GenealogyBank Review 2024

GenealogyBank is an excellent tool if you are looking for information about your past, your family, heritage, and your lineage. Through GenealogyBank, you will access a wealth of information that can give you insight into your ancestors and your past.

This is the perfect platform for family history researchers or anyone simply interested in their family history. Having access to vital records is the first step to uncovering your past. You will get to know and understand information that you cannot find just anywhere.

Who Is GenealogyBank?

GenealogyBank is a major online newspaper archive search and genealogical resource created by NewsBank inc. You can access loads of different resources and materials such as historical newspapers, modern obituaries, military records, pamphlets, books, and government documents.

GenealogyBank also lets you find incredible news and information about your entire family history. GenealogyBank is one of the most extensive online obituary collections, and they can get you access to millions of different records.

They are an excellent source for beginner and advanced family history researchers and genealogists.

How Does GenealogyBank Work?

GenealogyBank is an online database available to anyone. You will have to sign up to become a member, but once done, you get full access to all of their online genealogical records. You can then search these records by names, dates, or any other information you can use.

Access to these records helps family history researchers and genealogists learn and uncover information about family lineages and ancestors.

It is not a family tree builder; it is an information database that you can make use of to help you build a family tree. GenealogyBank is a great resource for finding information and historical documents that relate to your past family members and history.

GenealogyBank serves as a platform that lets you search for people or relatives by dates, names, and even geographical locations. You will then be given loads of different documents that match your search and criteria.

What Other Resources Does GenealogyBank Include?

GenealogyBank's collections can tell you almost everything and anything. Finding information on your past and family history is easier than ever. You can get access to immigration records, death notices, orphan petitions, casualty lists, and way more:

Marriage records

Official marriage, death, and birth records are vital as they can provide you with clues and critical details about your past and family history. Marriage records are filled with facts and valuable information.

From the names of the bride and groom's family members, and biographical information, to the names of everyone who attended the wedding and much more. You will also likely be able to find photographs of the bride and groom.

Marriage records provide names and dates to help you complete the blanks on your family tree and hints to refocus your family history study. You will get to read untold stories about the most delicate details of your family's lives and history.

GenealogyBank's archive covers more than 327 years of news about weddings and engagements.

Newspapers

Their collection covers over 330 years of newspaper coverage in the US, including over 13,000 newspaper titles, including speeches, letters, advertisements, opinion pieces, hometown news, illustrations, photographs, and much more from all 50 US states.

Not only do these documents provide you with dates and names, but they also give you first-hand accounts that you will not be able to find from other records. These newspapers will provide you with an idea of the everyday experiences of your family and ancestors.

If you know the town that your family lived in, you can track newspapers from nearby towns and cities that can help you get information. GenealogyBank uses keyword matches to find newspaper articles and images that are relevant to your search.

Newspaper articles can help you add a lot of depth to your family tree as you uncover stories and find loads of information, this way, you can get the whole story. The archives date back to 1690, so there is tons of information to explore.

Birth records

In the past, all births were documented in the local paper. Birth announcements in old newspapers are incredibly useful when creating your family tree because of their timely release. Births have been announced in the paper since the 1700s.

These announcements will help you trace family members born before the 1900s and give you various clues that will aid in tracking down your other ancestors' birth certificates.

Birth records will not only give you a wealth of information, but you will also be able to find baby photos of all of your late family members, this will also help you put faces to names. GenealogyBank's birth record library will help you get to the root of your origin.

Knowing when and where people were born will be of great help and will give you a clearer picture of your entire family history.

Government publications

These vital records give you a look into historical moments and documents that can provide you with a wealth of additional information to help your search. Government publications include Widows' Claims, US military records, and US government land grants.

You can also access Pension records that include Revolutionary war, Civil war pension requests, and WW1 and WW2 pensions. Historical maps include military and war battle maps, old land and property maps, and burial and cemetery maps.

Obituaries

Obituaries can give you insight into when one of your family members died, but they can also provide insight into the big things that happened during that person's life, from when they were born until they passed away.

Obituaries give you an idea of how that person lived, what they did, and how everyone remembered them. Obituaries are often a starting point or a missing link in your family history search.

You can learn about some essential details from these records, such as the person's year and place of birth, their name, their children's names, where they grew up, and birth orders. You can also find out who their spouse was and how old they were.

Obituaries give you details about the person's grandparents and parents, all of the cities and towns they lived in and for how long, and the place and date of their burial funeral, and where the cemetery is located.

All obituaries can be found by state, name, newspaper publication, and city. GenealogyBank's newspaper obituaries are updated daily to ensure that your searches are as accurate and detailed as possible.

Passenger lists

You can get a lot of information from these records, such as ship disaster lists, ships arriving with immigrants, the passengers on stagecoaches, and vessels carrying people from the states.

You can also find out ship names, all of the departure and arrival ports, the country of origin, and even the names and ages of passengers. These records have a lot of information in them and can give you a good idea of where your family came from and how they got there.

Ship disaster lists can provide you with clues as they cover tragic events, who was involved, who survived, and who did not.

Ships carrying people from the states, these listings frequently included details on relatives who traveled with the specified passenger, offering valuable leads for advancing your ancestry study.

All of these lists can provide you with names and personal details, all of which can give you clues and even help you trace your heritage.

Historical books

Other than old history books, you can also discover facts from these records that you wouldn't be able to discover anywhere else. These records include vintages ads and prints, old atlases and maps, tax bills, theatre programs and playbills, and vintage invitations.

You can also access funeral sermons, elegy poems, eulogies, town meeting reports, academic awards and merits, almanacs, and a range of very rare books like genealogies, biographies, and autobiographies. The more information you have, the easier and more detailed your search is.

