civil registration = “civil registration”
  • Court = “court”
  • Culture / history = “culture OR history”
  • Death = “death”
  • Directories = “directories”
  • Divorce = “divorce”
  • Immigrant / settlers = “immigrant OR settlers”
  • Immigration / emigration = “immigration OR emigration”
  • Land / property = “land OR property”
  • Maps = “maps”
  • Marriage = “marriage”
  • Military = “military”
  • Naturalization = “naturalization”
  • Newspapers = “newspaper”
  • Obituary = “obituary”
  • Passport = “passport”
  • Pensions = “pensions”
  • Poor houses / orphanages = “poor houses OR orphanages”
  • Obituary = “obituary”
  • Periodicals = “periodicals”
  • Royal / nobility = “royal OR nobility”
  • Probate / will = “probate or will”
  • School = “school”
  • Ship passenger lists = “passenger”
  • Tax = “tax”
  • Vital = “vital”
  • Voting = “voting”

Example queries. These queries will focus on finding websites with specific types of content related to records. The queries are a little long but will save you hours of research. I would encourage you to modify and experiment with the following queries using what you have learned in earlier chapters of this book.

  • “Switzerland OR Swiss” genealogy “guide OR tutorial OR articles OR how-to”
  • “County Name” genealogy Catholic “church OR parish” “database OR index OR records”
  • “County Name” genealogy “church OR parish” “database OR index OR records”
  • “County Name” genealogy “adoption OR guardianship” “database OR index OR records”
  • “County Name” genealogy “birth OR christening” “database OR index OR records”
  • “County Name” genealogy “cemetery” “database OR index OR records”
  • “County Name” genealogy “census” “database OR index OR records”
  • “County Name” genealogy “civil registration” “database OR index OR records”
  • “County Name” genealogy “church OR parish” ” database OR index OR records”
  • “County Name” genealogy “court” “database OR index OR records”
  • “County Name” genealogy “culture OR history” “database OR index OR records”
  • “County Name” genealogy “death” ” database OR index OR records “
  • “County Name” genealogy “immigrant OR settlers” “database OR index OR records”
  • “County Name” genealogy “immigration OR emigration” “records OR database”
  • “County Name” genealogy “Jewish” “database OR index OR records”
  • “County Name” genealogy “land” “database OR index OR records”
  • “County Name” genealogy “language” “database OR index OR records”
  • “County Name” genealogy Lutheran “church OR parish” “database OR index OR records”
  • “County Name” genealogy maps “database OR index OR records”
  • “County Name” genealogy “marriage OR divorce” “database OR index OR records”
  • “County Name” genealogy “military” “database OR index OR records”
  • “County Name” genealogy “municipal” “database OR index OR records”
  • “County Name” genealogy “naturalization” “database OR index OR records”
  • “County Name” genealogy “newspaper” “database OR index OR records”
  • “County Name” genealogy “obituary OR cemetery” “database OR index OR records”
  • “County Name” genealogy “passenger lists” “database OR index OR records”
  • “County Name” genealogy “passport” “database OR index OR records”
  • “County Name” genealogy “poor houses OR orphanages” “database OR index OR records”
  • “County Name” genealogy “probate or will” “database OR index OR records”
  • “County Name” genealogy “royal OR nobility” “database OR index OR records”
  • “County Name” genealogy “school” “database OR index OR records”
  • “County Name” genealogy “tax” “database OR index OR records”
  • “County Name” genealogy “vital” “database OR index OR records”

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Step 3: Free Database Search Queries

The following are free databases on the web that hold thousands of records related to almost every research topic. Add any of the following query elements to the Part 1 or Part 2 query and the Google search will be focused only on the website domains.

  • site:familysearch.org (FamilySearch) (Free)
  • site:usgenweb.org (GenWeb) (Free)
  • site:rootsweb.ancestry.com (RootsWeb) (Free)
  • site:org (Searches .org sites which are non-profit organizations such as genealogical and historical societies.)

The following are examples of adding Part 1 and Part 2 to the above query elements. I prefer the (site:) operator at the beginning of the search query. If you like you can also put it at the end. In this example, I have used “Switzerland OR Swiss” and my country.

  • site:familysearch.org “Switzerland OR Swiss” genealogy “census” “database OR index OR records”
  • site:familysearch.org “County Name” genealogy “birth OR christening” “database OR index OR records” site:familysearch.org “County Name” genealogy “death” “database OR index OR records”

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Step 4: Subscription Database Search Queries

The following are subscription-based databases where a fee is required for access. Check to see if your local library has library versions of these databases which you can search for free. Add any of the following query elements to the Part 1 or Part 2 query and the Google search will be focused only on these website domains.

  • site:ancestry.com (Ancestry) (Subscription)
  • site: myheritage.com (MyHeritage)(Subscription)
  • site:findmypast.com (FindMyPast)(Subscription)

The following are examples of adding Part 1 and Part 2 to the above query elements. I prefer the (site:) operator at the beginning of the search query. If you like you can also put it at the end. . If you as you can also put it at the end. In this example, I have used “Switzerland OR Swiss” and my country.

  • site:ancestry.com “Switzerland OR Swiss” genealogy “census” “records OR database”
  • site:ancestry.com “County Name” genealogy “birth OR christening” “database OR index OR records”
  • site:ancestry.com “County Name” genealogy “death” “database OR index OR records”

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Step 5: “In Country” Website Search Queries

The following query element will focus your search to only websites that are located in “County Name.” Add any of the following query elements to the Part 1 or Part 2 queries.

  •  site:ch (Searches only County Name websites. Use the Google country code. In this example I have to use the Switzerland country code.)

Click here to be taken to a website that lists the country code for countries around the world.

The following are examples of adding Part 1 and Part 2 to the above query elements. I prefer to the (site:) operator at the beginning of the search query. If you like you can also put it at the end. . If you like you can also put it at the end.

  • site:ch “County Name” genealogy “census” “database OR index OR records”
  • site:ch “County Name” genealogy “birth OR christening” “database OR index OR records”
  • site:ch “County Name” genealogy “death” “database OR index OR records”

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Step 6: Locations Within-Country Search Queries

The following query elements focus on locations in Switzerland. Replace the word “County Name” from Part 1 and Part 2 queries with a location such as a state, province, and/or county. If you desire, you can also use city, town, or village (e.g. Bern, Zug, Lagos, Fribourg) or the in-country spelling of the location.

The following are examples of adding Part 1 and Part 2 to the above query elements. In this example, I have used a canton from Switzerland.

  • “Luzern” genealogy “census” “database OR index OR records”
  • “Luzern” genealogy “birth OR christening” “database OR index OR records”
  • “Luzern” genealogy “death” “database OR index OR records”

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