The Vital Resources section allows access to over 600 million names via the International Genealogical Database, as well as traditional church and civil records. There are over a dozen other section including census, legal and military records to help trace elusive ancestors. A site dedicated to tracing Jewish family history. Along with forums and discussion groups there are a number of databases, including the Family Finder, intended to connect people who are searching the same ancestral towns and surnames. Current projects include a Yizkor book forum and a global registry to help survivors of the holocaust to trace relatives.
Some services involve a charge.
The Surname Registry provides links to websites for over 4,000 common family names, of mainly European origin. Many useful Internet genealogy pages are listed and the unmoderated message boards make it easy to get in touch. Users frustrated by the lack of information on their name can create their own page with the 'MyFamily' feature, increasing the likelihood of someone with the same surname getting in touch. If you would like to suggest a site for inclusion you can add your choice at the BBC WebGuide. All the sites listed above are checked regularly.