US census records

Census records are packed with essential information that is accurate and factual. These records date back years and can tell you almost anything you need to know.

These records can tell you the names and ages of all your family members from that household, the countries they were all born in, the year they immigrated, marital status, street names of where they lived, their occupations, and much more.

Social security death index

For most genealogists, the social security death index is the best starting place as you can use this to map out your whole family tree and can lead you to find many of your ancestors and their relatives.

The SSDI can confirm a lot of information for you during your search process. You can also learn about various family members' hobbies, careers, academic affiliations, civic associations, and newspaper obituaries.

GenealogyBank's SSDI records can give you an integrated search result that makes verifying specific information much easier.

How To Subscribe To GenealogyBank

You can sign up for a one-week free trial. After that, you will need to pay a subscription fee. GenealogyBank will cost you $19.95 a month, or you can pay $99.00 for the entire year. However, they do have subscription feeds to fit everyone's budget.

How To Use GenealogyBank

Step 1: Search the name first

You can find a search form at the very top of the home page. You can search all of the collections, or you can search for something specific. Either search for the surname or the first name, depending on how common the name is.

The site will find all of the matches that link to the names you have entered. You can then sift through these articles and records to see if they are what you are looking for. You can also add middle names to make the search more accurate.

Write the name in different variations until you find what you are looking for. You can also filter in dates if you use the advanced search.

Step 2: Always use keywords

You can add specific keywords when you use the advanced search. Use quotation marks around the name when searching for it and use terms that relate to the person you are looking for.

Terms may include their spouse's name, their occupations, the college they went to, places they lived, or anything else that could narrow the search down to that particular person.

Step 3: Narrow down your search

You can select certain newspaper archives and check boxes on the search form that will limit your search results and keep them relevant to what you are looking for. You can further narrow down your searches by ticking more boxes.

You can do searches by cities, states, or towns.

Some Features

User friendly

Using and making searches on the database is straightforward and very clear. It is easy to use and understand. Conducting any research via GenealogyBank is simple and makes it a great platform to use.

Millions of records

You can trace back to multiple generations using their records. GenealogyBank has records that cover years of history. You can look into vital records such as newspaper obituaries, immigration records, hometown news, military records, and even civil war pension requests.

You will be able to find almost anything from these records. The collection is enormous and gives you details, data, and valuable information to provide insight into your past, family heritage, and ancestors.

Refined searches

When searching, you can include various search criteria like states, names, date ranges, cities, and the type of records you are looking for. This helps you narrow down your search and provides you with only the necessary information.

Helpful

If you have any questions or need support, the team at GenealogyBank is very friendly and helpful. You can contact them in various ways, and they are always eager to assist.

And if they ever get access to or acquire certain documents that match what you have been looking for, they will notify you about this. This is amazing as you can constantly get more information.

The free trial

You can use their platform without signing up first, as they allow a one-week free trial. This is amazing as you can see if you find the platform useful before you commit to using it.

Compared To Its Competitors:

GenealogyBank is cheaper than its competitors when it comes to the subscription fee and yearly costs. However, Ancestry.com and MyHeritage have much larger databases.

Ancestry.com has more than 6 billion records just for the United States and loads more records outside of the states. MyHeritage has over 9 billion records, while GenealogyBank only has 2 billion genealogy records.

GenealogyBank only gives you access to records and data, while Ancestry.com and MyHeritage include family tree builders.

Finding results:

If you get the results you want

If you have found a match and got the information you were looking for, you can add this to your current records or use the information to find out further details that you have yet to uncover.

One record can lead the path to multiple other records that may be filled with helpful information. It will work in a domino effect and put you in the right direction to gather all the information you can about your family history.

You can use this information to build your family tree and understand why family members currently face various health issues. Your family's past can be of great help in understanding your family's present.

If you don't

If you struggle to find what you are looking for, it is best to narrow down your searches or try to search for the same thing in various ways. The GenealogyBank team is also always there to assist, but it is also important to note that some records may not be around.

GenealogyBank: Frequently Asked Questions

What is genealogy?

Genealogy is the study of one's history and family origins. Genealogists do research in order to formulate lists, family trees, charts, and more to gain knowledge about family history and family members.

How do I cancel my membership?

You can do this online by logging into your account. Then select update my membership and select cancel automatic renewals. Cancelling your membership is quick and easy and automatically comes into effect.

How do I set up an account?

While searching is free, access to the entire text is restricted and requires a monthly or yearly membership. An account may be created quickly, and you can start using it right away. You can pay with a Discover, American Express, Visa, or Mastercard.

There are no setup fees or other costs. You must use a suitable browser since the data you provide to us is sent via a secure connection. Additionally, cookies and JavaScript must be enabled.

The Bottom Line

GenealogyBank is an excellent resource available to anyone that is looking to find out information about their past relatives or anyone else for that matter.

Having access to such a vast collection of records and data can be highly beneficial in finding accurate and factual information.

Neil Edwards

Genealogist and family-tree research specialist

Neil was born in Shropshire, England surrounded by centuries of living history. His interest in the past has been a lifelong passion leading to undergraduate degrees in both Economic History & Geography and History & Politics.

This interest in history quickly translated to family history when he moved to the U.S. in 2010. It was here that he began working on his own family tree as well as that of his American wife. That research allowed him to gain a wealth of experience working with both U.S. and European genealogical documents and studying their best uses in researching family history.

Following 9 years of honing his genealogical research skills, Neil was proud to have earned a certificate in Genealogical Research from Boston University in late 2019. Neil also took part in the research process for a Duke University study into the families of 19th Century UK Members of Parliament.

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