A Review of FindMyPast
The birth of this genealogical site is in the mid-1960s with a British company named ‘Title Research’. All genealogical research was done by searching paper records and microfilm. Jump to 2001 and the use of computers and the Internet, this group created ‘1837 Online’ a digital database of the General Register Office England & Wales birth, marriage and death records for its in-house researchers. By the next year they placed these digital records on a website ‘1837online.com’ for anyone to use across the globe. Over the coming years they make digital and publish several of the U. K. censuses (1861, 1891, etc). The floodgates are now open with its success to gather, make digital countless other records (passenger lists, military records, prison records, royal household staff, etc).
Their database – FindMyPast – of digital records is not just for the Ireland, United Kingdom and its former colonies such as Australia and India. There are some 850 million United States records and over 2 billion records covering locations around the world. The company headquarters are now based in Massachusetts.
FindMyPast prides itself on acquiring and making digital records, newspapers and documents not found online in any other site. There is a massive collection of the British newspapers running from 1710 to 1953. Irish newspapers cover from early 1700s to 1940s. Newspapers in the United States run from 1775 into the 1960s. 
Register for Free and a 14-day Free trial is available where you can search and have access to the records of United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland and other locations across the world. After the 14-day free trial, the databases are accessed by paid subscriptions. You can have a monthly or a 12-month package, giving you access to records from your country. There is World Package for one month at a time or for 12 months. For US and Canada records the subscription is $9.95 for a month or for a year it is $99.50. The World Package (which includes US & Canada) for one month is $19.95 or for a year it would be $199.50.
You can use your desktop computer, a laptop, a tablet, notebook or a smart phone. Not only do research using these devices, but the site also allows you to build a family tree. Look for the tab at the top titled ‘Family Tree’ to enter the details – names- dates of your own family. It also features a ‘My Records’ a storage for those records you find for your family that you access anytime.
The items FindMyPast (owned by British company DC Thomson) offers free is to do a general search on a family name to get an idea of what is available. A free search of the US Federal 1940 Census records and creating your own family tree with information you already know or have just discovered.
There are about 18 million registered users on FindMyPast. They do have a proved record over the years of trying to provide new digital records from different sources and locations. If you can afford the subscription, it is worth using it for at least a month. For sure, do try the free 14-day trial.
Photos: Your ancestors are waiting to be discovered and the FindMyPast Logo.
Related FamilyTree.com genealogy blogs:
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