Where to Create a Family Tree Site
Websites where you can create your own family tree website
You don't need to be a web designer to make your own family tree website. If you want to publish your genealogy information online, there are networks that you can join
You've used dozens (if not hundreds) of online family trees during your own research, and now you've decided that you want to offer your research back to the cyber-community and post your own tree. Besides being helpful to others, your family tree might get the attention of other relatives doing their own searching. You never know who might contact you after seeing your tree online.
Rather than just add your files to a huge database like Genealogy.com, you've decided that you want to create a site that is uniquely yours.
You don't necessarily need to find a genealogy-based network to join, but it can make it a lot easier if you don't know a lot about the Internet and web design. Watch for a future article on building a family tree website from scratch. Though one benefit of joining a family-tree network is that your tree will be much easier to find by other people, because it will be part of a larger network. An individual site is all alone in cyber-space.
There are several places online that you can use to publish your family tree, some do charge a monthly fee for the account. They're usually not that expensive though. Here are a few sites you should check out:
Tribal Pages - This one is my personal favourite, and I think I will be signing up with them in the near future. Their basic sites are free and display with ads, with upgrades available for a minimal fee. All you need to do is upload your GEDCOM file, and all the pages are created automatically, including various easy-to-navigate pedigree charts, family groups and surname lists. You can even include photos.
Rootsweb Freepages - Rootsweb is one of the better known networks, but it's a little out-of-date. The interface is a little confusing, and you'll need to be a bit more tech-savvy to work this site. Unlike most family tree sites, you don't just upload your GEDCOM file. You have to create the web pages yourself, and load those into your account.
Family Webhost - A bit more expensive, but there are a lot of bells and whistles with this site. They have plenty of tools to help with the creation of your site, and you can even register a domain name with them for your site (www.yourfamilyname.com). If all you want is a place to put your tree, there may be more here than you need.
Family Connect - This particular site is for keeping families connected, not really for family tree publishing. I thought I would mention it for people who actively stay in touch with family members while doing your research. You can use your site here as a hub for family members to communicate, share photos and more. They offer a free trial, but I can't find what the cost is after that.
Just to clarify, these are sites that allow you to create your own family tree website. There are many other sites where you can upload your information simply to add your research to the global pool.
